Universidad Veracruzana Promotes Sports, Coexistence, and Community Values Through “Tequios”

Xalapa, Veracruz – February 20, 2026 – The Universidad Veracruzana (UV) actively participated in the National Day of Tequios in Sports Spaces: “Sports for all,” a nationwide initiative spearheaded by the Ministry of Public Education and the Mexican Youth Institute. The event focused on rehabilitating sports facilities and fostering a stronger sense of community among students.

Rehabilitation and Community Involvement

Students and faculty members collaborated to revitalize the University Aquatic Center and its adjacent field. This included cleaning, repairs, and adapting the field for various recreational activities. The initiative aligns with the ancestral tradition of “tequio,” representing unpaid community work for collective benefit, as explained by Erick Yael Fernández Barradas, a UV psychologist and master in Sports Psychology from the Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL).

Innovative Soccer Tournament Emphasizes Inclusion

A key component of the day was a soccer tournament designed to prioritize coexistence and inclusivity over traditional competition. The tournament featured four unique soccer modalities:

• Siamese Soccer: Teams of two players were connected, requiring coordinated movement and communication.
• Soccer with Simulated Blindness: Players wore masks to limit vision, fostering trust and verbal guidance.
• Giant Soccer: Played with seven members per team, no goalkeeper, and a pilates ball, altering traditional strategies.
• Earthquake Soccer: Zero contact, lateral movements only, simulating table football dynamics.

These adaptations, according to José Luis Juvera Portilla, a DADUV academic technician with a doctorate in Sports Psychology from UANL, aimed to generate coexistence, respect, and a shared culture of values.

Strengthening Social Fabric and Well-being

The event provided a different environment for interaction between teachers and students, promoting respect and the reinforcement of values. Juvera Portilla noted that while the university facilities receive regular maintenance, the “tequio” provided an opportunity to reinforce a sense of co-responsibility in caring for shared spaces. He also highlighted the potential of such activities to address stress and psychosocial challenges faced by the university population.

National Initiative and Institutional Collaboration

Mariana Núñez Islas, head of the Veracruzano Youth Institute, emphasized the importance of aligning institutional programs with the student community and working collaboratively with the UV. She underscored that these actions are part of a national policy focused on recovering public spaces and leveraging sports as a tool for social cohesion.

The Universidad Veracruzana’s participation in the National Day of Tequios demonstrates its commitment to promoting values, fostering inclusion, and creating safe, participatory environments for its students.

Tags: University Aquatic Center, David Sandoval Rodríguez, Directorate of Sports Activities (DADUV), Erick Yael Fernández Barradas, Mexican Youth Institute, National Tequios Day in Sports Spaces: “Sport for all”, José Luis Juvera Portilla, Luis Fernando Fernández, Mariana Núñez Islas, Sports Psychology, Secretariat of Public Education, Autonomous University of Nuevo León (UANL), Veracruzana University (UV)