The final kick — Free Writing Prompt & Story Starter

The final kick

Sport

The final kick is a free, NAPLAN-aligned sport writing resource for Australian primary students. It includes a story starter, complication, tiered vocabulary and scaffolds mapped to the Australian Curriculum (AC9).

The game was tied. My heart pounded in my chest as I dribbled the ball past the last defender. The goal was just ahead, but the opposing team wasn’t giving up without a fight. I could see the crowd’s eyes on me, and everything seemed to slow down. With a quick look to my left, I saw my teammate open and ready for a pass, but there was no time for that. The ball was right at my feet, and this was my chance to end it. With the goalkeeper rushing toward me, I took a deep breath and aimed for the top corner of the net. The crowd held its breath as I made my move. This was it—the final kick.

The complication

The goalkeeper is known for making impossible saves, and as I line up the shot, I realise I’ve been marked by their best defender, making it harder to get a clear shot.
The ground feels slippery after the rain, and I’m worried about losing my balance or missing the ball entirely just when the game is on the line.
The referee seems to be distracted by something happening on the sidelines, and there’s a chance the goal might be disallowed if a foul was committed just before my shot.
I notice a familiar face in the crowd—a coach I once played under, whose words still echo in my mind. I’m unsure whether to focus on my game or wonder if they’ll approve of my decision.
As I take the shot, a sudden distraction from the crowd makes me hesitate for just a second, and I have to quickly regain my focus to make sure I don't lose this opportunity.

What's in the full resource

Complications

Brainstorming Prompts

Vocabulary Support

Sentence Starters

Dialogue Prompts

Writing Challenges

Sentence Variety

Creative Twists

Writing Checklist

Reflective Questions

Collaborative Writing Ideas

Printable teacher and student PDFs