This is a World Cup week! I'm having a difficult time adjusting to the World Cup being close to Thanksgiving. Usually, the World Cup is played closer to the 4th of July. I'm sure there were exceptions but most World Cups that I remember were played during the summer.
Every summer, Camp Doublecreek holds the DC Cup. DC Cup week is a BIG deal! We organize teams by countries and hold a soccer tournament. If the men's or women's World Cup is scheduled, we try to hold the DC Cup the same week as the World Cup. It's a soccer extravaganza!
Campers have the option to either play in or watch our DC Cup games, or the can watch the global World Cup on a big screen TV which is set up in the red building. Over the past 15 summers, soccer has become a really big deal at Camp Doublecreek. Starting in 2010, we would set up a TV so campers who wanted to could watch the World Cup games. If the U.S.A. Men's or Women's team is playing then the red building was packed!
I will avoid dwelling on the decision to award Qatar as the destination for the 2022 Men's World Cup. Because of this decision, the World Cup was moved to November to avoid playing games in insanely hot temperatures. When I watched the United States vs. Iran games, there was more drama than a Tennessee Williams play! In the 38th minute, the United States scored! It was fantastic!
For some reason, I thought to myself , "I wish this game had been played in July". How cool would it have been to get to experience this moment in the red building. How great would this moment have been to be surrounded by campers and staff hanging on every play! That goal would have set off an epic celebration! I'm not sure the red building would have survived.
Oh well! I shouldn't dwell on what might have been. Doublecreek has generated a plethora of genuine memories for me. I don't need an imaginary one.
-Joe Ray
