Written by: Sarah L.
Edited by: Noah L.
International School Manila, September 2018: The batches were animated and vibrant, ornamented with face paint and decorated drums, embellished with class spirit, and prepared to make BOB an unforgettable part of their high school experience. This is the spirit of Battle of the Bearcats (BOB)—this is what establishes the unity and collaboration amongst each batch as they strive to win the commending trophy. Yet even then, the spirit of the senior class was no match for the surpassing juniors.
Six years later, the Class of 2025, painted in V-shaped patterns and donning long dark capes, approached their one last chance to redress a vendetta and win BOB. Despite hours of hard work creating decorations, rehearsing a compelling chant, and building dynamic connections with one another, the seniors fell short of vanquishing their sought-after vendetta.
What remains truly remarkable is that the winner was the Class of 2027, who announced their supremacy with their chant. In being the first sophomore class ever to win BOB, the Class of ‘27 truly made history.
Often noted for being the most spirited, seniors traditionally earn the most spirit points at BOB, with only a handful of exceptions where juniors have taken the lead. However, this year marks the first time in history that a sophomore class earned the trophy, leading many to question and wonder how they did it.
The sophomore Jokers surpassed the seniors with a striking seven-point lead in spirit points even though the seniors managed to achieve 10 more gold medals in the events. What makes BOB so commendable is not how many events a batch dominates in, but rather the passionate dynamic and collaboration that shines through.
As such, some seniors commend the sophomores for their immense spirit and unified commitment.“The seniors lost BOB frankly because the sophomores were too good,” said Mika, the senior class president. “Any other year that we would’ve gone, we probably would’ve won.”
Certainly, this led to some disappointment considering it was the senior’s last year partaking in the ISM tradition. Some are still troubled that the hard work put into medalling did not count towards the ultimate prize, because if it had, the seniors would have claimed victory.
Sabino, the sophomore class president, brought up an interesting perspective: “How proud of yourselves would you feel on winning something based on gold medals when you know that that’s a naturally determining thing anyways,” he said. “If something comes naturally, then it’s not really something to be proud of – you’re proud of the things you work for.”
Surly enough, the sophomores had worked hard. A well-thought-out system was organized indicating where each person should go for their event, and this information was then sent out by email. Nonetheless, the seniors also had a system, yet it was not as effective.
“I just think more sophomores followed it because people in our grade are generally very cooperative,” Sabino responded when asked about the emails. “In fact, at a certain point it wasn’t even us, the council, who were initiating it. It was even them saying, ‘Where do I need to be right now, I’m free,’ and ‘I can go anywhere – let’s do this.’”
However, could this immense dedication and commitment have subverted the spirit of BOB? In other words, did the sophomores go too far to win BOB? Did some sophomore squads take it to extremes by staying at their posts and missing out on highly esteemed events like BOB dance? If one of the main purposes of BOB is to encourage batch engagement and fun, the sophomores may have undermined the enjoyment of BOB in pursuit of a trophy.
In addition to the intensity of their commitment, the sophomores prevailed collaboratively. “Everyone had a collective mindset of thinking about everybody and not just themselves,” said Sabino. “Sophomores have never won before, only juniors, so when sophomores win, it’s very indicative of the fact that people in our grade are just very collective.” If that wasn’t enough, when asked if he thought the batch of ‘27 is in general more selfless and united as a whole, his response to was, “One hundred percent – that’s why we won.”
There is no doubt then that the sophomores were well organized and came prepared. Batch unity and cohesiveness are two key ingredients needed to match the spirit of BOB – but regardless, the seniors demonstrated commitment as well. “We started from the negatives,” said Mika. “We were at a spirit deficit at the beginning of the year, and it took us a lot of effort to get us out of that.”
From last year’s pink panthers chanting “We’re pink, in synch, we’ll make you all extinct!” to this year’s vendetta collectively dominating as they shouted their graduating year, the batch of ‘25 undoubtedly showed signs of growth. This was only possible through the organizing of the council, the passion vocalized by their drummers, the guidance from Mr. Kramer, and the liveliness enunciated by individuals who showed immense spirit throughout.
“At ISM, it often feels like we tend to celebrate achievement and results, rather than recognizing the process and effort that go into them,” Mr. Kramer said. “I am incredibly proud of the Seniors, and it’s inspiring to know that many of them do not need to lift a trophy to understand the brilliant effort they put into BOB.”
Indeed, the sophomores won BOB, but perhaps the seniors won something too.
As Mr. Kramer so intricately puts it, “The Sophomores were simply better on the day and were well-deserved winners, but I don’t see this as a loss for the Seniors. Instead, I see the phenomenal progress our batch has made and that does not require a trophy.”
When it comes down to it, sophomores won BOB because their spirit was simply unmatched by any other cohort. This underscores how any batch can win BOB despite preconceived notions, further encouraging each batch to push themselves beyond their limits in collaboration and spirit.
At the same time, while the seniors did not win BOB, they won something more than what a trophy could give them. Through the ups and downs of high school, the seniors have grown not only as individuals but as a batch. In its entirety, perhaps the spirit of BOB remains not only in the act of lifting a trophy but in the journey and commitment it takes to get there.
