This November, students from different parts of the country will head to Barranquilla for the Binationals tournament. The event will bring together athletes, coaches, and staff from different sports to compete and represent their schools. Players are training hard, setting goals, and looking forward to sharing this important experience with their teams and community.
Binationals is more than just a sports event; it is a chance for students to grow, connect, and show school pride. Athletes from soccer, volleyball, and other teams are preparing not only to win games but also to build friendships and memories. Coaches and staff see the tournament as an opportunity to support students and strengthen school spirit, making Binationals a highlight of the school year.
“Participating in Binationals means a lot to me because I get to represent the school in a sport I love to play,” said Alicia Martinez, an 11th-grade member of the soccer team at The Columbus School. “I get to show my skills, and it’s a great space to have fun and to compete against other schools.”
For Martinez, the tournament is much more than matches and results. It is about representing her school while doing something she enjoys deeply. Many athletes feel the same pride, seeing Binationals as a chance to shine on a bigger stage. The mix of joy, pressure, and responsibility gives each game an added weight that makes the experience unforgettable.
“My team and I are preparing by staying consistent and practicing each week to be the best we can,” Martinez explained. “A team I am really excited to compete against is CNG because they have always been like our main rival. It will be really fulfilling to win against them.”
Her comments show how preparation and motivation go hand in hand. The discipline of daily practices builds skills, but what truly drives players is the thrill of competition and the desire to overcome tough rivals. Facing well-known opponents like CNG raises the level, turning ordinary matches into defining moments that athletes will remember for years.
“Participating in Binationals means being able to spend time with my friends,” said Salome Isaza, a 12th-grade student member of the volleyball team. “It also means being able to practice the sport that I love one last time with my school team.”
For Isaza, the tournament represents both joy and a bittersweet goodbye. As a senior, she knows this will be one of her last opportunities to compete with teammates she has shared so many experiences with. That makes each game more special, transforming the tournament into a celebration of friendship, teamwork, and the final chapter of her school sports journey.
“Some strengths I think my team has going into Binationals are the fact that we don’t let ourselves be thrown down by adversity,” Isaza explained. “Instead, we overcome it. I think Binationals helps build school spirit and community because it brings a lot of students together. Even students who aren’t playing in Binationals get really excited about it.”
Her words show the bigger meaning of the event: Binationals are about resilience and community as much as competition. Athletes push through challenges, students support one another, and the school unites around a shared spirit that makes the tournament one of the most important events of the year.
Binationals is more than just a sports tournament; it is a tradition that strengthens community, shapes identity, and builds long-lasting friendships between schools. For athletes, it is not only a chance to show their abilities and put their school’s name at the top, but also to experience the power of sports as a way to create memories. In Colombia, youth sports like Binationals show how competition can also bring friendship, and inspire pride that reaches beyond the players to the entire TCS community.
As the tournament gets closer, the excitement grows. Binationals are not only about winning, but also about friendship, school spirit, and community. For everyone, it creates memories that last long after the games. In the end, this tradition is about pride, teamwork, and the bonds that bring students together year after year.