For love of the game, and for fun
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Mayıs 14, 2009 00:00
ISTANBUL - One of the most important events on the Turkish university sports calendar, the Boğaziçi University Sports Fest 2009, starts this weekend, with the participation of 1,500 athletes from 35 colleges from all around the world
A sporting and university tradition enters its 29th year this weekend, as 1,500 Turkish and international athletes from 35 universities meet at Sports Fest 2009 at Boğaziçi University.
The international sports festival kicks off with an opening ceremony tomorrow and will continue with four days of competitions held all over the famous south campus of the Istanbul university.
This year, student-athletes from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Russia, Lebanon, Belgium, Switzerland, Morocco, Romania and Turkey will compete in up to 20 events, including football, basketball, track and field, badminton, handball, rowing, table tennis, martial arts, tennis, volleyball, swimming and sailing.
Though the competitions may be filled with blood, sweat and tears on the field, fun and games play a huge part in Sports Fest lore as well. The athletes and spectators spend their days engaged in sporting action, but their nights are devoted to parties and concerts. Sports Fest is only a small part of Boğaziçi University’s storied sports culture; the school’s sports club dates back to 1896, when it was formed under the name Athletic Association.
The university was the first place in Turkey where basketball, American football, baseball and softball were played. The organization committee calls Sports Fest the result of "merging Olympic spirit with fun."
Sacrificing their classes
"This is the biggest student-managed organization in the country in terms of planning realization," read a statement released by the committee. "The secret of the success of this organization is due to the efforts of 400 volunteers, who even dare to sacrifice their classes to work at the events."
According to student Ergücan Öztürk, while the organizing process can be difficult, it is always worth the struggle. "We had many sleepless nights, sometimes ate [just] once a day, and suffered severely from stress. Sometimes I had to run to take the injured athletes to the clinics," said Öztürk. "But it always paid off in the end."
Connections with foreign athletes are an important part of Sports Fest, he added: "Once I watched a German team’s game and found myself learning how to sing their chants."
Aycan Katıtaş, a Boğaziçi graduate, noted that the event promotes Turkey worldwide. "This organization helps Turkey correct the negative perceptions that some foreigners have," Katıtaş said.
For Anthony Clark, who worked at Sports Fest until his graduation, the festival can never be forgotten. "I have been a part of it for four years," said Clark. "It is what I miss about Boğaziçi University most."
’Legendary festival’
Another graduate, Elif Ocak, dubs the festival "legendary," saying: "This is a legend that has been going on for 29 years. It is an organization that can never be forgotten, not only by Boğaziçi students, but also by foreigners and other Turkish students. We made a countdown to the event on the blackboard in the sports-club room and waited with more excitement every day."
Today, the countdown on that blackboard reads "one." Tomorrow, the Sports Fest, one of the most famous university events in the country, begins, much to the joy of hundreds of students Ğ and those others who would like to be a part of it.
For more information please visit the Web site: www.busportsfest.com.
The international sports festival kicks off with an opening ceremony tomorrow and will continue with four days of competitions held all over the famous south campus of the Istanbul university.
This year, student-athletes from the United States, Canada, the Netherlands, France, Russia, Lebanon, Belgium, Switzerland, Morocco, Romania and Turkey will compete in up to 20 events, including football, basketball, track and field, badminton, handball, rowing, table tennis, martial arts, tennis, volleyball, swimming and sailing.
Though the competitions may be filled with blood, sweat and tears on the field, fun and games play a huge part in Sports Fest lore as well. The athletes and spectators spend their days engaged in sporting action, but their nights are devoted to parties and concerts. Sports Fest is only a small part of Boğaziçi University’s storied sports culture; the school’s sports club dates back to 1896, when it was formed under the name Athletic Association.
The university was the first place in Turkey where basketball, American football, baseball and softball were played. The organization committee calls Sports Fest the result of "merging Olympic spirit with fun."
Sacrificing their classes
"This is the biggest student-managed organization in the country in terms of planning realization," read a statement released by the committee. "The secret of the success of this organization is due to the efforts of 400 volunteers, who even dare to sacrifice their classes to work at the events."
According to student Ergücan Öztürk, while the organizing process can be difficult, it is always worth the struggle. "We had many sleepless nights, sometimes ate [just] once a day, and suffered severely from stress. Sometimes I had to run to take the injured athletes to the clinics," said Öztürk. "But it always paid off in the end."
Connections with foreign athletes are an important part of Sports Fest, he added: "Once I watched a German team’s game and found myself learning how to sing their chants."
Aycan Katıtaş, a Boğaziçi graduate, noted that the event promotes Turkey worldwide. "This organization helps Turkey correct the negative perceptions that some foreigners have," Katıtaş said.
For Anthony Clark, who worked at Sports Fest until his graduation, the festival can never be forgotten. "I have been a part of it for four years," said Clark. "It is what I miss about Boğaziçi University most."
’Legendary festival’
Another graduate, Elif Ocak, dubs the festival "legendary," saying: "This is a legend that has been going on for 29 years. It is an organization that can never be forgotten, not only by Boğaziçi students, but also by foreigners and other Turkish students. We made a countdown to the event on the blackboard in the sports-club room and waited with more excitement every day."
Today, the countdown on that blackboard reads "one." Tomorrow, the Sports Fest, one of the most famous university events in the country, begins, much to the joy of hundreds of students Ğ and those others who would like to be a part of it.
For more information please visit the Web site: www.busportsfest.com.