After consultation with all the parties involved, the University Athletics Association of the Philippines has deemed that it will only decrease the drums of the schools’ pep squads to by just one bass drum. As a result, the cheer teams can bring four basses and two snares.
Last year, the league already decreased the drums by a bass as well.
The initial proposition by the league is to just allow two bass drums and one snare. However, there was a huge clamor among the student-athletes from the UAAP member schools to change the league’s stance.
As a result, the league released their final decision, Tuesday.
Squads are allowed to use up to four bass and two snare drums for basketball games held at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and the SMART Araneta Coliseum. For games held at the Filoil Arena, Blue Eagle Gym, we will still follow the one bass, one snare-rule.
More importantly, it is encouraged that the drumming be more in tune with the ebb and flow of the games rather than indescriminate, incessant pounding from tip-off to the final buzzer — particularly timeouts and intervals of play should be drum-free.
In addition, the league will still allow brass bands for as long as the maximum number of instruments would not exceed 25.
Over the last few seasons, coaches and team personnel have voiced their displeasure regarding the incessant playing of instruments by the cheersquads especially during timeouts.
