UPH Eagles Basketball Once Again Won the National Champion at LIMA

UPH Eagles is having a brilliant achievement and consistency as a successful student basketball program among the national universities. During 10 years, the UPH Eagles basketball team won four consecutive gold medals at the biennial Student League (Lima) national championship under the direction of Metcalfe as a coach and UPH sports Director.

“Non-arguably, no team from another university that has been able to achieve that achievement. 4 times in a row, “said Metcalfe.

?I cannot expect my players to do what I am not willing to do,? that is a sentence that underlies the totality of Stephen L. Metcalfe in bringing UPH Eagles Sports incised his victories in various matches.

Furthermore, Metcalfe states that the success is based on the three values invested in the UPH sports Department, such as;

1. Athletic perfection, desire for excellence in every area of life. how can we live an excellent life today.

2. Process oriented. In this aspect, people are guided to grow and develop to the higher level through the process of life.

3. Internal perspective, everything in here today worked to glorify God. This is not the most important reality; we recognize there is an eternity. One of the examples, is the failure, lost and injury is not a big issue instead of a situation that helps u to grow.

In the context of student-athlete, UPH can be proud, because Metcalfe further explains that student-athlete is not a program that prioritizes the achievements of athletes more than academic, but that is a thing that must be achieved well together, academic yet sport. That is the reason why Metcalfe makes an exercise program every morning starts at 5 o’clock in the morning and 5 pm after the class, so it will not interfere with the student lecture schedule.

“We are the only institution that schedules an exercise session at 5 am. Because we want to be the best. To be able to practice at 5 am, they will certainly avoid doing things that are not useful, such as going to the club, staying up late, so that they can wake up tomorrow morning,” said Metcalfe.

In line with that, Andromeda Manuputty, Coach of UPH Eagles sports UPH also explained that; although the priority portion between academic and sports is equal, still academically have the main portion.

“That’s why the UPH program is called student-athlete, not athlete-student,” Ando explained.

One of Metcalfe’s most memorable moments when he looked at his past experience was when he had a team that arguably lacked the skill and talent of basketball. But they tried very hard to win the prestigious award at that time. Similarly, when he got the responsibility of UPH team in the previous time which is still not unorganized.

“No vision, no focus. When I came to UPH, I improved its culture, it’s focus. There are some of them who do not like the new culture. But to engage in a professional game, it takes the structure, discipline, and clear values. So half the teams that do not agree stop; and they are the talented players who unfortunately do not like the new culture, but for those who are half talented, they decide to stay. After that, they even won the game for 4 tournaments in a row. It’s a beautiful thing to see because the most talented participants leave, and who did not belong to the most talented ranks, stayed and they won in 2nd division, 1st division, the main division and the national qualification in 4 consecutive tournaments, respectively. That is one beautiful memory “, recalled Metcalfe.

Indeed that is not an easy thing, Metcalfe even reveals that every day he writes what he will do and the vision that he will implant to the team in his book.

?The difference maker is someone who can tap into the mind of the person and bring them up to another level. That?s what excellence coaches do. impact them to do things they believe they could not to do. I want to impact them spiritually, not only a physical thing, but the will to win every day. There are a complete lifestyle and way of thinking that make us different. I show up to them every day. The point is I can?t expect my players to do what I?m not willing to do. Therefore every day I show up within absolute lot in the desire to do the best I can that day. Every time,? said Metcalfe firmly. (tm)