Extra Post

December was a really slow month for my senior project. In total we only had one tournament and two friendly games. We are on vacation right now, but during the other days of December we had practice. We worked on resistance. When the head coach, also my mentor, was not there he told me to have tough demanding practices so that the players would not lose their game rhythm. We had to migrate from San Angelo park, which is where we practice, to a Whittier narrows because they have hills. Sprinting up hill and suicides were mainly what we did. During the two friendlies, we tried every player so that we can see what other variations of the team we can have. In the tournament we used two different squads in the two first games, but in the finals we used our starting squad. We got second place, but coach said he was happy with what he saw. He later explained to me that the way the team played showed him that we were not quitters. We resume practice on 01/13/14.

EQ

1) I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.
2)
a. What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?
- No this eq does not take a stance, therefor it is not meet the rule of three.
b. What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?
- No this eq does not work because the wording is a little confusing. So it does not meet the rule of three.
c. What is most inportant in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?
-  This one does not provide a framework for studies. This one also does not meet the rule of three.
d. How can an Anasthesiologist best treat chronic pain?
- This one meets the rule of three.
3) How cam a soccer coach best lead a team to a championship season.

Blog 8 Research

1.  What is your working EQ?
- How can a soccer coach best lead a team to a championship season?
2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.
- The most important aspect of a team is how a coach organizes his team; with good team chemistry to have a pleasant environment, but still includes healthy competition.
3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 
- My best source is my mentor. He showed me the difference between an organized team and an unorganized team, and the results are easy to see.
4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

- My mentor is Lorenzo Raya. He is a coach at a very competitive league in El Monte. He has allowed me to play/coach in his team. When I am not playing, he shows me everything he does to keep his team at a prime level. 

Independent Component 1 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.
- For my 30 hours I plan to start helping coach my cousin's U-8 soccer team. I will still be going with my mentor on Sunday, but also I will be assisting the U-8 team on Saturdays. The coach is a friend of the family so he will be of great help to me. I can start off with what I have been doing with my mentor and just help out, but later I can actually fully coach the team. The advantage of coaching kids is that they are not as experienced as older players, so they will follow what we tell them.
2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.
- I will make a spread sheet on Google docs, and add a link in my blog so that anyone can see it. I will record everything that we do day by day. I will take pictures to show what we do in practice. Also I will update it regularly.
3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.
- This will be an enriching experience for me, due to the fact that they are kids. As I have previously said, kids will listen to what a coach demands. I have noticed that teens and adults don't follow what the coach tells them. They think they know what to do so they do what they think is right, and only sometimes follow what the coach says. These kids will be obedient and we will be able to see our work on the field.

September Post

This month I found an interesting article, that is really informative, it deals with common injuries that soccer players get. It also went in depth on how to prevent them. For example the most common one is pulling a muscle. The article explains how coaches implement activities to prevent this. First tactic is to actually start jogging instead of starting off stretching. Your body needs to warm up before you start straining it. And, research has discovered, that stretching before a work out actually affects your muscles performance. So after you feel warmed up you can start sprinting, and then you can stretch. It is important for every coach to implement this into their practices, because injuries such as groin injuries, can leave a player injured for weeks. Sometimes player are out for months as well.

Second Interview Questions

1. My mentor is coach Lorenzo Raya, he is the coach of Irapuato F.c. I am not sure where he works, but as I said he is also a coach.
2.
- How did you become interested in Soccer?
- How would you describe your coaching?
- Where did you acquire your knowledge?
- What are some things you did to improve in your field.
- What are some moments in your life that made you who you are today?

Blog 5: Project Reflection and Working EQ

1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happened as a result of what you have completed so far?
- One of the most important things that I gained from my mentorship, is learning the importance of a coach. I now appreciate how much a coach does in a team. Before my mentorship, I payed no attention to the influence a coach has on the team. I believed his responsibility was just to set up the starting team. Now I know he does more than that, and I am interested in learning more.
2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?
- One of my articles, that I found for my research check, called "Soccer Attacking Offense Positions. Should Soccer Fullbacks Push Up on the Attack?Or Should They Defend Deep," gave me insight on a tactic many coaches use. This taught me about the strategic side of soccer. It is one of my favorite articles, because I am a defender, and this personally helps me be better on the field.
3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?
- The mentorship hours have helped me out the most. I believe since my subject is about a sport, it is better for me to have hands-on activities. My mentor is not only teaching me about playing soccer, but also about coaching it.
4) What hasn't worked so far?
- What has not worked for me are the research checks. It is hard for me to find articles that have information that I don't already know. When I do find one, the article is very short, making it unusable.

5) Finding Value: 

• What is the most effective way to transform a team into one that has good team chemistry, and can function in any situations. 
• I plan on spending more time with my mentor, because besides the practices and games, he can also help expand my knowledge of what happens on the outside of the field. 

August Wrap Up

This month I had more time in the field than out coaching. I want to learn about both, but first coach Lorenzo wants us to secure a spot in the top of the standings. Then I can spend more time out of the field. This brings up mixed feelings for me because I love to play, but I also want to learn more about coaching. Last game we had we pulled a 2-2 tie with the first place team. We executed most of the plays we learned in practice, so right now coach is satisfied. Not only are we showing progress in skill, but also in team chemistry. I have a pretty good idea of which practice drills are the most effective, but i still want to discuss it with the coach.

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?
- I plan to interview my coach Lorenzo. I thought of him first because he is my mentor. He is 30 years old, but he knows everything about soccer. Since birth he has participated in it one way or another.

2.  You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask?
- What do you recommend I do to become a better player?
- Should I first concentrate on learning how to be a complete player, before I start learning how to coach?
- In your opinion, what are the most essential drills a practice should have.
- Are there any tactics you know/ like to use?
- Do you believe in making players go on a diet?
I will ask more questions based on what he responds. I will try to keep him talking.

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Semester 1 ESLR Goals

1. Soccer
2.

• Effective Ipoly Citizen- I will show growth in this area, by respecting my piers. By this I mean, helping them if they need help, and not distract them from learning in class. I will also show this by participating in all senior activities. Either by helping plan the event, or attending the event. 
• Effective Learner- I will become an effective learner, by utilizing all the resources at my disposal to further my knowledge. I can do this by using the textbooks, or finding a tutor. Also I can show this by concentrating in class, and take good notes so I can review them if needed. 
• Effective User of Technology- I will become an effective user of technology by using my computer to benefit my learning. I can do this by using my computer to look up information needed either for a core class, or for the senior project. 
• Effective Communicator- I will become an effective communicator by asking questions when I feel confused or am not understanding a certain lesson. I will also communicate well with my classmates and work things out with them if we need to.

Summer Mentorship Component

Literal
1) Hours Log:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvTJ6G6COyxXdGlMNC1oajJMRXgzOFJJWUlpYzNrbkE#gid=0
2) Lorenzo Raya
(626) 824-5742
3) Questions
-What are some activities an individual should do when they are not at practice, to benefit the team.
- Should there be a specific the players should follow.
- What are some exercises the team can do to have better team chemistry and have unity.

Interpretive

4) What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

 -The most important thing I gained from this experience, is that I learned about the sport I love, from a coach's perspective. This helps me appreciate the game more, and to become a better player. I now know what is needed for a team to function, it's not a simple as I thought. Now I see a coach as an important part of the team.

Applied

5)  How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.
 - The time I spent learning about soccer, I learned that there is much more to it than just playing. This showed me that I still need to learn more about the sport I love. I love soccer and plan to play for as long as I can, and maybe even coach someday. That is why this topic is so interesting to me, because now I am not only focusing on my position. If I acquire enough knowledge, I can strive to become captain of the team.

2013 2-Hour Presentation Reflection

1) The presentations I viewed were:
Soccer Player- Salvador G.
Teaching History- Jacob R.
Pastry Art- JD Pabon
Coping with Cancer- Kendall D.
Teaching Chemistry- Rachel W.
Event Planning- Ana S.
Wildlife Conservation- Reann B.
Autism/Psychiatry- Jade H.
Remote Controlled Car Racing- Raul S.
Integrate Native Species- Joseph Gu.
Painting- Andrea R.
Day Care Centers- Roxana C.
Navy: Basic Training- Jaime P.
Zombie Culture- Leslie L.

2) All of my questions about the specific presentations, were answered. I would like to know if the senior presentation has to be about a job you are thinking about perusing, or can it be about something else you are interested in?

3) The most important part in a senior presentation, is the answers to your essential question. These are so important, because if you don't fully understand them, you will run out of things to say.

4) I would like to create a presentation on either soccer or sociology. I am really into soccer, and one of my uncles is a coach, but I would also like to learn about sociology.