On July 27, 2025, from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM, 7 members of the AYLUS Bellaire Branch volunteered at the 2025 Genuine Cup Soccer Tournament.
The Genuine Cup, hosted in Houston, is a community event that celebrates cultural diversity through a friendly soccer tournament. This year’s tournament features nearly 40 teams from around the world.The Genuine Cup brings together teams from various backgrounds, showing unity and collaboration while also promoting a fun and culturally inclusive competition. By volunteering at the Genuine Cup, we are able to support the organization of the event, but also strengthen community bonds. Volunteers play a crucial role in creating an inclusive environment by welcoming both competitors and guests, accompanying them around the Rice University campus, and participating in friendly sports matches with the athletes.
At the start of the event, members of AYLUS Bellaire were assigned to take team Puerto Rico on a tour of the Rice University campus. Volunteers took them to the soccer pitch where their future games would be held, as well as the Rice Stadium, and also took them on a tour of unique places like the Booth Centennial Pavilion and the Academic Quadrangle.
After finishing the tour with team Puerto Rico, volunteers went to welcome teams Milan and Mexico after they exited their bus, cheering and applauding for them as they walked by. Volunteers then participated in a friendly match of volleyball with athletes from Japan and other Latin American countries.
By the end, AYLUS Bellaire volunteers wrapped up their service by helping move boxes of Goya crackers and chips to the cafeteria area and preparing dinner service at the Jones College for the athletes’ dinners to ensure they were well-fed.
This event starts a new opportunity for partnership with Rice University through contributing to the Genuine Cup and ensuring the athletes have the best time possible in a fresh environment.
Volunteers (6 hours each): Jin Zhou, Justin Wang, Yiqian Long, Nathan Fu, Edward Cai, Samantha Yu, Bella Zhu
Reported by Edward Cai and Justin Wang
