FIFA tournament provides fun way to give back

As a soccer enthusiast, I am always a bit nervous when anyone at the university decides to hold any tournament involving the beautiful game. Sometimes, it leads to some weird version of the game as a result of new rules to keep the contest fair; like two points when a woman scores in co-ed, or no offside rule. But, with the FIFA 2011 Tournament held at the Morris Recreation Center on Wednesday, April 6, I had high hopes.

It's FIFA; either you play it, or you don't. If you love the videogame, as everyone that came to this event appeared to, then it is a level playing field. However, there are still many ways to structure a tournament such as this. For instance, how the bracket and games are devised. Looking at the world of soccer, there are many different styles used to decide competition winners.

The European Champions League uses a 32-team group stage and knockout style contest, much like the World Cup. This, however, would take up too much time in a college student's life. So, sticking to the single-elimination bracket was a good move by tournament organizers. Even so, students might feel a bit short-changed if they only play one game, happen to lose and then go home. This was easily fixed by a best two out of three style round.

This way, both players are kept in check. Sure, someone could tear you apart with a fast winger in the first game. But, make the right adjustments, and the second match is a different story. This keeps the tactical side of the game important.

Often in FIFA videogames, tactics are still forced to the background behind raw talent. This was evident in the teams used by most competitors. Many players used Real Madrid, with the famous Cristiano Ronaldo as their not-so-secret weapon. There is almost nothing an opponent can do to stop this talented player in the game, and multiple players used that to their advantage.

Spanish champions Barcelona and champions of Europe, Inter Milan, were two other commonly selected teams, showing that the majority of the players present were a little more than casual videogame fans. This made the tournament more enjoyable, as most present were enjoying the sport they truly love. But, there is one thing about this tournament that I still cannot smile about. I hope other campus organizations take their cues from this crucial aspect: charity.

It wasn't just any charity, either; it was Unicef, the United Nations Children's Fund, which provides aid to millions of poverty stricken or deprived children throughout the world. All proceeds from the night went to Unicef, and that makes me proud to have competed. Sure, I lost in the first round, but at least my loss can translate to another person's gain. Unicef helps children that go through life without many things we in the United State take for granted, like water, food or the freedom to just be a kid.

I hope other campus organizations that hold similar tournaments in the future will look into promoting a charity, because it makes everything better. Even for those who lose, they still win by knowing their time, effort and money have gone to something bigger than themselves. This fact alone made the FIFA '11 tournament a huge success.