• About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
The Wellesley News -
  • News and Features
    • The Wellesley (COVID) 100
      The Wellesley (COVID) 100
    • In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
      In memory of Professor Rebecca Summerhays
    • Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
      Trans flag controversy: College power washes staircase after trans flag is painted over Harry Potter spray paint
    • News
      • News in Brief
      • Nation & World
      • President’s Corner
      • Senate Report
    • Features
      • Alumnae Spotlight
      • Eye on Science
      • Faculty Focus
      • LGBTQIA+ Column
  • Opinions
    • The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
      The News in Conversation: Wellesley Against Mass Incarceration
    • Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
      Editorial Board calls for keeping up trans flag murals
    • No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
      No, Elon Musk’s Twitter will not restore free speech
    • Staff Editorial
    • Letters to the Editor
    • The Elephant in the Room
  • Arts
    • Be/longing Centers Connection and Care
      Be/longing Centers Connection and Care
    • No image
      Birds Falling Upwards: Wellesley College Theater’s The Moors is a Must-See
    • No image
      Sometimes you just need to read a YA “Groundhog Day” to feel something
    • Arts In The News
    • Reviews
    • Music Peek
    • Books Before Boys
  • Health and Wellness
    • February Student Athlete of the Month
      February Student Athlete of the Month
    • Athletics Update
      Athletics Update
    • Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
      Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health
    • Athlete of the Week
    • Boston Sports Update
    • The Vegan Digest
    • The SHE Corner
  • The Wellesley Snooze
    • Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
      Wellesley News Leadership Changes Completely Peacefully Without Any Suspicious Disappearances At All
    • Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
      Solve Your Connection Problems With Wellesley Insecure
    • Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
      Mayhem strikes Wellesley as paper towels removed from campus
  • Miscellanea
    • President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
      President’s Column: The Butterfly Effect
    • Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
      Administrators shocked to learn that students dislike being left in dark
    • 50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
      50 Lies You Tell Yourself in Order to Survive Until Graduation
    • The Dose
    • The Olive Branch
    • Multimedia
      • Galleries
      • Infographics
      • Videos
By Erin Kelly Sports and WellnessApril 25, 2018

Diversity Coalition Hosts First Student Versus Faculty-Staff Soccer Game

Photo Courtesy of Carlos Ramos

On Friday, April 20 approximately 40 members of the Wellesley community gathered on the soccer field for the first ever student versus faculty-staff soccer game. The event was organized by the Diversity Coalition, a group that consists of students, faculty and staff members and is responsible for promoting diversity initiatives on campus.

Yu Jin Ko, the Chair of the Diversity Coalition and a Professor of English, proposed the idea of a student versus faculty-staff soccer game. He explained that the primary goal of the event was to unite the college community and to build camaraderie amongst its members.

“The Diversity Coalition was looking for a fun activity that people from all parts of the community- students, staff, faculty- could join in and build camaraderie. There’s nothing like being teammates for building camaraderie. Things that might matter in other settings, like status within the college or gender or political affiliation, become insignificant when you’re playing together as teammates,” he said.

Ko added that he selected soccer for the student versus faculty-staff game because it is a sport that is played and appreciated outside of the United States. “We were also looking for an activity that would attract people of all ethnic backgrounds, including those who were born outside of the U.S. or grew up connected to other cultures. Soccer is the most global of all sports. Did someone mention World Cup?” he said.

Ko asked his former student, Gabriela Portilla ’19, an active member of Wellesley’s varsity soccer team, to recruit players for the student team. Portilla explained  that she wanted the student team to be inclusive of all members of the campus community and diverse in terms of skill level. She did much of her recruiting through all-school emails, in which she stressed that students of all athletic backgrounds were encouraged to join the team.

“We did not want the student team to be made up of the Wellesley soccer team because that would defeat the purpose of the whole event. I sent out multiple emails to recruit students, and I got a good response,” she said. Portilla added that around half of the 14 member student team were not varsity soccer players.

Both the student team and the faculty-staff team came together and played cohesively on game day. Portilla said that the players did an excellent job communicating with each other and passing the ball as the match progressed.

“It was a fun game, and everyone seemed to enjoy themselves. It was a team effort on both ends, and it was great to see both teams communicating and passing the ball around,” she said.

Though both sides ultimately lost track of the score, Ko and Portilla agreed that the faculty-staff team won the match. However, Ko gave the students credit for showing excellent sportsmanship. He also acknowledged that many of the varsity soccer players on the student team were going half speed, given that they had their annual spring tournament the following day.

“The students were being great sports, and they took it a little easy on us. The ones who were women’s team players didn’t go full speed because they had a weekend game and only half-crushed us with their tackles,” he commented.

After the game, players had the opportunity to bond with their teammates and opponents over pizza and refreshments. Ko said that members of the student teams are already hungry for a rematch. “They want a rematch. We’re ready. We told them ahead of time: this won’t be no spring formal. Ain’t no one showing up in heels or his daddy’s tux, so come ready to play,” he challenged.

Ko also indicated that members of Wellesley’s varsity basketball team are eager to see a student versus faculty-staff basketball game take place in the near future.

“I say bring it on,” Ko commented. “I can guarantee you that a faculty-staff team will introduce them to the experience of getting posterized.”

Portilla explained that given the success of the match, the Diversity Coalition is considering making the student versus faculty-staff game an annual event.

“Keep a look out next year,” she urged.

Share on

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Google +
  • LinkedIn
  • Email
Previous articleClare Egan: The return of an Olympian
Next articleAthletics Update

You may also like

February Student Athlete of the Month

Athletics Update

Victoria Garrick Speaks on Mental Health

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

Top Articles

Sorry. No data so far.

Recent Tweets

Tweets by @Wellesley_News

The independent student newspaper of Wellesley College since 1901.

Sign up to receive our weekly digest in your inbox

* indicates required

  • About
  • Editorial Board
    • Staff Writers
  • Advertise
  • Join Us
  • Archives
COPYRIGHT © 2022 THE WELLESLEY NEWS
Back to top