by Janet Walker
Chapter Thirty-Seven
GENTRIFICATION
Grace stood before the team to make the announcement.
“Starting next week, we will begin meeting on Saturdays. Show up at ten o’clock, not ten-oh-one. We will meet here for two hours. The first hour will involve instruction that you will need in order to become well-rounded players. The second hour will be a full-blown game, followed by lunch.”
The girls reacted happily. After a month of grueling workouts and boring ball-handling drills, they would finally get to play.
“Bear in mind that we will meet on Saturdays during the month of October and the first half of November. After that, we are back to weekday practice only. So,” she said, “next Saturday, be here. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am!” they replied.
“Now, go shower,” she ordered. “Except you, Sullivan. I need to see you.”
While the other girls glanced curiously at Tracy, the rookie flushed with shyness and walked over to the woman’s table-desk, her face hot and moist. At the same time she felt a glint of a good feeling, for Miz Grace had singled her out and was going to talk with her one-on-one! When she reached the table, Tracy glanced at the woman’s face. It was void of emotion.
“Your grade-point average is too low. I’ve enrolled you in our tutoring program, which will begin meeting this week after school and on Saturday mornings. You will attend the sessions for one hour each day and then come to practice. If you don’t attend, you can’t stay on my team. If your grades don’t improve, you can’t stay on my team. Understood?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“All right,” the woman said. It was a dismissal. The teen obediently walked away.
