by Jake Maddox
Annie sighed and pitched again. This time, the ball landed on target.
“See! What did I tell you?” Raisa exclaimed. She tossed the ball back.
Annie scowled. “It feels uncomfortable,” she argued. She shifted so her legs were closer together. “This feels better.”
“It’s not right,” Raisa told her firmly.
“But Coach Garcia—” Annie started.
“The Tigers have a chance to win a second championship,” Raisa said. “But only if we pitch well. The team is counting on us. Don’t you want to be a team player?”
“I do!” Annie said. “I’ll try harder.”
Raisa threw the ball to her. “Try it, just like I showed you, three more times,” she called. “Widen your stance! Push off with your lead foot! Dig your foot in!”
Annie tried to follow Raisa’s instructions, but her tosses were wild and off target. “This isn’t working,” she said.
She’s not trying hard enough, Raisa thought, swallowing her frustration. “Do it like I showed you, and you’ll be fine,” she said.
Annie scowled but tried again.
“You’re not getting enough speed and power in your throws,” Raisa said. “Let’s try the windmill motion together.”
Annie’s mouth pressed into a hard line, but she nodded.
* * *
All week, Annie and Raisa met to practice. Sometimes Julia, Kaitlyn, and Taylor met up to watch.
“She’s totally hopeless,” Julia said as they watched Annie throw balls at the target. “You’d think with all of this practice, she’d be getting better, but somehow she’s getting worse.”
Taylor folded her arms. “Our next game is against the Sharks, and if she pitches like this, we’re going to lose,” she said. “Raisa, you should talk to Coach.”
“Maybe she should try pitching the way Coach Garcia showed her,” Kaitlyn suggested.
Raisa shook her head. “You and I have the same pitching style. That’s what won us a championship,” she said. “We just have to be patient. She’ll get it.”
But truthfully, Raisa was as frustrated as her friends. She wanted Annie to have a chance to prove she could be a great pitcher. And Raisa wanted to prove she was a great coach.
Why can’t she just put more power and speed into her pitches? Raisa thought.
As they watched, Annie sent another wild pitch to the right of the target. Julia chased it down and tossed the ball back, but shot Raisa an I-told-you-so look.
“Taylor’s right,” Julia said when she returned. “Raisa, you need to talk to Coach and tell her Annie shouldn’t be pitching.”
Just then, Annie squealed. “I got it! I hit the target!”
Raisa clapped, but she felt terrible. Her friends were right. Annie isn’t a great pitcher, she thought, but how do I tell her that?
CHAPTER 6
Curveball
Later that week, when Raisa arrived for the game against the Sharks, Annie was already there.
This is my chance, Raisa thought. She ran up to give her friend some last-minute advice.
“Remember what we practiced,” Raisa said. “Keep your hips square, widen your stance, make sure you really push off the mound—”
“I know,” Annie said, “You’ve told me a thousand times.”
Raisa placed her hand on Annie’s shoulder. “The team is counting on you. Remember?” she said. “We’re going to win the championship—together. But we have to win here first.”
Annie pulled away. “I have to warm up,” she snapped.
Why can’t Annie see I’m trying to help? Raisa thought. If she doesn’t listen, we’ll lose the game. The whole team will be mad at her—and me. I can’t let that happen.
The Tigers were up to bat first. Julia hit the ball far into left field and made it to second base. Taylor was next to the plate. She hit the ball to right field and raced to first base while Julia sped toward third.
Then it was Raisa’s turn. Her bat connected firmly with the ball, sending it flying to center field.
Julia and Taylor made it home, scoring two runs. Raisa made it to second base.
Raisa clapped as Annie stepped to the plate. “Bring me home!” she shouted.
The pitcher threw the ball, and Annie connected! She dropped the bat and ran, but the first baseman caught the ball. Annie was out, but the Tigers were still ahead. At the end of the second inning, the score was 2–0.
Raisa stepped to the mound. She had to maintain their lead, for Annie and the team. The Tigers had to win today. Raisa threw the ball. It whizzed past the batter.
“Strike one!” the umpire called.
Raisa relaxed her shoulders. She threw out another pitch.
“Strike two!” the umpire shouted.
One more throw, and Raisa struck out the first batter. The next player struck out too, but the one after that made it to second base.
Coach Garcia called Raisa off the mound.
“I can keep going,” Raisa said.
Pitching felt great, but winning would feel even better. If she stayed on the mound, she could help the team and take the pressure off of Annie.
Isn’t that what a coach is supposed to do? Raisa thought. Help everyone?
“You know the rules,” Coach Garcia told her. “It’s Annie’s turn. You have to share the mound.”
As Raisa made her way to the dugout, she noticed Annie was holding the ball with a four-finger grip instead of a three-finger grip.
“Check your grip,” Raisa whispered, but Annie ignored her.
Raisa bit the inside of her cheek so she wouldn’t yell at Annie, but she was angry. She was doing all she could to help the team.
Why isn’t Annie doing her share? Raisa thought.
The batter walked to the plate. Annie threw the ball, but she didn’t push off the mound in the way Raisa would have. The batter easily hit the ball and sent it into left field. While the Tigers scrambled to catch the ball, the batter made it to third.
Raisa held her breath as Annie threw the ball to the next batter. The Sharks’ player hit it into the outfield and ran to first base. The player on third base made it home. The score was tied 2–2.
Raisa’s anger rose. Annie was ignoring all their hard work. Worse, she was giving the Sharks a chance to win.
For the rest of her time on the mound, Annie pitched the way she wanted. No surprise, the Tigers lost the game.
“You have to talk to Coach,” Taylor said to Raisa after the game. “Annie just cost us a win.” She ran to meet her parents.
Raisa knew she needed to talk to the coach, but first she had to talk to Annie.
“Our next game is against the Jets, and they’re the best in the league,” Raisa said as she approached Annie. “If you don’t pitch like I taught you, we’ll never win.” Raisa tried not to sound angry, but she couldn’t help it. “What were you doing out there today?”
“Playing the game,” Annie said.
“Not like I taught you,” Raisa told her.
Annie shoved her glove into her bag. “You didn’t teach me anything! All you’ve done is tell me. Tell me how to pitch and how to stand. You haven’t even tried to listen to me! You just force me to do it your way, and I hate it!”
Raisa stared at her in shock as Annie zipped up her bag. “You keep talking about how I need to be a good team player, but what about you?” Annie continued. “I just wanted to learn how to pitch and have fun with my new team. You ruined everything!”
With that, Annie slung her bag over her shoulder and stalked away. Raisa stared after her. How had this all gone so wrong? She needed to talk to Coach Garcia.
CHAPTER 7
A Sudden Realization
The next day, Raisa texted Coach Garcia to see if she could stop by. Then she asked Nona to drive her to the coach’s house.
When Raisa arrived, Coach Garcia was in her garage, rummaging through the shelves.
“Hi, Raisa,” she said. “I have an old playbook in here somewhere. I wish I
knew where I’d hidden it!”
Raisa wasn’t sure how to tell Coach Garcia about her frustrations. Instead she said, “Can I help you look for it?”
“Thank you!” Coach Garcia replied. “It’s a blue binder. It might be in one of these boxes.” The coach pointed to a set of boxes high on the shelf. “What did you want to talk about?”
I don’t want Coach to think I’m not up for helping Annie, Raisa thought. And I don’t want to get Annie in trouble for not being a team player. . . .
“I think Annie’s having a hard time,” she said. “She’s trying, but her pitches aren’t as fast or powerful as mine. I think she’s frustrated.”
“I don’t blame her,” Coach Garcia said.
Raisa glanced at her coach in surprise. That wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting.
“You don’t?” Raisa asked. She took a box off the shelf and handed it to her coach.
Coach Garcia shook her head and said, “Annie is much shorter than you. You’re tall, so your arms and legs are longer. It’s easier for you to throw the ball hard and get real power in your pitches. I noticed Annie tries to stand and pitch just like you. That has to be hard, given the height difference.”
The coach paused for a moment. “She must really look up to you. In practice, she pitches the way I coach her, but at the games, it’s all Raisa-style. No matter how much we talk about it, she won’t stop imitating you.”
Raisa groaned. “What’s wrong?” the coach asked.
Raisa knew she needed to come clean about why she’d come to the coach’s house. But what if Coach is upset with me? she worried. What if everyone is?
“I came to talk to you about Annie not listening to me,” Raisa said. “I told her to pitch like me, because my way helped win the championship. I wanted us to win it again. Everyone does.”
Coach Garcia sighed. “I wondered what the problem was,” she said.
Raisa looked down. I have to be honest, she thought. I have to tell Coach everything.
“I’m the problem,” Raisa confessed. “Annie kept telling me my way wasn’t working, but I ignored her. I didn’t think about how our height difference could affect how Annie pitched. I feel terrible. No wonder she’s mad at me.”
Coach Garcia put her hand on Raisa’s shoulder. “No,” she said, “you’ve been human. It’s OK to make mistakes. The important thing is that you realized it.”
Coach’s smile made Raisa feel a little better. “I need to apologize to her,” Raisa said. “Then see if she’ll give me a chance to keep helping her.”
Coach Garcia smiled. “That’s a great idea,” she agreed. “Why don’t you text Annie and see if she wants to come here and talk?”
Raisa took out her phone and texted Annie: Hey, it’s me . . . can we talk? I’m at Coach Garcia’s house. She says you can come over here.
Annie wrote back right away: I was hoping you would text! I was just going to text you too! I’ll get my dad to drive me over right now.
Raisa put her phone back in her pocket and blew out an anxious breath. She hoped Annie would give her another chance to be teammates and friends.
* * *
“I’m sorry,” Raisa blurted out as soon as Annie arrived. “I was talking to Coach Garcia, and I realized what a jerk I’ve been.” She held her breath and waited to see if Annie would forgive her.
“No,” Annie said. “I was the one who was wrong. You were trying to help. I was frustrated, and I took it out on you. Please don’t give up on me. I’ll do what you say, I promise.”
Raisa grabbed her friend’s hand. “No! I mean, yes,” she corrected. “Of course, I’ll help you. But I’m part of the reason you were frustrated. Coach explained that because you’re smaller than me, it’s harder for you to get the kind of speed and power I get in my pitches. It’s probably also why it feels better when you hold the ball with a four-finger grip instead of three fingers.”
“Really?” Annie said.
Raisa nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me that. If you let me, I promise this time I’ll coach you in a way that actually helps you.”
Annie grinned. “Let’s get started!”
Coach Garcia, Raisa, and Annie collected gloves, a bat, and a few balls, then headed to the field behind the coach’s house.
Annie adjusted her stance so her legs were closer together and switched her grip to four fingers instead of three.
“Go ahead,” Raisa crouched down. “Send one to me.”
Annie spun her arm and sent the fastball Raisa’s way. The ball smacked into her mitt.
“Wow! That was awesome!” Raisa stood.
“It’s easier to push off hard when my legs are closer together. And it’s easier to spin my arm because I have better balance,” Annie said.
“It shows! The pitch had a lot more power and speed. Great job, girls!” Coach Garcia said.
Annie grinned. “Wait until the Jets get a load of us!” she cheered.
CHAPTER 8
What’s Best for the Team
“What is she doing?” Taylor asked. She pointed at Annie, who was warming up her pitching arm. “You promised to talk to Coach Garcia.”
Kaitlyn and Julia joined them at that moment. Julia nodded at the other team. “Taylor is right,” she agreed. “We’re playing the Jets. We need to play our best. You have to do the right thing for the whole team.”
Raisa’s heart raced at the thought of arguing with her friends. But she knew what she had to say.
“That’s what I’m doing,” she said. “I’m helping Annie become a better player.” She took a breath. “None of us were great when we started. Where would we be if Coach Garcia hadn’t let us play because she was worried we wouldn’t win a trophy?”
Kaitlyn blushed. Julia stared at her feet.
“I want to win another championship too,” Raisa said. “But what’s the point of winning anything if we’re always mad at each other? Being together and playing as a team is what’s best for the team.”
Kaitlyn shuffled. “We haven’t been fair to Annie.”
Taylor shook her head. “Whatever.” She walked away.
Julia put her hand on Raisa’s shoulder. “She’ll be OK.”
“Come on team, hustle in!” Coach Garcia said, calling the players to the dugout.
Raisa shook off her tension and ran in. She had a game to play.
* * *
The Jets’ pitcher let a fastball fly across the plate. Julia swung hard and connected with the ball. She dropped the bat and raced toward first base.
Raisa, who was already on first, launched herself toward second base. She made it just in time.
Next up to bat was Taylor. She hit the ball far into the outfield and sprinted to first.
Raisa raced past third, then sped for home. Her foot touched the plate.
A few seconds later, Julia crossed home. They gave each other a high five as Taylor came to a stop at third base.
The game continued. Annie’s turn at bat brought Taylor home, but the Jets caught Annie as she rounded second base and tagged her out.
At the third inning, the Jets were ahead by two runs.
We can catch up. We can win, Raisa thought. As long as we keep playing as a team, we’ll be fine.
When Raisa took the mound, she struck out the Jets’ first batter. The next batter hit the ball, and Taylor went for the second out, but couldn’t get the ball to first base in time.
Coach Garcia signaled Raisa to switch with Annie.
“Remember what we talked about,” Raisa told Annie as she came to the mound.
Annie tensed, but Raisa smiled. “Do your best and have fun,” she said.
Annie grinned. She managed to strike out one player, but the Jets were the better team. Their next player hit a home run, and so did the two players after that.
At the end of the game, the Tigers had lost 6–4.
Raisa ran up to Annie.
“I’m sorry,” Annie said, swiping at her eyes.
“I tried really hard.”
“Everyone can see that,” Raisa told her. She hugged her friend.
Annie looked over at where Taylor and Kaitlyn stood with Julia on the sidelines.
“I’m not sure everyone agrees,” Annie said quietly. She stared at Taylor, who had her arms folded across her chest.
“Be proud of yourself,” Raisa told her. “Taylor will get over it, I promise.”
Just then, Kaitlyn and Julia ran over to them. Taylor trailed behind.
“That was an excellent game, Annie,” Julia said.
“That’s nice of you,” Annie said, “But I don’t think that’s true.”
“It is,” Taylor said. “The Jets are one of the best teams in the league. You played awesome. When I started out, I wasn’t a great player. It took a lot of work and help from my coach and teammates to get better.”
“Really?” Annie asked.
Taylor nodded. “I’m sorry I haven’t been a better teammate to you,” she said. “I promise I’ll try to be better.” She looked at Raisa. “It’s what’s best for the team.”
“Thanks,” Annie said with a grin.
“Let’s go shake hands, then we’ll go for ice cream and celebrate,” Taylor said. She smiled at everyone. “My treat, for my teammates and my friends!”
Author Bio
Natasha Deen loves stories—exciting ones, scary ones, and especially funny ones! She lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, with her family, where she writes stories for kids of all ages. When she’s not writing or visiting schools and libraries, Natasha spends a lot of her time trying to convince her pets that she’s the boss of the house.
Illustrator Bio
Katie Wood fell in love with drawing when she was very small. Since graduating from Loughborough University School of Art and Design in 2004, she has been living her dream working as a freelance illustrator. From her studio in Leicester, England, she creates bright, lively illustrations for books and magazines all over the world.
