The Rollins World Cup was a remarkably fun experience. Even while lacking the grandeur of a professional soccer game, the games last Thursday were both a reminder of the camaraderie of sports and of the strong attachments the students of Rollins have to their native countries.
Taking place Sept. 16 on Mills Lawn, the tournament was one of both intense competition and lots of enjoyment. This balance was attained perfectly by the members of All Campus Events (ACE), the creators of the Rollins World Cup. Between the music, drinks and heated soccer competitions, the atmosphere was one of shared relaxation and enjoyment.
Amanda Drum ‘12, the primary force behind the World Cup, could not have been prouder with the turnout. “I’m happy. We’ve been reaching out to different groups, wanting to get all sorts of people involved in the ACE community. This event attracted a bunch of people, both soccer players and an audience, and everyone had a great time. That’s exactly what I wanted,” said Drum.
The success of the event also has the people at ACE really excited. “We saw how much people enjoyed the World Cup, and were eager to hold more events around campus,” said Drum.
ACE will be holding events like the upcoming Fallout Festival all year around campus. The Festival will be held on Mary Jean Plaza, in front of the bookstore, on Sept. 25. “It’s going to be huge,” said Drum. “Don’t miss out.”
Countries represented in the Rollins World Cup included Guatemala, Argentina, Spain, Germany, the United States, Iraq, and many more. The chatter between teams was often provocative in the way that only true soccer players can speak, all the while staying true to the unity that the sport itself brings to the world.
William Glass ‘14, a player for the Iraq team, performed amazingly during his matches. “It’s great! All these guys have been playing soccer forever, were really having fun matches.” Another player, Oscar Martinez ‘14, was excited for a different reason: “I’m here to represent Nicaragua, the best country in the world.” This attitude was shared by all of the people participating in and attending the Cup.
The teams all competed through bracketed competition, a process of elimination that left only the two best teams on the field. At the end of the day, the Rollins World Cup concluded in a tie between Argentina and Guatemala. It was a tough match, played with the fervor of an international competition. The final score of 3-3 left everyone exhausted and happy.
The results of the Rollins World Cup stand as proof of many things. It shows the success of ACE’s efforts in hosting events, it shows the community of engagement that Rollins is so wonderful for, and most importantly, it shows how people can come together from every different area of the world and participate in something fun and worthwhile. As one of the players said after the game, “No one here got first, but everyone won.”
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