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Playing Soccer |
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Narrator: Mike squints his eyes against the bright sunlight on the soccer field and listens to Coach Capra's whistle, calling the team over to the sidelines. Mike follows the other players on the City Central Kicker's soccer team as they near the bench where Coach Capra stands holding a letter. Coach Capra shouts: "Okay, you guys, listen up! I'm proud to announce that Mike will be playing in the All Star Team Sunflower High School Boys All Star Game. As all of you know, Mike's been an outstanding goal keeper, a great player both on and off the field." Narrator: Mike continues to smile while he listens to Coach Capra describe his sportsmanship, listing all the examples for what put Mike on the All Star team. |
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Coach Capra: "Mike had to meet many standards, both on and off the field to make the All Star Team. These standards in soccer include how well he performed in his position as goalkeeper. We call these performance standards. Every goalkeeper in Mike's league competes for this honor and is measured using these performance standards. Members of the Sunflower All Star Selection Committee use performance standards to determine the All Star Team players. Goalkeepers have to be physically fit. They need to anticipate how and where the ball will come toward the goal. They have to be quick on their feet, and especially good at catching the ball and knowing how and when to make a catch. Goalkeepers need good distribution skills so that when they throw or punt the ball, it goes where they want it to go. They must be able to punt and kick from the ground, and punch the ball away for blocks. Mike has all of these skills and met these performance standards. The outcome is Mike leads the league in saves and shutouts for the season. Congratulations, Mike!" |
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Narrator: Coach Capra hands Mike the letter, which lists the criteria, or standards, for what it takes to be on the All Star Team and play in the Sunflower High School Boys All Star Game. Mike isn't exactly sure what a criterion or a standard meant. He does know he is more excited than he has ever been in his life. Mike: "The Sunflower All Star Game! Wait until I tell my parents. They'll be so proud." Narrator: April 24, 2002 |
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Mike was selected because he met a set of soccer performance standards, what every player in his league should know and be able to do at a high level of proficiency and performance. As a goalkeeper, he has displayed all of the standards for that position, being especially good at catching the ball or punching the ball away for blocks. |
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Narrator: Nearly an hour's drive away, Mike's cousin, Michelle, plays for the East Side Blazers, in the Sunflower Girls Soccer League, and receives similar news from her coach. She has been selected on the All Star Team for the Sunflower High School Girls All Star Game. Coach Jackson: "Okay, Michelle, you've really worked hard for this. You met every yardstick I've set for you, every benchmark last year's varsity team established. Now, you've made the All Star Team and will play in the Sunflower Regional Playoff games." Narrator: Coach Jackson gives Michelle the news on the soccer field in front of the entire team. Michelle could hardly believe her ears. The All Star Team in the Sunflower High School Girls Regional Playoff games. This was too much! She hears Coach Jackson give the other players all the examples, even calling Michelle a role model, for why she made the girls All Star Team. |
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Coach Jackson: "Michelle made the All Star Team because she met all of the soccer performance standards for her position. Unlike her cousin Mike, the goalkeeper, Michelle plays forward. As a forward, Michelle must be able to dribble the ball, through defenses. She has great perception on the field and can "see the field", which means she stays aware of the other players and the defense at all times. These are skills or performance standards all players in Michelle's league should know and be able to do. She is a great vertical jumper and an awesome sprinter. Forwards should be able to move the ball with both feet, head the ball, and kick with accuracy and tempo. And, we all know about Michelle's team record for keeping a soccer ball in the air for 2,522 touches without letting it hit the ground. She's had seven assists, with only one yellow card for a foul. Of course, her grades were in the "B" range." |
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Narrator: Michelle reads the letter that stated the criteria and standards she had to meet to make the All Star Team. Just like her cousin Mike from the City Central Kickers, Michelle isn't sure what a criterion or a standard was exactly. She knows she is a good player who will also be on the team with other good players. They all have to meet the same criteria in order to be selected.
Narrator: April 24, 2002 |
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Michelle was selected because she met a set of soccer performance standards, what every player in her league should know and be able to do at a high level of proficiency and performance. As a forward, she has displayed all of the standards for that position, being especially good at assisting and keeping the ball in the air without letting it hit the ground. |
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Narrator: With puzzled looks on their faces, both Mike and Michelle wonder, what exactly is a standard? This is important for them to know, not just for playing soccer on the Sunflower All Star Game, but for school, work, and community. Standards are everywhere! There are many standards in everyday life that people might take for granted. The concept of a standard is really important for Mike and Michelle to understand. |
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Narrator: Michelle walks up to Coach Jackson at the end of their soccer practice with the letter announcing she made the All Star Team for the Sunflower High School Girls All Star Game. Those standards for why Michelle made the team are a little confusing. Michelle: "Hey, Coach Jackson, can you explain to me what a standard is? It says here in the letter that a group of people who work for the Sunflower Regional Sports Committee selected me and the other players for the All Star Team based on a set of standards. What exactly is a standard?" |
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Coach Jackson: "Sure, I can explain to you what a standard is. In soccer, a standard is what every player in your position should know and be able to do. These are performance standards. All forwards are expected to perform based on the standards of their ability to dribble and juggle the ball, be aware of the field and other players, and move the ball with both feet and hands. |
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Your cousin Mike who plays for the boys' team across town is a goalkeeper. He has to meet standards, but the performance standards for goalkeepers are different. Goalkeepers have performance standards based on being good at blocking shots, catching the ball, and knowing how and when to make a catch. They also have to kick from the ground and punt. Does that help clarify it?" |
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Narrator: Coach Jackson continues explaining the concept of soccer performance standards by filling out this Concept Diagram on his clipboard. Coach Jackson: "Let's look more closely at the concept of soccer performance standards. Remember that information never stands alone. The concept 'soccer performance standards' can be placed within the larger, overall concept of 'standards.' |
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"Now, let's come up with words we think about when we hear the phrase 'soccer performance standards.' You've seen the letter from the Sunflower Selection Committee, and you play and watch soccer, so you should have some ideas. Michelle, what can you suggest?" Narrator: Michelle gives a list of suggestions and Coach Jackson provided a couple also. Coach Jackson: "Fine, let's put those words and phrases on our list under Key Words." |
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"Now, we can draw ovals around the words that we are fairly confident are examples, and we can underline the words we think are characteristics that describe soccer performance standards. That will give us an idea of where to place our Key Words on the Concept Diagram." |
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Coach Jackson: "Next, let's identify the characteristics that are always, sometimes, and never present in soccer performance standards. We have a good start from the Key Word List. Which of our items on the Key Word List do you think should be placed in the 'Always' column, the 'Sometimes' column, and the 'Never' column. Where do we start? Michelle? Here's a suggestion that being healthy, having ball skills, and understanding how the game is played, and being able to perform the skills specific to one's position, must always be present. Do you agree? Good. We'll put those characteristics in the 'Always' column. Remember that we can always change our minds and make adjustments if we want." Michelle: "How about characteristics listed in the Key Word section that would sometimes be present? Sometimes a soccer player has to have intensity, but not always. It would be nice if a soccer player was a fast sprinter, but I've seen good players who aren't. Let's put 'intensity' and 'sprint speed' in the 'Sometimes Present' column. It also helps if a player shows good sportsmanship, a desire to improve, and being able to hustle. Let's put those characteristics in the 'Sometimes Present' column." Narrator: Coach Jackson completes the 'Sometimes Present' list of soccer performance standards characteristics. Coach Jackson: "Okay, let's look at the rest of the list under Key Words. The remaining words or phrases could either be characteristics that are never present, or they could be examples and non-examples. Let's start with characteristics that are never present. What would you place under that column?" Michelle: "Soccer performance standards wouldn't include a player who has no motivation or no spirit. I would put those characteristics in the 'Never Present' column. A player couldn't be selfish to be a good team member. I would put that under the 'Never Present' column." |
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Coach Jackson: "Next, let's look at the remaining words on our list of Key Words for examples and non-examples. Well, a forward position needs dribbling skill. That would be an example. A forward position also needs accurate kicks. That would be another example. A goalkeeper needs to have a good hand to perform the standards of that position. I would put that as another example. Okay, we have some good examples. How about non-examples?" Michelle: "A soccer player performing standards can't be passive. She also can't be slow to react. I don't think a good soccer performance standard is being intimidated easily. Those would all be non-examples to me. I think we should put those in the non-example column." |
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Coach Jackson: "Now, let's work together to tie down a good definition for the concept of a soccer performance standard. A complete sentence must go into the definition. The names of the targeted concept and the overall concept should also go in the definition. The characteristics that are listed as 'Always Present' should also go in the definition. Let's look at the definition now. 'A soccer performance standard is a type of standard which includes being healthy, having ball skills, understanding how the game is played, and being able to perform the skills specific to one's position.' |
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Michelle: "I think I understand soccer performance standards better. How about standards in school? I've been seeing standards listed on some of our homework assignments. How can I compare standards in soccer to standards in school?" Coach Jackson: "A standard in school is a statement of what every student your age should know and be able to do in subjects and grade levels. These performance standards tell your teachers, school, community, and you not only what you should know and be able to do, but what schools should teach. An example of a math standard is: "Understands and applies concepts of statistics and data analyses." A benchmark is usually set to use as a "checkpoint" to look at progress a student makes with performance goals. A standard also includes how your teacher, school, community, and you will determine your performance, or what you must do to show that you have met a particular goal." Narrator: Michelle still looks a little confused, so Coach Jackson continues. |
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Coach Jackson: "Think about standards this way. As your coach, I selected you for the position of forward based on your performance standards at try-outs at the beginning of the season. I selected you for the position of forward because of your ability to dribble the ball, to jump, sprint, and your ability to move the ball with both your feet and your head. I didn't make these standards up, though. I get them from standards in the field of soccer. All forwards at your age and grade level need the ability to perform these skills, although you may not all perform at the same level. Statistics, such as the number of goals you make, the number of assists or blocks, and number of cards, are the outcome or result of your ability to perform the standards for your position of forward. The statistics are not the same as standards, but an outcome of your performing the standards." Michelle: "Can you give me some more examples of how standards work in soccer or in school?" Coach Jackson: "Sure, we're first going to think about statistics based on performance standards in soccer. Understanding how statistics are used is actually one of your math standards here at school, so this will really help you understand what a standard is. Teams have to keep statistics on their players to use for such purposes as rankings, Most Valuable Player, scholarships, and selections on teams such as the All Star Team going to the Sunflower All Star Game. This season, I've kept a record in a notebook of your performance at each practice session. I keep track of your skill at dribbling and juggling the ball, and your ability to perceive the area of the soccer field and know how to kick the ball to other players. When you've made goals based on these performance standards, I record the number of goals. That number of goals becomes a statistic, but it is not the performance standard you met to make the goal. Do you see the difference?" |
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Narrator: Coach Jackson pauses to make sure Michelle was paying attention. He continues. Coach Jackson: "Sports organizations use statistics that are based on a selection criteria or standards, like for the Sunflower All Star Game. Players such as yourself are sorted and compared using statistics based on their performance standards. Teams can also be sorted and compared from their statistics based on performance standards. These statistics are the outcomes based on the performance standards of soccer players in different positions, such as forward and goalkeeper." Michelle: "Now I think I get it. Statistics from the players and teams are kept to rank players in such categories as the all-time top scorers for the season, the top scorers in each tournament, most goals in one match, benchmark goals, the fastest goal, and even the latest goal. I can see how these statistics are only the results of the soccer players' abilities to perform the standards for their positions, such as good jumpers and sprinters, and dribbling through defense and shooting." Narrator: Michelle shakes her head to show she understood. Michelle: "Okay, I think I see why the math standard of understanding how statistics are used is important in school and in other areas of my life, like soccer." |
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Narrator: At the City Central Kicker's soccer field way on the other side of town, Mike asks this very same question about standards to Coach Capra. Mike: "What exactly are standards, Coach? I've heard about them in school but I don't see the difference between assignments and these standards. Standards seem to be everywhere, don't they?" Coach Capra: "Yes, standards even exist in the type of reading activities you do on any given day. Do you read the sports page the same way you read your science textbook?" Narrator: Mike thinks for a second, and then says. Mike: "No, I wouldn't read a sports page the same way I read a science textbook because I am reading for two different purposes. My English teacher said that a reading standard is using general skills and strategies of the reading process. When I establish that my purpose for reading the sports article is to read to find the answer to a question, and I adjust how I read the article, that is a performance standard for reading. Is that right, Coach Capra? When I pick up a newspaper, I sort through the different sections until I find the sports page. Then, I look at the headlines in bold face print. Next, I skim and scan the rows of statistics until I find the information I want: Who scored the most goals in last night's game when the East Side Blazers played the Creekwood Comets? I have established that my purpose for reading the sports article is to find out how well the Blazers did against the Comets. Next, I adjust my reading for that purpose. Is that a performance standard in reading?" |
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Coach Capra: "Yes, knowing and adjusting your purpose for reading is one performance standard. The result is that your reading comprehension improves. I do the same thing when I read the newspaper! Establishing and adjusting purposes for reading is a reading standard in school, and also one you use a lot each day. Just like you have performance standards in the area of goalkeeper; such as quick on your feet and good anticipation for the ball, there are performance standards for reading. These performance standards include paraphrasing the main idea in your own words, understanding vocabulary in the context of a reading passage, and understanding the author's purpose. Mike: "Yes, my English teacher has discussed these performance standards in reading many times. So when I reach performance standards in soccer, such as blocking and catching the ball, and punting and kicking from the ground, that is the same as reaching performance standards in reading, like paraphrasing the main idea, understanding vocabulary, and understanding the author's purpose. Now, I see how these are considered performance standards for reading. Paraphrasing, understanding vocabulary in the context of a passage, and understanding the author's purpose are what every student at my age and grade level should know and be able to do. When it comes to reading a newspaper, magazine, or website about soccer, I establish what my purpose is for reading each of these different formats, and then adjust my reading for that purpose. Sometimes I read newspapers to find information. Sometimes I read magazines just to enjoy the soccer stories. And at other times, I read websites only to skim for quick facts. Those are all reading performance standards." |
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