“I can’t believe I signed up for this.”
I must have told my buddy Kavi this at least 15 times on Saturday during the ISA World Cup. The first time was probably when we had to get up at 8:30am to go register in the 35-degree temperature and drizzling rain. The ninth time was probably when we were standing on the sidelines at Lakeside Field, where the wind whipped off of the lake and created a wind chill of what seemed like 15 below zero. The fifteenth time was most likely after the first half of our team’s 7 pm game, a half that was played essentially in the dark, as we had been relegated to the unlit practice fields.
I couldn’t believe I had signed up for this, but I would absolutely do it again.
The International Student Association teamed up with several Northwestern programs, local businesses, and L.A.-based sponsor Onelove to put on a 32-team soccer tournament this weekend. The event attracted about 480 students, according to World Cup Executive Board President Maria Ptouchkina.
Despite the less-than-ideal weather, spirits were high and the atmosphere was festive throughout the first day of games on Saturday. Fans blew vuvuzuelas, the noisemakers made infamous at the most recent World Cup in South Africa this past summer. Players proudly sported their team’s flag, some even making them into capes. Creative goal celebrations were on display, such as the entire Bahamas team pantomiming rowing a canoe. And even the more intense matches were always followed by handshaking and displays of good sportsmanship.
The ISA handed out goody bags to all players who participated and had even swankier giveaways for the championship team and individual award winners.
But it was clear that most of the bundled-up players did not sign up for a free t-shirt. A lot of people initially had the same shell-shocked look I did, the I-cannot-believe-it’s-this-cold-in-the-middle-of-April look, but as the day wore on, that look gave way to smiles of people just happy to run around and play some soccer. Even I had one.
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