Ross Walker
Ross is a Senior Lecturer in Sport Development at the University of the West of Scotland and is Global Fellow at the Academy of Sport, University of Edinburgh.
Location Dundee, Scotland
Activity
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Great insight @EllaQ
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Hi @EllaQ, you would be quite right that there is a lot of politics intertwined. My question for you would be that do you think that there is a place for politics in football or should politics be left out of football?
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A very interesting comparison @EllaQ
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Ross Walker made a comment
Good morning everyone and welcome to Football: More than a Game! I am very much looking forward to hearing about your experiences of and thoughts on the world of football. I hope you all enjoy the course!
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@hafsaelamsaf do you think these changes have benefited football?
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@HannahGraingerClemson Great to hear that you have enjoyed yourself! Thank you for your comments and thoughts over the weeks. Hopefully you will consider returning for future runs.
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Ross Walker replied to Youssef Gamal
@YoussefGamal What would you say is the biggest impact that hosting a World Cup can have on a society?
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@CharlesChristopher Thank you for joining the course and your contributions! I hope you will consider returning again for future runs. Merry Christmas!
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@SwatNandanwar Glad you are enjoying yourself! Feel free to take all the time you need, the course will stay live for a short period after the last week. I also hope you will consider returning for future runs.
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@JoseRio-Rios Thank you for joining us again and all your comments throughout, Jose! Hopefully you will once again join us for the next run
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@SwatNandanwar Some people would very much argue that politics, religion, etc, has and should have no place in football. Yet, for teams like Celtic and Rangers, they are founded on these very principles and arguably might no be where they are today without such foundations
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@KieranNewey Absolutely! We have seen elements of this in Qatar and no doubt in future World Cups to come
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@HannahGraingerClemson I very much agree! The diplomatic value outweighs many of the other benefits that come with hosting
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@HannahGraingerClemson Thanks for sharing!
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Ross Walker replied to Geoffrey Buckley
@SwatNandanwar That is very interesting! It is almost as if football should revert to how it used to be pre-2000
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@ChellaSikazwe Absolutely! It is a real failure of the system, but it is nice to see teams like Everton introducing new ideas to help resolve such issues
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Glad you are enjoying it @fortsonhauya ! Thank you for your contributions so far
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Ross Walker replied to Gery EMONDS
@GeryEMONDS Thanks for sharing, Gery! This is really interesting
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@NatashaD Thanks for sharing, Natasha!
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Thanks for sharing @HannahGraingerClemson
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Glad to hear it @DaveAllan! Also, thank you for picking up on these details. Sadly, one or two errors are almost inevitable, but we appreciate you bringing them to our attention
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I do agree with you here @WilliamBroadfoot. The American model in some of these instances does have its benefits, especially when it comes to the college and scholarship system whereby they are not just a good way of developing talent, but they also provide players with alternative pathways and backup options should football (soccer) not work out or for life...
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Ross Walker replied to fortson hauya
Hi @fortsonhauya, do you have any specific examples?
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Ross Walker replied to Geoffrey Buckley
Great observation @GeoffreyBuckley
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Hi @RaveendranKarunakaranRaveendran, the first week provides a historical introduction to football
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@BradAdams Absolutely! For football to contribute to these outcomes, it would almost have to deglobalise in some respects, yet you can imagine how the people behind the business of football would feel about that
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@MollyChiba Hi Molly, great to hear from you! This course has been updated with lots of new content and resources compared to previous runs. However, what you will notice is that some of the overarching topics will have commonalities depending on context and time. Given that this is the most updated version, it might be best to focus on this run. Although, at...
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@WilliamBroadfoot Hi William, the sustainable development goals entail a list of 17 different targets outlined by the United Nations: No poverty; zero hunger; good health and well-being; quality education; gender equality; clean water and sanitation; affordable and clean energy; decent work and economic growth; industry, innovation and infrastructure; reduced...
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Ross Walker replied to Abi C
Undoubtably @AbiC! We can learn a lot from the past.
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Indeed @StephaneAbiRizk! But how long can football sustain this constant globalisation before it starts to encounter problems
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Absolutely @GeoffreyBuckley! The pace of globalisation and evolution in such a short period of time is astounding
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@CharlesChristopher welcome back, Charles!
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Some great observations here @ChellaSikazwe
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@KENNETHAGADAGBA This is very interesting, Kenneth - thanks for sharing!
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Absolutely! @StephaneAbiRizk History is a great tool to learn from
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@MuhammadHassan We will cover these two topics in weeks 2 and 5
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@WilliamBroadfoot If you are an Everton fan, you will enjoy some of the content later in the course which looks at the Merseyside derby
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Terrific insight @MuhammadHassan! Do you think that the increased loads have anything to do with the ever increasing business orientations and commercialisation of football?
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Hi @NatashaD, I really enjoyed reading your post and can relate to your comments on the World Cup. I was just wondering if you thought that there were any ways in which Covid-19 has changed the world of football in a positive way?
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@HannahGraingerClemson While in many ways football upholds it’s traditions and maintains its heritage, in others it is quite incredible how disconnected it has come from its historical foundations
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An incredible fee no doubt @WilliamBroadfoot
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@DavidGreen Hi David, I must say that I agree with you here. At the top level, we are very much starting to see signs of an American sports business model yet it would be a real shame to lose the connections with footballs very cultural roots. Do you have any ideas or thoughts about how wealth could be distributed better?
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Ross Walker replied to JB Kent
@JBKent Absolutely! However, it is not just countries who lose out but also communities and teams within countries. For example, bigger clubs in Scotland such as Celtic and Rangers have long exercised their ability to acquire the available domestic talent pools
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@HannahGraingerClemson Absolutely, Hannah! As ever, the game continues to evolve
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Ross Walker replied to Chella Sikazwe
What I really admire and respect about your story here @ChellaSikazwe is that these experiences appear to not have negatively impacted your passion for football. Thanks for sharing!
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@HannahGraingerClemson Welcome, Hannah! Hopefully you will get the opportunity to share the contents of your recent football history project.
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@ChellaSikazwe Hi Chella, I am looking forwarding to hearing about you and your families footballing background. It sounds very interesting!
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@JoseRio-Rios Welcome back, Jose! It is a pleasure to have you once again. Looking forward to hearing your thoughts and opinions on the course.
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@KENNETHAGADAGBA Hi Kenneth, great insight! Do any clubs and owners come to mind in particular?
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Ross Walker replied to Stephane Abi Rizk
@StephaneAbiRizk Welcome back - hopefully you enjoy this time around as much as you did your first experience!
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@SashaShanaiaSandovalOrtega Since global society has continued to move back to state of normality with infection rates significantly reduced, do you believe that the rules should revert back to 3 substitutes or remain at 5? What do you think?
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Welcome @JamaalAbdullahi, hopefully you will share some of your experiences with us over the next few weeks
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Ross Walker made a comment
Hello everyone, welcome to Football: More than a game! I am looking forward to interacting with you all over the next few weeks and hearing about your thoughts on the world of football. Hope you all enjoy the course!
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@MaxLeeves Very true, Max! Teams such as Leeds and Nottingham Forrest among others were once at the top of English football while Aberdeen, Dundee and Dundee United also had their own glory days. As you said, history allows us to remember these moments and reflect upon them.
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Ross Walker replied to Akua Adepa
@AkuaAdepa You are not wrong, Akua! In many ways, the impact of covid revealed just how many football clubs and organisations are operating in the face of financial insecurity and how their business, economic and indeed as you indicated, their management strategies need to change. Whether these teams will actually learn their lesson is another story and...
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@charlotter Absolutely, Charlotte! Not only is it a topic of conversation, but some might even say that it is a language in itself.
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@RobertBarnsley This is actually really interesting, Robert! I must say that I do agree. A champion in that sense differs depending on each of their own respective circumstances and can only be measured appropriately based on not only their position within the overall football world, but the actual world. For example, smaller nations such as San Marino,...
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@susanmillican Thank you for your constructive feedback, Susan! We are always looking for ways to improve the course and find out about everyones interests. With that being said, your comments and suggestions are much appreciated. On another note, I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the course overall and am thankful that you took the time to join us. I wish...
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@ClareJ You are most welcome, Clare! I hope you have enjoyed the course and wish you all the best with your future studies.
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@RobertBarnsley An interesting idea there, Robert! Much of what you talk about is actually related to the English FA’s three year plan that they put in place just a few months ago. Please find attached the link below:
https://www.thefa.com/news/2021/nov/09/womens-professional-game-strategy-2021-2024-20210911
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@susanmillican What a terrific story, Susan! Although, it is never to let to take up football within any capacity…
Development initiatives are funded by a range of stakeholders. It all depends on various factors such as the nature of the programme, where it is or what the desired outcomes are for example. In some circumstances, football clubs and...
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Ross Walker replied to Clare J
@ClareJ Absolutely, Claire! Football is a great tool to provide a opening into accessing avenues where few other aspects of the social, cultural and economic world can. After all, as you said, it is an international language and a universal pillar of connectivity. Using football as a gateway to enter negotiations, countries and even communities can win...
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@TanjaEllenSleeuwenhoek You are very welcome, Tanya! I am pleased to hear that you enjoyed the course and have been able to take away some new information. If you ever decide to continue your football education, then you know where we are and how to find us. I wish you all the best with your future studies.
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@GraceIyanuOluwaTowobola Welcome to Football: More than a Game, Grace! I hope you enjoy the course and will share your thoughts and experiences with us as you progress through it.
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Ross Walker replied to Tanja Ellen Sleeuwenhoek
@TanjaEllenSleeuwenhoek Glad to see that you are still with us, Tanya! Despite week 6 being the final week in terms of content, the course will stay active for a further three weeks after this week concludes. So, if there is an element of overlap, by all means take your time, Football: More than a Game is not going anywhere anytime soon and neither are we!...
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@VictorManuelMartinezNavarro Absolutely, Victor! I am glad to see that the pandemic has not crush your spirits to which I congratulate you on your recent coaching successes and wish you all the best with your university studies. Football has indeed been an escape for many during the pandemic. It has also been a major resolution for people post lockdown in...
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@JohnGalbraith Thank you for joining us, John! I am glad to hear than you enjoyed the course and even more pleased that you have been able to take away some new information from the course. Hopefully you will consider joining us again in the future.
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@JoseRio-Rios I could not agree with you more, I am the exact same and thoroughly enjoy hearing peoples perspectives and stories about football from around the world. On that note, I will look forward to our conversations in the future!
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Ross Walker replied to Jessica Hull
@JessicaHull Glad to see that you are enjoying yourself, Jessica!
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Ross Walker made a comment
Just a reminder that the course will stay active for another three weeks after week 6 concludes. Please feel free to continue to work through the materials at your own pace, to come back and reuse the information or to join us in the comment section.
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@JoseRio-Rios You are very welcome, Jose! Thank you for your kind words and joining us on another run of Football: More than a Game. Hopefully this will not be the last time!
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@EdmoreKurehwatira Thank you, Edmore! I hope that you enjoyed the course and that you will consider joining us again another time.
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@JohnCope Thank you for taking the time to join us and for your kind words, John! I am glad to hear that you enjoyed the course and hope that you will consider making a return again in the future.
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@TanjaEllenSleeuwenhoek Absolultely, Tanya! Thank you for sharing these sources. The sad reality of many of these situations and stories is that they do not get the limelight and proliferation that they deserve. Among the larger percentage of football followers, such efforts simply bipass or fail to pierce the public consciousness or have the resonating impact...
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@JohnGalbraith That is very much a reality. It is also a decision in which teams will have to accept the consequences of their actions for if all else fails, especially as they will have not learned their lesson and reverted back into football’s old management mindset rather than embracing modernity by prioritising short-term results over the potential...
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@JohnGalbraith beneficial investments, especially for lower league clubs who need said finance, what we must remember is that the football landscape that we all knew before covid arrived is no longer the one that exists at present, nor is it the one that exists in the future. Due to that, the game itself must adapt. However, these strategies successfulness is...
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@JohnGalbraith Very true, John! The covid context does indeed pose issues for corporate/organisational navigation through such circumstances. However, what covid has revealed is just how many football clubs are and have been functioning in a state of operational insecurity. For that exact reason, many would argue that these business models are outdated and...
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Ross Walker replied to Jonathan Peter Austin
@RatanSil I am glad you are enjoying the course, Ratan!
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@VictorManuelMartinezNavarro i agree, Victor - they should be better supported! I was in fact the recent Competition Manager for the inaugural Four Nations event which took place this past September in Edinburgh. The competition is normally streamed online, however owing to the nature of the organisation, it is made more accessible through websites such as...
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@EdmoreKurehwatira What is the current football landscape like for women, Edmore?
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Ross Walker replied to Clare J
@ClareJ Absolutely, Clare! Going by the progress in the game so far, the 2023 Women’s World Cup should be a great competition.
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@FrederickLam Only time will tell, Frederick, but you could very well be right! What the Spotify sponsorship also reflects is the continual modernisation of football through the ongoing alignment and embracement of emerging global trends.
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Ross Walker replied to Tracey J
@TraceyJ Given this international, cultural and ethic spread of the game, would you say that the essence of football in its truest and most natural form can be argued to be somewhat of a language in itself?
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Ross Walker replied to Tanja Ellen Sleeuwenhoek
@TanjaEllenSleeuwenhoek I must say that I do agree with you here, Tanja. There are absolutely many champions to which it also comes down to not only how each club defines the term champion, but also how they perceive and view what constitutes being a champion. For example, in Scottish football, being a champion in the eyes of Celtic and Rangers is about...
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@EdmoreKurehwatira What a terrific story, Edmore! This is so nice to hear, thank you for sharing it with us. You are absolutely right, the feeling of giving back to the community is unrivalled in many ways. I wish you and the academy you are involved with all the best and hope that you continue this great work.
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@FrederickLam Terrific answer, Frederick! You are absolutely right, one thing that history provides above all else compared to other avenues of the game is a constant cycle of learning from different multifaceted angles so as you rightly alluded to, the game can continue to evolve and be improved.
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Ross Walker replied to Clare J
@ClareJ Hopefully many more will continue to appear and grow in the future too!
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@TraceyJ A very interesting insight into football or should I say soccer in the USA. It is quite fascinating to see how the sport has manifested and developed in different parts of the world and how it has become affiliated with certain demographics and social groups such as the “soccer moms” as you referred to.
While soccer may never replace American...
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Ross Walker replied to Edmore Kurehwatira
@EdmoreKurehwatira Not only is that global, but you can quite literally see the love and passion people have for the game.
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@JessicaHull Thats great to hear, Jessica! Thank you for your contributions so far, just like everyone else’s, I have enjoyed reading your comments.
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Ross Walker replied to Khaled Ahmad
@KhaledAhmad The match between England and the USA during the same competition in the qualifiers was also a significant moment
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@KhaledAhmad Absolutely! Although, what is important to remember is that the three factors you mention in history, economy and technology are all very much interlinked and to a large extent determine each other’s outcomes, especially technologies impact on football’s economics and vice versa.
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@JessicaHull Glad to hear that you are enjoying yourself, Jessica!
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Ross Walker replied to Nijal Jose
Welcome, Nijal! Glad you could join us.
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Ross Walker replied to Jonathan Peter Austin
@JonathanPeterAustin Hi Jonathon, what an interesting background! Hopefully you will share with us your experiences and thoughts as you progress through the course.
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@SydMuller football truly is more than a game after all
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Ross Walker replied to Denisse A
@DenisseA Espero que disfrutes del curso, Denissee! Siéntase libre de unirse a nosotros en la sección de comentarios, sus opiniones y preguntas siempre son bienvenidas.
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@EdmoreKurehwatira Here’s hoping that the current situation continues to improve!
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Thank you, everyone! Your contributions, as well as everyone else’s on the course, are much appreciated and truly valued.
