German Club sponsor Frau Murray, stood to the side of the NC soccer fields and watched proudly as German exchange students led German Club in a chant for the final Language World Cup game. It was Oct. 5, 2018 and while Murray had been planning the Language World Cup for the past four years, she had never seen her club play so well. That day, German Club ended up winning the Golden Squirrel, the trophy for first place. 

Now, with nine years of experience, Murray looks forward to the Language World Cup every year, she said. When rain threatened the field conditions for the 2023 Language World Cup, she was disappointed to cancel the match which was supposed to be on Oct. 5. 

“[I] didn’t want to put anyone at risk,” Murray said. “My number one priority is the kids’ safety.” 

Murray was able to reschedule the Language World Cup to Nov. 2, Murray said. The games took place on the NC upper gym courts, with seven minute games and double elimination, meaning each team played at least two games.The overall winner of the Language World Cup this year was the French Club, just barely beating Latinos Juntos in the final game, Murray said. 

Last year, over 250 LT students watched Latin Club come back from the losers bracket and win the Golden Squirrel, Murray said. This year, Spanish Club, Greek Club, Arabic Club, Polish Club, Italian Club, Latin Club, French Club, German Club, and Latinos Juntos are all competing in the Language World Cup. 

Of these clubs, Arabic Club and Greek Club decided to play on one team, because both of the clubs are small and have low attendance numbers, Arabic Club student leader Angus Allan ‘24 said. 

“We just give it a go,” Allan said. “In the end, it’s a fun activity that brings cultural clubs together.”

Allan, along with the other club language leaders, was involved in planning the Language World Cup. It takes about one month to plan with the athletic department, set up brackets, schedule facilities, make hosting photos, team photos, and go over policies, Murray said. German Club hosts the World Cup every year, German Club student leader Emma Klatzs ‘24 said. 

“We create little posters and flags for each club,”  Klatzs said. “[We] like to make other clubs feel welcome.”  

Klotz had been in German Club since her freshman year, but this will be her first time playing in the Language World Cup, she said. Klotz has prepared her team by making sure everyone knows each other in order to create a more cohesive team.

“I’m excited and proud [to be] playing for German Club,” Klotz said. 

German Club student leader Izabela Shalabieh ‘24  joined German Club her junior year, she said. This will be her first time participating in the Language World Cup, too. 

“Overall, [it’s an] opportunity for students to shine and a chance to celebrate diversity,” Murray said.