On January 27th at 11:45 in the morning, one of the great up and coming school events is to happen. The World Camps Soccer Tournament started by the World Camps Club, will be raising money for the Global Camps Africa foundation. The club started by Charlie Rosenberg ’09 and Phil Risman ‘08, raised over $1500 last year in the event’s first running. It drew large crowds and about 25 different teams, who all clashed in fierce competition. The enthusiasm behind this new event will be just as high, and we all are in for a treat come Sunday.
Promoting The Cause
The World Camps Tournament donates all of its profits to a charity called the Global Camps Africa Organization (formerly known as World Camps). At Choate, the club is only in its second year of operations. The idea for the club came from Rosenberg and Risman when they met the founder of the organization at a summer camp. “The founder, Phil Lillienthal, was the director of Camp Winnebago which Risman and I both attended,” said Rosenberg. “So we both were familiar with the organization for a while and thought it would be a good idea to start a club at Choate.” The starting of this club has been highly successful for there is a high participation rate among students who are active in the club. Most importantly is the cause for which all the money is being raised for. The Global Camps Africa Organization tries to raise funds in order to hold various summer camps throughout South Africa. These camps are vital in providing those afflicted with HIV/AIDS with mentoring and a caring atmosphere. The organization pays a lot of attention to children when they are having tough times. “The main goal of the camp is to provide a positive camping experience for these kids, whose backgrounds are filled with dysfunctional families and a poor educational system. Another goal of the camp is to create bonds between the campers who come from different parts of South Africa and promote national unity,” said Rosenberg.
The Tournament
The tournament itself is quite a serious event. It will be composed of up to 30 teams in a bracket style tournament. The tournament will be a double-elimination event, meaning that a team must lose twice before it is eliminated. Each team will include four players, and each player will be charged $4 to enter the tournament. However, the prize this year is rather breathtaking. The champions receive a “get-out-of-Sunday-D” pass as well as the new iPod Nano for each player. The best dressed team will also win a “get-out-of-Sunday-D” pass. All of the profit will go directly to the Global Camps Organization. The event will be held in the Worthington Johnson Athletic Center, which will make for a great venue for both participating players and the spectators.
The soccer tournament has become a burgeoning event on the Choate Campus, and for the second year in a row it looks to be a great time for those involved. Combining indoor soccer, a game that many soccer and non-soccer players alike play during the fall and winter months, with a great cause such as the Global Camps Africa, makes the event a highlight of the school year. “I think the AIDS epidemic in Africa is a global issue and being able to make a positive impact on their lives at an early age will reduce the chances of them getting aids, and subsequently help turn around their lives,” said Rosenberg.
The Promiscuous Ballers team was close to winning the 2007 “Best Dressed” Award. Contributed PHOTO
