From Paulista Avenue to Araraquara: What Casperians Athletes Expect From JUCA

JUCA is the Communications Universities’ World Cup. We wait the whole year just to live these 4 days intensely. All the atmosphere created around the event with songs, videos and the crowd is incomparable. The most typical university experience is about travelling with your colleagues, having fun, playing no matter if you are drunk, hurt or hadn’t sleep and seeing other athletes’ effort to win their dream medals. JUCA is the moment when the team unites itself and the whole university screams for one reason. The athletes are contagious by the passion and expectations of everybody. The feeling of getting inside the field changes, the intensity changes, the pressure changes. Every sensation gets stronger. This league is a mix of anxiety, fear and curiosity which motivate the teams. It is a crazy championship. Impossible to describe, you have to live it to know it.   

In this competition, we defend one university: Cásper Líbero. We are different from other competitors, because we act as one. The team’s union as well as the crowd’s are bigger, you can see in our eyes and voices. Everyone that makes part of it, loves to be part of it. Cásper Líbero means passion and a sense of belonging. Tácia Herstig, who plays table tennis, reported that the university has a very strong and healthy sporting spirit “There is a huge respect for the sport”. The girls who represent these people revealed to be something special and fulfilling, the reason for Isabel Savino, futsal player, confirms “it requires a lot of responsibility, trust and love”. They are proud to represent Cásper Líbero as much as the crowd is proud to support them. To be dressed of red and white, to paint our face and lose our voice is nothing compared to this love. Therefore, Sarah Dalben, the graduated handball player, don’t see the university as having the best teams, but the one that has the best feeling.    

Mariana Gonzalez, rugby leader, emphasized that they don’t represent the Institution, but the students. Paola Zanon, basketball athlete, had a different view “I prefer to think I am there for the girls of the team. Being with them means much more than representing my university”. Heloysa Christina, handball player, paid tribute to a different group “To represent Cásper Líbero is also to represent everyone that one day dressed this red shirt”. The tenacity, will and braveness of the teams mentioned by the volleyball athlete, Fernanda Yoshizato, explained the baggage, history and tradition behind this uniform. To be part of a team can be your first love in College, as for Yasmin Mattos, who met some good friends trough the basketball. It is a place where you can identify yourself with the moral and ethical principles, as the rugby representative Phanie Sampaio. It is a possibility to make not only your university, but favorite sport to grow. No matter what attracts you, it is a fun and warm environment.

To play a sport taught these girls some valuable ideas. It is important to respect other limitations, it is necessary to trust in yourself first and then the team, the pressure of having everybody watching is essential to release adrenalin, you gain experience over time, it is important to keep focused and calm, it is a relieved practice and you have to honor everyone who made possible for you to be there. Nervousness and butterflies in the stomach are normal and continue as much as you participate in JUCA, however, the desire of play and give their best guide us. For Nicole Kryakos, tennis player, in this competition, their efforts are recognized. As an athlete, the swimmer Marcela Barbato, wishes to see this recognition coming back with medals and the trophy in which Nicole complemented “To be in JUCA again is a new challenge, a new goal, but the same dream: to be the champion”.   

On the collective sports, the girls highlighted the importance of being intermeshing, so it is necessary to read others expressions, to communicate with the teammates during the game, to be in line with them, to see the team as a “single body”, to know your colleges facilities and difficulties to support them individually, to be attentive to their actions, to have a good vision about the match and mutual trust. On the individual sports, the interviewers reported a psychological additional, so it is recommended to develop your mind, without forgetting to have fun. “The good side about playing alone is that, if you miss something, you don’t affect the whole thing, however no one can help you to fix it” remembered Maria Eugênia Mugnai, chess representative. Some of them also lamented the small participation of the crowd for these single sports.

The veterans pointed out that they are more well prepared this year, knowing their biggest competitors and the intention is to overcome their previously experiences and to give confidence to the ones that are there for the first time. Julia Noleto, a tennis veteran, informed that she can control her anxiety better now and Martha Assumpção, table tennis player, added that it is ready with more practicing and experience. The biggest difference that Paola Zanon related is that, as she knows the feeling of winning and losing now, she knows that that the result is not the most important thing. Mariana Salem, a basketball player, guaranteed “Just an athlete knows how the routine is tough and how much effort is necessary to achieve, or not, our goals”. The practices are intensifying now, along with friendlies, watching the adversities matches and sending incentive messages one another. It is a full dedication moment.

All the girls appreciated how the love for the sport they represent allow them to meet amazing people. Renata Tanza, futsal athlete, explained that, independently of the result, she wants to enjoy it knowing she did everything she could. Isabel Savino, a beginner, expects a lot of fun, drinks and that Cásper Líbero wins. Leila Loturco, volleyball player, said she doesn`t want to miss a thing “I bought the tickets to all the parties and I also want to play a lot”. Yasmin Mattos, basketball veteran, had a tip for all the first years that aren’t on a team in this competition “You will see our passion inside the matches and, if that evokes something on you, look for the team’s leader and be part of this family”. No matter the reason why are you going to JUCA, but the spirit that comes along with it. Make it worth, make it memorable, make in a Casperian way.   

Marcela Barbato, our swimming athlete.

Maria Eugênia Mugnai, our chess athlete. 

Isabel Savino and Renata Tanza, our futsal athletes.

Heloysa Christina and Sarah Dalben, our handball athletes.

Phanie Sampaio and Mariana Gonzalez, our rugby athletes.

Martha Assumpção and Tácia Herstig, our table tennis athletes.

Julia Noleto and Nicole Kyriakos, our tennis athletes.

Fernanda Yoshizato and Leila Loturco, our volleyball athletes.

Mariana Salem, Paola Zanon and Yasmin Mattos, our basketball athletes. 

• athletes
• JUCA