This year binationals were in Barranquilla next year they will be here in Medellin and The Columbus School will host them for the first time since 2012. There are many questions as to how binationals will change for next year. For example, will athletes from TCS have to attend classes when they don’t have any games, or will normal TCS students be able to go watch the games because in Copa Columbus they are usually not. “We expect binationals to be better than Copa,” said Fredy Badillo sports director from TCS  “but we still belief Copa Columbus is a great tournament.” As most likely next year binationals won’t be as usual, usual being binationals better than Copa, Binationals will be just another Copa Columbus.

Even though Badillo says that binational will be better than Copa Columbus because students are going to go watch the games and give full support to the school, it will likely be otherwise. The school won’t compromise a full week of school just to watch some students play. If the student goes to see the games they might just go one class that week, most likely PE. The students have a lot of classes they can’t miss for example an exam or AP class. “We recognize that there the school should still function normally this means having classes but we want as much support as we can get,” said Badillo. The students who will watch the games will be entirely from elementary or during PE class.

The athletes would sure appreciate the support but also their free week from academic stress. If you have players taking a test at 12 pm and playing the semifinal at 1 pm there could be interference and not the full commitment from the athletes to the game. Even though the school won’t enforce the students to go to class the academic stress might affect the student’s performance. “Even though I wanted to just relax and play football, it was kind of hard thinking in all the homework I had to do for when I come back.” Said the Eleventh grade TCS student Simon Pelaez on his last experience in binationals. The athletes have a lot of compromises and are trusted by the school when they miss classes due to tournaments and games. “After binationals end the students are still required to function normally and get caught up with any work they missed, just as if binationals was in any other city,” Badillo commented ¨Its part of the compromise as a student-athlete.¨

Binationals will be just like any other Copa Columbus just slightly better with probably some more support from the students and teachers. “After all, I just want to enjoy my last binationals,” Said Pelaez “whether it is going to be better than Copa or the same I trust the school will do its best.” It will be a slightly better Copa Columbus but as long as the support from the school and the students it will be memorable.