A promising football player and a budding volleybelle are this year’s recipient of the Athletic Saber Award of the Philippine Military Academy’s Bagong Henerasyong Gagampanan ang Tama: Serbisyo, Integridad, at Nasyonalismo ang Aming Gabay (Bagong Sinag) class of 2024.
Cadet 1st Class Jake Matiw and Camille Joy Poblete will receive this year’s athletic saber award for showing prowess in their physical education grades and athleticism throughout their stay in the academy.
Prior to entering the academy, Matiw was already making a name in football representing Mountain Province in the Cordillera Administrative Region Athletic Association since elementary and high school.
“When I entered PMA, I was able to have a lot of opportunity in trying out different sports, including running, baseball, and combative sports,” said the incoming lieutenant of the Philippine Army.
Matiw, a native of Bontoc, also represented PMA in the different events that include Spartan races where he competed mostly in 10 and 21 kilometer run winning medals for the academy.
Aside from Spartan races, Matiw also competed in the different triathlon events in Clark.
Poblete meanwhile pursued volleyball while she was enrolled at the Cagayan State University.
But upon entering PMA, just like Matiw, was also given the opportunity to try other sports, and eventually excel.
“Since madaming sports ang ino-offer ang PMA, na encourage kame to pursue different sports like swimming, arnis, archery, baseball, volleyball, and badminton,” said Poblete.
A volleyball college varsity at the CSU, Poblete was hoping to represent PMA in the Baguio – Benguet Educational Athletic League but the Covid – 19 pandemic struck which resulted to the cancellation of the competition in 2020 until 2021.
“Noong fourth and third tsaka second class kame, may covid pa and despite our eagerness to compete, we were not able to pursue it. But this year, since naging medyo open na, nakapaglaro na kame sa BBEAL,” said the 23 year old incoming Philippine Air Force lieutenant.
Poblete added aside from volleyball, she also saw action in different combative events like arnis, where she was designated as the cadet in charge. Roderick Osis
