KSPA State 2020: “Previously On-Site” Contest J

ASSIGNMENT

You have 32 hours to write a yearbook sports story. The story should be approximately 300 words. With the aid of computers this year, we are able to enforce this. Please do not write longer than the word limit.

Please use the information provided below. The writer should determine which information is relevant and important to the story. Students may use dictionary, thesaurus and/or the Associated Press style manual. Only entries submitted online will be accepted. No exceptions will be made to this rule.

When you submit, you will simply be submitting plain text. Formatting such as italics, bold and underline will not transfer. Also, paragraph breaks will not transfer. To show the judge your intention to create a paragraph break, please use this double-backslash symbol: //  For instance, a passage with two paragraph breaks would look like this:

The school board reversed the policy with an 11-1 vote. // “I disagreed with the decision, but I lost this time,” said board president Yvonnes Nulton. // The policy will go into effect at the start of next school year.

TIMELINE

• 3 p.m. April 17: contest materials available
• 11 p.m. April 18: contest submission due

DIRECTIONS

This contest is meant to be completed individually. Please refrain from seeking help from others while completing this contest.

Failure to follow these directions may result in disqualification from the contest without refund. Please read and follow carefully. 

1. Read over the prompt presented below. The writer should determine which information is relevant and important to the story.
2. While writing, you may use resources like the AP Stylebook, an online style guide or a dictionary/thesaurus. 
3. Use whatever technology works best for you while writing your draft. This could be pencil and paper, your cell phone, your computer, etc. Do whatever you’re most comfortable with.
4. Do not include your name or your school’s name anywhere on your final draft.
5. Type up the final version of your story and submit it here.
6. Please do not share your draft, notes or ideas about the prompt with others until the 32-hour window closes.

Here is a link to this contest’s judging rubric.

DESCRIPTION

You are a member of Sunflower High School’s journalism staff. Your editor has asked you to edit the following story and coverage.

SCHOOL INFO

• Name: Sunflower High School
• Location: Clinton, Kansas
• Mascot: Mighty Buffalo
• Enrollment: 800 (grades 9-12)
• School colors: yellow and brown
• Yearbook: The Sunflower
• Newspaper: Sunflower News

Contest Info

• This is an on-site contest. 
• Do not put your name on the entry. If you do, your entry will be disqualified.
• Students must not request help or advice from any person other than the KSPA Executive Director Eric Thomas at staff@kspaonline.org, and that advice must be requested before the start of the contest.
• All work must be solely that of the contestant.

Facts from your research 

• This is head coach Kayla Stevens’s twelfth year coaching the SHS Girls Soccer team. Previously, she played as a center back for her college soccer team, the Crimson Cadets, which placed first in a national girls’ soccer tournament. 
• In the 2019 season, the Sunflower Girls Soccer Team placed first in the state tournament. This is the best any team at SHS has done at a state tournament and the first victory for the team.
• In the state championship game, SHS beat Middlewood High School 4-3. For SHS, two goals were scored by Tiffany Mitchell, one by Megan Phillips and one by Grace Martin.
• This year, the SHS girls soccer team was also ranked 51st in a national review of girls soccer teams across the nation. 
• The SHS girls soccer record at the end of the year was 13-7-1. The one game they lost was to Orono Community High School 2-1.
• During the season, senior Millie Branden (midfielder) was injured with a torn ACL. Sophomore Emma Hall replaced her in her starting position. Hall later was awarded the most improved player award.
• SHS started out the season with three tie matches.
• Senior Tiffany Mitchell, who plays as a goalkeeper for SHS, has been playing soccer since she was 4-years-old. Mitchell is skipping college to play professionally immediately after high school and also for the U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team. She has been signed with the Orlando Pride women’s soccer team in Orlando, Florida. Tiffany will move to Orlando two weeks after her high school graduation on May 31st, 2020. 
• Tiffany Mitchell coaches youth soccer in the summer.
• Kayla Stevens is also a chemistry and physical science teacher at SHS.
• Tiffany Mitchell stats for her senior season: 33 goals, 22 assists
• The SHS girls soccer record at the end of the year was 13-7-1. The one game they lost was to Orono Community High School 2-1. 

Quotes

Interview with Kayla Stevens, varsity girls soccer head coach

• “It was a great season and a great group of girls. Winning a state championship is a huge accomplishment, and I’m very proud of my team.”
• “Tiffany is a powerhouse. She was an integral part of our team this year. We’re so excited she’s moving up to the professional level.”
• “The girls vote for our team awards. This year, Tiffany won MVP, Gwen won defensive player of the year, and Emma won most improved player.”
• “I love coaching and teaching here at SHS. It’s a great environment.”

Interview with senior Tiffany Mitchell, forward

• “Soccer is basically my life. Even when I’m not playing, I wish that I was.”
• “I’m so excited to start my career as a professional player. It’s so surreal. Part of me can’t believe how lucky I am, but the other part knows how hard I’ve worked for this.”
• “I’m also a youth soccer coach during the summer when I’m not training. I love helping the little kids, they’re so cute when they’re all running after the ball.”
• “I’ve always looked up to the women on the U.S. soccer team. They’re basically my idols. Which is why it’s so crazy I get to be one of them.”
• “I’m a little sad that I’m not going to college like all of my friends are. But soccer is my passion, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. I knew I had to skip college and go straight to the pros. I’ll probably do online school.”
• I’m excited to move to Orlando. I’ll get to live near the beach and Disney World. My off days will be really fun, I think.”

Interview with senior captain Meghan Phillips 

• “We had a really fun season. It was such an honor to be named captain this year along with Grace and Tiffany. We had a blast.”
• “It stunk that Millie got injured and couldn’t play her senior year. But Emma really stepped up, and Millie was always cheering for us from the sideline.”
• “Obviously we’re all so excited for Tiffany. It’s so cool that she’s going to be a pro. She’s so lucky. She scored most of our goals this season and we couldn’t have won state without her.”
• “I’m going to play soccer at Nebraska next year. I got a pretty big scholarship, so that’s exciting.”
• “We lost one game this season, to Orono High. It stung, but it makes winning the state championship feel so much sweeter.”

Interview with junior Gwen Holland, goalkeeper 

• “Coach Stevens is amazing. She inspires all of us to work as hard as we possibly can. Without her, there’s no way we would’ve won the state championship.”
• “We have a great team, but Tiffany is definitely the best player. She plays like the most confident person in the world. Even when we were losing, she never got worried or nervous. She was always calm and collected.”
• “Whenever a ball would get by me and I’d given the other team a point, Tiffany would always run across the field to tell me it was okay. She helped me feel better, which made me play better.”
• “I really look up to our team captains. They’re role models for me.”

Info from the season provided by coach Kayla Stevens 

Team Captains:

Meghan Phillips (senior)

Grace Martin (junior)

Tiffany Mitchell (senior)

Most improved player award: Emma Hall (sophomore)

Defensive player of the year award: Gwen Holland (junior)

MVP award: Tiffany Mitchell (senior)