Every year in Dublin, soccer aficionados come together for an event that’s about more than just the sport. Since its inception in 1989, the Dublin Charity Cup has raised close to $765,000 for charities benefiting children. The Dublin Soccer League (DSL), which hosts the tournament, is preparing for another year with the goal of contributing tens of thousands of dollars to charity.
Originally founded as an outreach program to empower kids to help other kids, the tournament has come a long way since its first year. The cup’s first few years included 40-some teams, a number which has since doubled.
Each year, DSL selects a different charity to support, all benefiting children in different ways. Past donations have gone to charities such as the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation and Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Last year’s donations went to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio, which pairs adult volunteers with children to mentor and guide through young adulthood. The cup raised $25,000 for the nonprofit.
End of an Era
This year’s cup is a significant one for the DSL: It’ll be hosted by a new executive director for the first time since 2000.
DSL’s previous director, John Muir, retired from DSL after more than 20 years of organizing the event.
Muir originally got involved with DSL as a volunteer referee and eventually became a coach. After a few years of coaching teams, including ones competing in the cup, DSL created the executive director position and appointed Muir to it.
From there, Muir became integral to the success of the cup. He and his family attended summer after summer, ensuring the event was running smoothly.
Throughout his time in the role, he forged valuable relationships with the cup’s charity partners, allowing him to create unique collaborations.
When the American Red Cross served as the charitable partner, the cup positioned a bloodmobile in the tournament parking lot. Each blood donation could earn credits toward a team’s entry fee. Multiple teams saw associated adults donate blood, earning hundreds of dollars toward team entry fees. The unexpected combination of a bloodmobile truck and soccer tournament is something Muir says he’ll never forget.
Even in retirement, Muir isn’t ready to fully step back. This year, Muir will serve as the referee assigner and a guide to the cup’s new executive director, Dominique Hoecherl, ensuring that it’s a smooth transition.
This will likely be his last significant involvement with DSL, though.
“I’m looking forward to having a Labor Day off,” he says. “I haven’t had one in more than 20 years.”
The Next Chapter
When Hoecherl takes to the turf for this year’s cup as DSL’s newest executive director, she’ll have big cleats to fill, but she’s ready to lace up.
This isn’t Hoecherl’s first experience with the cup, however: She’s previously coached her daughter’s team in the tournament. Hoecherl has an extensive resume in the sport. She played Division I soccer for the University of Utah. She went on to coach competitive soccer for more than 25 years in Utah, Colorado and now Ohio.
“Soccer’s been a huge part of my life for a really long time,” she says. “The impact with kids that I have is super satisfying to me.”
Hoecherl says the lessons her players learn from soccer are applicable both on and off the field.
“(I’m able to) watch the kids improve and learn life lessons and be able to succeed as human beings,” she says.
She says she’s looking forward to fostering a continued passion for the sport and giving back through DSL.
“The league has such an impact in our community,” she says. “Having a really good home for the kids to play at Avery Park is very special. It’s such great facilities and creates an environment that will make kids love the game even more.”
2022 Cup
The 2022 Dublin Charity Cup will take place Sept. 3-4 at Darree Fields. Teams registered with the state of Ohio are eligible to compete. DSL is expecting to host nearly 100 teams from
throughout the state.
The biggest change teams will see this year is a digital upgrade. In previous years, registration procedures have been predominantly on paper. This year, a lot of information and enrollment processes will be virtual.
While the year’s charitable theme is still to be decided by DSL’s Cup board, the donations will continue to benefit a charity for kids. In the past, all donations have been given to one charity. This year, though, Hoecherl says the funds will be allocated to benefit multiple local charities for kids.
For more information, visit www.dublinsoccer.net.
Megan Roth is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mroth@cityscenemediagroup.com.
