Sam’s Soccer Problem:
Listening Skill #1
STORY #1
One sunny fall day, Samantha Greenfield woke up, ate breakfast, brushed her teeth, and went to school
as usual. Little did she know that this day would teach her something special about herself before it was
over.
Samantha, or Sam as her friends called her, could hardly pay attention in class. She stared out the
window at the falling red and orange leaves and thought about the big game after school. Sam was the
star striker of her class’s soccer team. They had made it to the semifinals, and it was all Sam could do to
keep from thinking about how many goals she might score in today’s game. After class, however, Ms.
Kicklot (her teacher and coach) took her aside.
“Sam,” she said in an ominous voice, “there is a problem.”
Sam, in her normal melodramatic way, began imagining the worst: the field was flooded; there was a
mistake, and they didn’t make the playoffs after all; she was being kicked off the team! What could
have happened?
“Sam! Will you get that worried look off your face?” The teacher chuckled. “You are always imagining
things. It’s not the end of the world – Tanisha has a cold and is out sick.”
But it was the end of the world! Tanisha was their goalkeeper, and nobody else on the team knew how
to play that position. What would they do? Before she could ask aloud, Ms. Kicklot answered her
question.
“You will be playing goalie today, Sam. Rosa will take your place at striker.”
Sam couldn’t believe her ears. She had never played goalie before. She would be so embarrassed if she
messed up.
That afternoon was the worst afternoon Sam could remember. The team won, but by the skin of their
teeth. She let in five goals! The only ones that didn’t go in bounced off the posts and had nothing to do
with Sam at all. When she left the field, her head hanging, Ms. Kicklot jogged over to cheer her up.
“Sam,” she said, “you did fine, and it wasn’t just your fault anyway. I have realized that I should ask
everyone to practice in more than one position. That way, we will always be prepared, and we will be
an even better team. Rotating through all the positions will make you stronger players.”
In the championship game two weeks later, Sam was asked to play a different position again. But this
time, she smiled as she ran on the field. She had spent the last two weeks practicing all the different
positions. She still liked playing striker the best, but she was no longer afraid to play a different
position.
Source: The Thoughtful Education Press
PROTEAM DREAMQUEST CURRICULUM
3-5