Algerian National Soccer Team Leaves Behind Piece of World Cup History at East Lawrence Recreation Center
A ping pong table at East Lawrence Recreation Center (ELRC) now has a story worth telling and a few signatures to prove it.
When the Algerian National Soccer Team came to Lawrence for the FIFA World Cup, the team requested a ping pong table for its hotel so players could enjoy some downtime between matches. The City of Lawrence Parks, Recreation and Culture (PRC) team was happy to help.
Because ELRC had ping pong tables available, the team from PRC arranged to temporarily donate one for the team’s use during its stay in Lawrence. PRC maintenance staff transported the table to the team’s hotel, where it quickly became part of the players’ off-the-field routine.
Hotel General Manager, Heather Shull, said of the experience, “[The ping pong table] was a great and much-loved addition to the Team Hang Out space at the hotel…” “We were so grateful to have [the ping pong table] added to all the games and out of what we had, it was definitely the most utilized.”
And then came the idea to make the table a little more permanent part of Lawrence’s World Cup story.
City of Lawrence worked with those staffing the Algerian team to arrange for the players to sign the table before they left Lawrence for their Round of 32 match against Switzerland in Vancouver. Videos shared by the Algerian Football Federation show team members enjoying a game of ping pong on the table and later signing it.
There are two videos on Tiktok that show the team interacting with the ping pong table. The first video shows the team using the table (:44), the second video shows the team signing it (:20).
Once the team departed Lawrence, PRC staff members retrieved the table and began considering how best to preserve this unexpected piece of World Cup history.
The answer was to bring it back home to ELRC permanently.
Rather than return the table to regular use where it could eventually be damaged by sunlight or general wear and tear, staff mounted it on the wall inside the recreation center. A shadowbox displaying the paddles used by the team hangs alongside it, accompanied by a brief explanation of the table’s story.
The signed table is now on display at East Lawrence Recreation Center, giving community members an opportunity to see a small piece of the Algerian National Soccer Team’s time in Lawrence.
Director Lindsay Hart has this to say about our World Cup summer, “Hosting the Algerian team was a truly special moment for our community and an unforgettable experience for our Parks, Recreation & Culture Department. Their presence brought an incredible energy to Lawrence during the World Cup, and our staff was proud to play even a small part in supporting their stay – even through something as simple as lending a ping pong table. The signed table now displayed at the East Lawrence Recreation Center is a reminder of how sports can bring people together, and we’re honored to preserve this piece of World Cup and Team Algeria history in our city.”
For PRC staff, the table represents more than a collection of signatures. It captures a unique moment when international soccer, Lawrence’s recreation facilities and a little friendly competition came together.
And, of course, it makes for one pretty great story about a ping pong table.
Media Contact: City Communications, citycommunications@lawrenceks.gov
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