I started this past week by choosing the main sections for the magazine. It’s been fun getting ideas from my classmates! To keep it balanced, I decided on four sections:
Cover Stories: The main stories, like the journey of academy goalkeepers.
Feature Articles: In-depth pieces on training, mindset, and physical preparation.
Academy Life: Daily routines and experiences of student-athletes.
Drafting the Table of Contents
With the sections set, I moved on to creating the table of contents on Tuesday. I wanted it to follow the journey of a player joining the academy, because I have experienced that myself, with each section building on the last to cover the physical, mental, and cultural sides of academy life.
Here’s a quick look at the final structure I think will be good. I also have a draft full Table of Content:
“Beyond the Gloves” (Pages 4-7): The cover story on the unique challenges faced by academy goalkeepers.
“Mind Over Matter” (Pages 11-13): A look at the mental strength needed in football.
“A Day in the Life” (Pages 17-19): A glimpse into daily routines at the academy.
Focusing on the Main Story: “Beyond the Gloves” (Pages 4-7)
On wednesday, I focused on the main cover story, “Beyond the Gloves.” It needed to set the tone for the entire magazine, so I worked a bit on this. I have to be honest and say that it was difficult, because I had two practices on Wednesday. But I outlined the key points I wanted to cover:
1. Highs of Goalkeeping:
– The excitement of making game-saving stops.
– Moments of recognition and personal growth.
2. Challenges:
– Dealing with pressure and expectations.
– Overcoming self-doubt after a tough game.
3. Daily Life:
– Goalkeeper-specific training routines.
– Balancing physical and mental preparation.
4. Camaraderie:
– The bond between goalkeepers, coaches, and teammates. What we call the Goalkeeper’s Union.
I wanted to make this article personal and relatable, using stories, player quotes, and insights from coaches. It will capture the heart of the magazine and give an honest, inspiring look at academy goalkeepers.
Design Ideas
Design is just as important as content, so on Thursday I began to plan out layout ideas for each section. I pictured bold headings, action-packed images, and clean, easy-to-read fonts. For the color scheme, I chose vibrant yet professional tones to reflect the academy’s energy. The academy uses Red for matches and Blue for training, but I want to use yellow for many key areas as it is bright and stand out. These will probably be the three main colors.
OK, that is all for this week.