OpenText defeats SAP in the inaugural R+T Park Soccer Finals

Company pride and bragging rights were on the line on Thursday, July 17, at the inaugural R+T Park Soccer Finals at the University of Waterloo’s Warrior Field. The championship game saw OpenText take the field against its cross-park rivals, SAP Waterloo. When full time was reached and the whistle was blown, OpenText hoisted the Waterloo Site Leadership Cup as the winners with a 4–1 victory.

“We’re spoiled having the University of Waterloo beside us. This campus has everything and its so close that we can play and go back to work over our lunch hour.”

– Luis Chavez, Captain, OpenText

The day started with an intra-company playoff game between OpenText Waterloo and OpenText Mississauga. Through 50 minutes of gruelling play and unexpectedly strong winds, the OpenText Waterloo team came away with a 3–0 win over their visiting colleagues. 

OpenText Waterloo team captain Luis Chavez split his time leading his team from the sidelines and the stands. When the playoff game ended, Chavez breathed a sigh of relief. He says the victory and the tournament were 15 years in the making. 

“The culture of soccer at OpenText has been thriving since 2009,” he says. “It started between engineers taking on customer support, and the rivalry continued and expanded to almost every department.” 

OpenText teams play throughout the year, whether on one of the fields around the David Johnston Research + Technology Park or at the University’s indoor CIF Field House. 

“From summer soccer and volleyball leagues to our monthly beer gardens, we love to create ways for our tenants to get together, share insights, and create community.”

– Jenn Dawe, Manager, R+T Park

“We’re spoiled having the University of Waterloo beside us. This campus has everything and its so close that we can play and go back to work over our lunch hour,” he says. 

As word of OpenText Waterloo’s soccer games spread, Chavez and the team opened the invitation to other OpenText offices around the GTA. Teams from Toronto, Richmond Hill, Mississauga, and others have made the trek down the 401 to play and build relationships between the offices. Chavez says the R+T Park Soccer Finals are the culmination of many years of building culture through sport. 

“This year is special because we forged a relationship with our neighbours at SAP. This game is our first inter-company match, and we’re really excited about it,” Chavez says. 

While bringing the cup back to its office was the goal, SAP Captain Lindsay Verheul says the game’s real victory was continuing to build community inside the office and across the R+T Park. 

“It’s great to get to know people that are working across the street,” she says. “Even though we’re all here and working in tech, we don’t get to get together as much as we’d like. I know our team looks forward to weekly summer league games with other R+T Park tenants.” 

“It’s great to get to know people that are working across the street. I know our team looks forward to weekly summer league games with other R+T Park tenants.”

– Lindsay Verheul, Captain, SAP

“We were worried in the second half,” Chavez says. “If it wasn’t for that goal, it could have been the other way around. SAP came out to play and I know we’ll see them back here next year.” 

The final match up between OpenText and SAP was a close game with OpenText scoring in the first half, followed by a SAP goal in the first minutes of the second half. SAP held off multiple scoring attempts by OpenText throughout the second half. But with 3:14 to go, an OpenText striker sent the ball in to take the game to 2–1. Then with 2:16 to go, OpenText scored again to take a 3–1 lead followed by a last second goal to end the game 4–1. 

R+T Park Manager Jennifer Dawe says the tournament is another example of how being located in the park helps companies innovate and collaborate. 

“From summer soccer and volleyball leagues to our monthly beer gardens, we love to create ways for our tenants to get together, share insights, and create community,” Dawe says. “We can’t wait to host next year’s tournament and see more companies compete.”