For many countries, soccer is a medium through which fans can express their most passionate affiliations.

Much more than a game to many parts of the world, soccer is a culture.

To help students better understand this culture surrounding many of the world’s countries, the West Virginia University Department of World Languages, Literatures and Linguistics has partnered with the varsity soccer teams at the University to host a soccer workshop and scrimmage on Friday, Oct. 3, from 3:30-5:30 p.m. on the Mountainlair Plaza.

The event is free and open to the public.

Students can learn the basics of the game and the culture of soccer in countries throughout the world from experts in the game, and scrimmage against players on nationally ranked soccer teams.

“If you look around the world, soccer is clearly the most important sport—everywhere except in the United States. Part of what we try to do in World Languages classes is teach students about culture, as well as language. Part of the culture in many, many, countries is soccer,” said Lisa DiBartolomeo, Armand E. and Mary W. Singer Professor in the Humanities and coordinator of Russian Studies and Slavic and East European Studies.

Without understanding the importance of soccer to global culture, DiBartolomeo said, it would be impossible to adequately learn about countries like France, Ukraine, Colombia and Mali.

In addition to teaching about cultures across the globe, the event is a way to connect students from different majors and clubs within the world languages department.

“A lot of our students study more than one language. We have a lot of different clubs, but they tend to do their own discrete events. It’s really easy to just stick with your Russian, German or French class, and not think about what other students are doing,” DiBartolomeo said.

The event will serve as a kickoff to the “WLLL Cup,” an event, still in the planning stages, where students will be able to continue to learn more about the culture of soccer. Cynthia Chalupa, associate professor of German, is assisting DiBartolomeo in the planning of this event.

For more information, contact Lisa Dibartolomeo at 304-293-8309 or Lisa.DiBartolomeo@mail.wvu.edu.

-WVU-

ma/09/29/14

CONTACT: Devon Copeland, Director of Marketing and Communication, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences
304-293-6867, Devon.Copeland@mail.wvu.edu

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