With North America preparing to host the World Cup this summer, an annual soccer tournament with a similar feel wrapped up another session at San Juan Elementary school. For years, fifth grade teacher Saul Martinez has organized friendly soccer tournaments for his fourth and fifth grade students with the style and focus of the World Cup.
Each January, Mr. Martinez starts the first of three tournaments that are held during recess and lunch periods. Teams are created, schedules built and the games are held in the field next to the San Juan Campus. Each games score is recorded and standings are updated to build towards the final matchups. Once one tournament is complete, the teams are redistributed before the next. The third tournament is dubbed the World Cup, with each team adopting a foreign nation, complete with a homemade flag.
The games are open to all students; however, participants must follow a few important expectations to remain eligible to play. Students are required to maintain satisfactory grades, complete all assigned coursework, and demonstrate positive behavior throughout the school day. Any student who fails to meet these expectations may lose the privilege of participating in games that day.
While the competition is friendly, the students play to win. Aaron, a fifth grade student, won a championship in fourth grade and was in line to win again in fifth grade. He had a couple of fourth grade students on his team and made it clear to them that keeping the title was a priority. Students coming up in San Juan know about the soccer opportunity in the upper grades and can’t wait for their chance to show their skills and have some fun.
On a soccer day, as the recess bell rings, soccer students know to pick up the bags with balls and cones and meet Mr. Martinez at the field gate. They dutifully mark the field corners and goals with cones, while Mr. Martinez calls out the matchups for the session. The games are roughly 15 minutes long, with the students keeping score and calling their own fouls and penalties. When finished, smiling and breathing hard from the exercise, the teams report the scores, clean up the fields and head back to class.
More than just a chance to play soccer, Mr. Martinez’s tournaments teach valuable lessons in teamwork, sportsmanship, responsibility and leadership. The games help give the students another reason to show up to school each day and try their best. As another season comes to a close and champions are crowned, the excitement and memories created on the San Juan Elementary soccer field will continue to inspire students eagerly awaiting their turn to participate in this beloved tradition.
