NEW GAME, NEW LIFE 315
New Game, New Life
1 It was seven minutes into the second half of my soccer game. A tall, red–headed striker
from the other team collided with me. After flipping into the air, I was flat on the ground with a
fractured back. I was out for the season, and I had to wear a back brace for months.
lunchtime, without being interrupted by a game or practice. These talks drew me closer to my
family and made me aware of just how important they are to me.
6 Eventually, I went back to play for my high school soccer team; I was just no longer the
star player I used to be. I learned not to take myself too seriously, and now I see soccer as a hobby
instead of my entire identity. At the time it happened, breaking my back seemed to make my
316 INTRODUCTORY SPEECHES FOR ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
New Game, New Life
Commentary
Developed around the theme of personal growth, “New Game, New Life” follows a narrative structure.
After explaining how she broke her back during a soccer game, the speaker focuses on how she grew
personally and relationally while recovering from her injury. A video of the speech is available online and
on the DVD of student speeches that accompanies this edition of The Art of Public Speaking. Below is a
synopsis.
Specific Purpose: To introduce myself to the audience by explaining how my soccer injury opened new
possibilities in my life.
Central Idea: Breaking my back on the soccer field changed my life in ways I never could have imagined.
Method of Organization: Topical
Introduction: The introduction consists of the first two paragraphs. In paragraph 1, the speaker gains
the audience’s attention by telling the story of her back injury. She includes specific details to
Body: The body consists of paragraphs 3–5. The first main point (paragraph 3) deals with the speaker’s
self-image as a soccer player and how her injury changed that image. The second main point (par-
agraph 4) provides a specific example of how the speaker realized there was more to life “than
just athletics.” No longer a star athlete, she finds fulfillment as a stagehand for the school play. The
third main point (paragraph 5) covers the speaker’s new relationship with her family. She creates a
vivid picture of talking with her family for hours around the breakfast table—an image to which
many audience members can relate.
Conclusion: The conclusion consists of paragraph 6. By mentioning her return to the soccer field, the
speaker provides closure to her back–injury story and creates a sense of psychological unity.
She then reinforces her central idea by noting that her outlook on life has changed forever. The