Syllabus Extension Task

iGCSE Code Challenge:
Build a Sports Manager Simulator

Apply selection, list arrays, file parsing, and iteration structures to design and code a custom text-based tournament simulation for your favorite sport.

Student Name

Date

Chosen Sport

Project Brief

Now that you have completed the 12-step World Cup Dream Manager unit, you are ready to design your own tournament manager script in Python. You can build a football simulator, or adapt the mechanics to model another sport with custom scoring rules, team configurations, and tactical choices.

Step 1: Choose Your Sport & Rules

Analyze how your chosen sport structures scoring, positions, and game logic. Review these examples for implementation ideas:

Gaelic Football

Features a dual-scoring system: placing the ball under the crossbar inside the net counts as a Goal (worth 3 points), while kicking it over the crossbar counts as a Point (worth 1 point).

Coding Challenge: Display scoreboards in the traditional Goals-Points format (e.g. 2-11) and compute total scores dynamically: (2 * 3) + 11 = 17 total points.

Netball

Features 7 strictly designated positional roles (GS, GA, WA, C, WD, GD, GK). Only the Goal Shooter (GS) and Goal Attack (GA) can score goals. Both positions are allowed inside the goal circle and must shoot from within it.

Coding Challenge: Create an array list of squad positions. Ensure your random match goal scorer generator restricts scoring outputs only to players assigned to GS or GA positions shooting from within the goal circle.

Your Sport's Scoring Rules & Logic (Gaelic Football scoring, Netball positions, etc.)

Note down how your game will calculate scores, validate positions or represent play configurations.

Note down how your game will calculate scores, validate positions or represent play configurations...

Core Coding Requirements

Your program must implement the following programming constructs aligned with the iGCSE Computer Science syllabus:

Variable Declarations & Inputs: Capture settings (e.g. Team Name, Manager Name, Difficulty Level).

Selection & Case Handling: Handle menu options and filter outputs (e.g. validating lower/uppercase strings).

1D Lists: Maintain squad names, active line-ups, and opponent teams.

2D Lists: Maintain tournament tables dynamically recording standings, points, and score differences.

File Handling: Open and parse CSV databases (e.g. player stats) and save final results or high scores to text files.

Turtle Graphics (Optional): Draw a custom pitch, court, or statistical progress chart visualizing match outcomes.

Recommended Development Phases

Phase 1
Syllabus Setup & Basic Inputs

Prompt the user for their team choice, manager profile, and match difficulty. Validate their choices utilizing conditional selection structures.
Phase 2
Squad Lists & Position Mapping

Create a list storing player names. Use list methods to add and adjust squad selections. Validate roles based on positions (e.g. checking shooters in netball).
Phase 3
Match Simulator Logic

Program match simulation calculations. Combine team attributes (e.g. attack/defence strength) and random modifiers to calculate realistic scoring events.
Phase 4
Tournament Table (2D Arrays)

Implement a 2D list representing the league or group table. Loop through match results, update points (e.g., 3 for a win, 1 for a draw), and recalculate score differences.
Phase 5
CSV Loading & Parsing

Load player statistics from an external CSV file. Loop through lines, split values by commas, and select team sheets based on ratings.
Phase 6
Persistence (High Scores)

Read the previous high score from a file. If the current season's score exceeds it, prompt the user and write the new record back to the text file.

My Implementation Notes & Code Ideas

Use this space to outline your code structure, write pseudocode snippets, or track debugging notes.

Use this space to outline your code structure, write pseudocode snippets, or track debugging notes...

iGCSE Student Checklist & Peer Review

Before submitting your code to your teacher, test the program for these criteria:

Criteria Check	Validation Test Input	Expected Outcome
Presence check	Empty input (press enter)	Error message and loop prompt
Data Type cast	Text string when expecting integer	Type check passes without crashing
List boundary	Select invalid player index	Index out of bounds prevented
File operations	Read/Write output file	File updates and persists after closing

iGCSE Code Challenge:Build a Sports Manager Simulator