DC Cup!!

Soccer isn’t my thing.   I wish it were, but it isn’t.   Like many of my generation, I wasn’t exposed to soccer during my formative years (whenever that was).  So I missed that boat.

I have a rudimentary understanding of soccer.  I know enough to know I wouldn’t be very good at it.  It wasn’t until Dan became director, that soccer became a big deal at Doublecreek.  We played lots of ‘football,’ but it wasn’t the world view of football.

Now soccer is the game time lifeblood of Doublecreek.  One of the highlights every summer is the DC Cup.  It’s our version of the World Cup.  What we lack in scale and media coverage, we make up with passion and intensity.

Our format is similar to the big World Cup.  Notice that I didn’t say ‘real.’  To the campers, DC Cup is very real!  Campers are placed on teams based on two parts planning and three parts random, which makes for some fascinating matchups.  We give the teams names of countries that qualified for the World Cup.   The only good aspect of the United States not making the World Cup, was not having campers becoming upset because they were not on Team USA.

One year, per my suggestion, we named the teams after the planets.  Not a good idea.  I mean, how can you take pride in being called Team Earth?  This week we had teams representing Great Britain, Brazil, Russia, France, Belgium and Croatia!  For a brief period, a dozen or so campers banded together to take on campers from another country.  The games are as authentic as we can achieve at Doublecreek.  We have a referee, linesmen and even an announcer.  And we keep score.  We even keep track of point differentials.  There are even two venues where we played.  Some of the players have jerseys with number on the front and back.  All we need are corporate sponsors.  Okay, maybe I’m getting carried away.  But if campers are excited about playing in our DC Cup, then the least I can do is be excited while writing about it! Goooooooooallll - how was that?

Honestly, I’ve seen more soccer at Doublecreek than I’ve seen on TV, so I can’t claim to be a soccer aficionado.  However, I’ve picked up on two irrefutable facts about soccer.  It’s takes teamwork and it is fun.  Those are two components we celebrate over many spectrums at Doublecreek. 
Actually I’m glad Doublecreek has embraced soccer, or should I say soccer has enhanced Doublecreek?!

 Joe Ray