New Changes in College Sports

May 6, 2026, 21:43

Introduction

Two universities, Penn State and Kentucky, have new ways of leading their sports teams.

Main Body

At Penn State, Coach Matt Campbell changed the football program. He opened his office to everyone. He wants players to work together. He also invited old players back to help the team win more games. Coach Campbell had a problem with new and old players. He made a special system to pick teams. Players must study hard and help the community to be part of the team. At the University of Kentucky, Coach Mark Pope has problems with basketball. He talked to fans on the app X. Many fans were angry. Coach Pope said the team did not get the best players because other schools paid more money.

Conclusion

Penn State is fixing its team culture. Kentucky is trying to fix its problems with the public.

Learning

⚡ The 'Action' Past

In this story, everything already happened. To talk about the past in English, we usually just add -ed to the action word.

Look at these changes:

change $\rightarrow$ changed
open $\rightarrow$ opened
invite $\rightarrow$ invited
talk $\rightarrow$ talked

⚠️ The 'Rule Breakers'

Some words are 'rebels.' They do not follow the -ed rule. You must memorize them as they are:

Make $\rightarrow$ Made (Not 'maked')
Say $\rightarrow$ Said (Not 'sayed')
Do $\rightarrow$ Did (Not 'doed')

💡 Quick Tip for A2

When you see a sentence like "He opened his office," the -ed tells you the door is already open and the action is finished. Simple!

Vocabulary Learning

new (adj.)

Not old or previous

Example:I bought a new book.

ways (n.)

Methods or routes

Example:There are many ways to solve the problem.

sports (n.)

Physical games or activities

Example:She likes playing sports.

coach (n.)

Person who trains athletes

Example:The coach gave us a pep talk.

football (n.)

A game played with a ball

Example:Football is popular in the U.S.

program (n.)

A planned activity or course

Example:The school has a summer program.

office (n.)

Place where work is done

Example:He works in the office.

everyone (pron.)

All people

Example:Everyone should bring a snack.

players (n.)

People who play a game

Example:The players practiced hard.

work (v.)

To do tasks or labor

Example:They work on the project.

together (adv.)

In a group or jointly

Example:We will go together.

help (v.)

To assist or support

Example:Can you help me?

team (n.)

Group of players or workers

Example:The team won the match.

win (v.)

To be victorious

Example:They will win if they play well.

problem (n.)

Something that needs solving

Example:We have a problem to solve.

special (adj.)

Unique or particular

Example:She has a special talent.

system (n.)

A set of rules or procedures

Example:The school has a grading system.

study (v.)

To learn or examine

Example:Students study for exams.

community (n.)

Group of people sharing interests

Example:The community helped the event.

university (n.)

Higher education institution

Example:She attends the university.

basketball (n.)

A sports game played with a ball

Example:Basketball is played indoors.

fans (n.)

Supporters of a team or person

Example:Fans cheered loudly.

app (n.)

Application software for devices

Example:The app is free to download.

angry (adj.)

Feeling mad or upset

Example:He was angry about the delay.

schools (n.)

Educational institutions

Example:Schools open in September.

money (n.)

Currency used for transactions

Example:She saved money.

fixing (v.)

Repairing or correcting

Example:They are fixing the road.

culture (n.)

Shared beliefs and practices

Example:The culture is friendly.

public (adj.)

Open to everyone

Example:The public park is open.