The Kicks
By Emily Ashby,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Book-inspired series scores with excellent tween role model.
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The Kicks
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Based on 7 parent reviews
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Fantastic family series!!!
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What's the Story?
When soccer enthusiast Devin Burke's (Sixx Orange) dad moves her family from Connecticut to California, she's thrust into a new school and onto a mediocre new team called THE KICKS. Between a soccer-illiterate coach and a defiant star player, the Kicks are in desperate need of a spark to get them going, and Devin steps in to lead the charge. Fortunately Devin's teammates are a likable bunch -- though acerbic Mirabelle (Isabella Acres) often runs interference on her efforts -- and her family's always there to support her through the ups and downs.
Is It Any Good?
Inspired by a book series by soccer star Alex Morgan (who plays a role in the story herself), this engaging show has fantastic themes for kids, whether they're aspiring soccer stars themselves or not. Devin is instantly appealing, being self-confident and goal-oriented (no pun intended) but also introspective and realistically uncertain at times. Even better, she's supported by parents who don't try to shield her from life's struggles. Instead they encourage her to face them, learn from them, and ultimately succeed through her merits.
Young athletes also will benefit from how this show presents competition and team dynamics. The Kicks don't go from Bad News Bears status to league champs overnight, but they make small strides each time they take the field together, reminding kids of the value of hard work and dedication.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about role models in The Kicks. What makes Devin a good one? Is she believable as a person? Who inspires her?
Family relationships are important to Devin. What would you say defines a family? What shows have you seen that present a different family model than this one does?
People show teamwork when they all work together to do something big. Let's think about teamwork and The Kicks. All the girls work together like a team. How does each character help? Can you tell me about a time when you were a part of a team? What did you do to help your team? Did your team ever have any problems? How did your team solve those problems? How does it feel when you're part of a team that's working well together? Do you know what it means to be a "good sport?" Can you tell me about a time when you saw someone acting like a good sport, or showing good sportsmanship?
How do the characters in The Kicks demonstrate perseverance and teamwork? Why are these important character strengths?
To show perseverance is to keep working and working to get something you really want. Let's think about perseverance and The Kicks. What does Devin really want? What does she do to get what she wants? Share a time when you worked hard to get what you wanted. What helped you to keep working, even when it was hard? How did you feel in the end?
TV Details
- Premiere date: August 26, 2016
- Cast: Sixx Orange, Isabella Acres, Emyri Crutchfield
- Network: Amazon Prime Video
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Sports and Martial Arts, Book Characters, Friendship, Great Girl Role Models
- Character Strengths: Perseverance, Teamwork
- TV rating: NR
- Award: Common Sense Selection
- Last updated: July 30, 2022
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