Jason Tognetti
Upper Head of School Assistant
There are many rites of passage at the end of the SFDS school year: the fourth and eighth grade plays, fifth grade DIG, and classroom visits, among other things. But no rite of passage is bigger than participating in your first or last COPA. For the 46 fifth graders, COPA marks the true assimilation into the upper school. For the 46 eighth graders, COPA marks the end of an era at SFDS.
Many of you may be unaware of COPA. It is a World-Cup-style soccer tournament that PE teacher (for the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades) and soccer coach extraordinaire Steve Roberts has put together. This year celebrated the 10th time the tournament has been contested. Sixteen teams of 11 to 12 students are carefully crafted at the beginning of the school year. (Yes. I really do mean eight months ago at the beginning of the school year.)
The upper-school students take COPA very seriously. One or two adults assume the coaching duties of each team. The suspense of COPA builds until it turns into complete pandemonium when the teams are announced two months before the tournament starts. The eighth graders get to choose the country the team will be representing. Teams meet with their COPA advisors during the weeks leading up to the games. They discuss the physical, cultural, and political geography of the country. This is followed by discussions of uniforms, numbers, positions, and names. The scouting reports from the students about kids in their grade are the last order of business before the ball is dropped.
This is the first year that weather became a factor. The first day (May 17) was played under constant showers, which slowed down play and put the premium on defense. Early pool play was intense. This year saw many goaltenders from the fifth, sixth, and seventh grades. Historically this position and responsibility fell to the eighth graders on the team. Italy, England, Switzerland, Serbia, North Korea, Argentina, the United States, and Ghana made it out of pool play (which is everyone’s goal). Italy was led by the balanced play of Jackson P. and Brandon L., with Audrey E. holding down the goal. England had great play from Ethan L. Switzerland saw Taro D. leading the offensive and Morgan C. securing the defense. Serbia dominated with golden goal-scorer Alex W. leading the charge. North Korea found itself advancing behind the Jacob R. to Jordan S. connection. Argentina had no shortage of points with Luke H. finding the back of the net four times. The U.S. led a late charge in pool play to advance behind the crazy goal scoring of Aaron M. Ghana played strong defense─anchored by Rex H. in goal─and got timely scoring from Kayla S. and Elias D.
COPA spanned one week from its opening ceremonies to the last whistle of the Ghana vs. North Korea game. Thirty soccer matches were played involving 175 students. Rex H., a fifth grader in his first year of COPA, got to listen to his older brother talk about the awesomeness of it for the last three years. He went on to shut out the opposing team in each game for Ghana and earned the Goalie MVP. Big cheers to the Ghana players: Kayla S., Tristan K., Ali B., Julia P., Elias D., Kabir P., Corinna L., Danielle S. , Maya M., Mayme S., Jane S., and Rex H. Hundreds of spectators watched and cheered as Ghana went on to win the tournament, defeating North Korea 1-0. Among those watching were 46 fourth graders that got a little taste of the fun and theater of rooftop soccer. Many have started to prepare for their moment on the rooftop in COPA 2011. To many in the upper school, the championship game of COPA 2010 is the official sign that the school year 2010 is coming to end.
Click here to view some amazing photos of this year’s COPA tournament courtesy of seventh grade photographer Danny F.-E.
