by Fred Bowen
Like Josh, Evan moved slowly, trembling on each loop. When he finally made it onto the platform, he gave Josh a high five and then the two of them turned to watch Kadir.
Kadir started across cautiously, almost painfully, stepping from loop to loop. When he got halfway across, he froze.
“Uh-oh,” Josh breathed. He could see it in Kadir’s eyes. “He’s panicking,” Josh whispered to Evan.
“Just take it one step at a time,” Evan called. “Remember what Berkeley said. You’re clipped on. You can’t fall. You can do it.”
Kadir reached out with his foot, but he started to shake again and lost his nerve.
Josh and Evan didn’t give up on their teammate. They kept encouraging him.
“That’s it.”
“You can do it.”
Slowly, carefully, Kadir started again. He stepped tentatively from loop to loop, edging closer to the platform. Then he froze again.
“You keep talking to him,” Josh said. “I’ll go get him.”
“Wait. Only one guy on an element, remember?” Evan warned.
“Oh yeah,” Josh said as he stepped back onto the platform. “But we’ve got to help him. We can’t just leave him out there.” He looked at Kadir. He hadn’t moved. “Are you okay, Kadir?”
His teammate didn’t answer.
Josh stepped back into the loops toward Kadir. “Don’t worry, Kadir. We’ll help you!” Josh shouted. “Go, United.”
Josh reached out and got a firm grip on Kadir’s hand. “I got you,” he said. He slowly led his teammate across the final loops to the platform.
Kadir was still shaking as he stood on the solid wood platform. “Thanks,” he said in a whisper.
“No problem,” Josh said. Evan patted Kadir on the back.
“I must have looked pretty stupid out there, not moving,” Kadir said, his voice coming back. “I won’t be much help against the Storm on Saturday if I freeze like that.”
“That’s all right,” Josh said. “I don’t think we’ll play the Storm up here in the trees.”
The three teammates laughed and climbed together down to solid ground.
Chapter 12
Ten … eleven … twelve …” A circle of players tapped the ball to each other in a pregame warm-up of “soccer tennis,” working hard to keep the ball in the air. Their shouts filled the field.
“Don’t let it drop!”
“Get it!” “Good save!”
Josh looked around the small cluster of players as the count got higher.
“Thirteen … fourteen … fifteen …”
Victor … Kadir … Evan … Mario … Patrick … Demetrius …. Josh hadn’t known these guys before the season. Now they were beginning to become real teammates.
Coach Hodges and Josh had found more team-building exercises to end each practice. The team liked the exercises. In fact, some of the other players had made suggestions.
Victor had come up with “trust falls.” He had the team break into pairs. One player had to close his eyes, fold his arms across his chest, and fall backward, trusting his teammate to catch him.
It wasn’t easy. The first time Josh fell back, he could feel his arms twitch and his legs shift to stop his fall. With his eyes shut, it was hard to believe Kadir would catch him.
“You have to trust your teammates to catch you,” Coach Hodges had said. “And maybe if we learn to trust each other in practice, we’ll learn to trust each other during the game.”
Still, Josh worried that the team-building exercises weren’t enough. They were fun and seemed to be bringing the team together, but they hadn’t led to a United win. Yet.
Josh was thinking about all that as the game of soccer tennis continued.
“Twenty … twenty-one … twenty-two …”
Then suddenly the ball popped a little too far. Josh reached for it but couldn’t get it. The game was over.
“Twenty-two!” Patrick announced.
“That’s our best ever!” Mario exclaimed.
Twenty-two is pretty good, Josh thought. But it would be better if we won just one game. Today’s game!
The United played well in the first half but they were up against a tough team—the Storm—and the score stayed tied 0–0.
The United had missed some scoring chances. Late in the first half, Josh got free near the top of the penalty area and blistered a shot on goal, but it sailed just over the crossbar. When he turned away in disappointment, he saw Evan clapping and cheering him on, the way they had encouraged Kadir when he was stuck on the blue course. “Good shot!” the United midfielder shouted to Josh. “Keep taking those shots.”
Josh’s hopes for a win were high when the United raced back onto the pitch for the second half. Still, the score stayed knotted at 0–0 until midway through the second half.
The Storm put pressure on the United goal. Aidan made a strong play to run a Storm attacker off the ball and gain control. He passed the ball to Demetrius, another United defender, as the Storm fell back.
Patrick, the United goalkeeper, called for the ball. Demetrius, without looking, kicked the ball slowly back toward Patrick and the United goal.
Upfield, Josh got ready for a long punt, but as he saw the play develop, he screamed. “No!”
A quick-thinking Storm forward spun and got to the ball. In a flash, he tipped it past the frantic United keeper and angled it into the net.
Goal!
The Storm was ahead, 1–0.
Stunned, the United huddled in the middle of the field.
Aidan moaned. “I can’t believe—”
But before he could finish, Evan cut him off. “Forget it,” he said. “We’ll be okay. Let’s stick together and get it back.”
“Fast,” Josh added.
The United put pressure on the Storm goal right away. With quick passes and a series of give and gos, the United were buzzing around the Storm’s net.
Evan faked left and dribbled right, bringing the Storm defense with him. Watching the play unfold, Josh circled left, hoping to get another shot near the top of the penalty area.
Seeing his teammate, Evan pivoted and laid a pass off for Josh. This time Josh did not miss. He hit the ball squarely and drilled a hard shot just inside the far post and past the diving Storm goalkeeper.
Goal! It was all tied, 1–1.
The United crowded around Josh to celebrate. But Josh and Evan wouldn’t let them celebrate too much.
“We need another one.”
“We still have time.”
“Don’t let up.”
The United went right back on the attack.
Josh settled a pass on the wing. Seeing an opening to the goal, he rushed forward, attacking the net. The Storm defenders and keeper reacted quickly to cut him off, so Josh chipped a high, soft pass to an open space near the Storm goal.
Evan sprinted to the ball. After letting it take a single bounce, he volleyed it into the back of the net.
Goal! The United were ahead, 2–1.
This time the United celebrated in a wild, roiling circle. When the game ended a few minutes later, they celebrated all over again with chest bumps, high fives, and loud cheers.
The United had beaten the Storm, 2–1, for their first win of the season.
The players didn’t want to leave the pitch after the victory. Even when they finally walked off together, they were still talking about the win.
“What a comeback!”
“Bring on Manchester United.”
“We got a one-game winning streak!” Evan shouted as he pumped a finger to the sky.
“And a two-game undefeated streak!” Aidan added.
Josh elbowed Evan. “Watch out guys,” he said. “Evan’s gonna want to score all the time now.”
“Don’t worry about that,” Evan said.
“Why not?” Josh asked. “After all, you got the game winner, didn’t you?”
Evan smiled. “I was just helping the U.S.S. Inchworm get to shore.”
Chapter 13
What’s for lunch?” Josh asked as he pushed his tray along the cafeteria
“Chicken nuggets and tater tots,” Aidan answered.
Josh shrugged. “I guess that’s better than sloppy joes.” When he reached the end of the line, he looked around the cafeteria. “There’s Chris and Nick. Let’s go sit with them again.”
Josh and Aidan made their way to a table in the far corner. “Hey, guys,” Josh said. “Got any room for a couple of old teammates?”
“Sure.”
Josh and Aidan sat down and started eating their lunch.
“I know why you guys are so cheery,” Chris said. “You finally won one.”
“Are you checking our website every week?” Aidan asked.
“Haven’t missed a week yet,” Chris replied.
This time Josh was glad the United had a website.
Chris elbowed Josh. “I saw you got another goal too. How many goals you got this year?”
“Four. Four in nine games,” Josh said. “How’d the Flames do on Saturday?”
“We won again, 4–1,” Nick said.
“We played great,” Chris said. “We had the ball in their zone the whole game.”
The boys ate in silence for a while. One of Josh’s chicken nuggets slipped out of his hand onto the floor.
Chris started counting. “One second … two seconds …”
“No way I’m picking that up off the floor and eating it,” Josh said.
“Come on,” Chris insisted. “Five-second rule.”
“Forget it.”
Chris leaned back from the table. “So what’s the big difference? Why did you guys finally win one?”
“I don’t know,” Aidan said. “We just played more like a team. You know, passing it around. Especially in the second half.” He looked at Josh and added, “Then there was Josh’s great idea.”
“What was that?”
Josh popped a tater tot into his mouth. “I suggested to Coach Hodges a couple weeks ago that we do some kind of team-building exercise every practice.”
“Like what?” Nick asked.
“One was with a blanket. We all stood on it and had to move it about 20 feet,” Josh said.
“What’s so hard about that? Chris asked.
“We were all standing on the blanket!” Aidan pointed out. “We weren’t allowed to get off.”
“Did you guys do it?” Nick asked.
“Yeah. It took us about twenty minutes, but we did it.”
Chris looked puzzled. “What’s that got to do with soccer?” he asked.
“Everything,” Josh and Aidan said at the same time, then laughed.
“We even went to the High-Top Park like the Flames did after last season,” Josh added. “Climbed on all those ladders and ropes and zip lines. It was fun.”
“I still don’t get what it has to do with soccer,” Chris said.
Aidan broke in again before Josh could even open his mouth. “The 1999 United States women’s team used this kind of team-building stuff,” he said. “And they won the World Cup. They were Sports Illustrated Sportswomen of the Year.”
“Since when are you the big expert?” Nick asked.
“We’re doing our research paper for Ms. Littlewood on the World Cup,” Josh explained. “Hey, don’t knock it. These team-building exercises are working. We’re playing great.”
“You guys are talking pretty big for a team that’s only won one game,” Chris said.
“What?” Josh said. “You think the Flames could beat the United?”
“Yeah,” Chris said. Then he smiled and held up a tater tot. “In a game of tater-tot toss.”
“What’s a tater toss tot … I mean—”
“Tater tot toss,” Chris corrected. “You gotta toss a tater tot into your teammate’s mouth from across the table. Let’s say the best out of three tosses. Flames against the United.”
“We gotta make sure Ms. Littlewood doesn’t see us,” Aidan said. “She’s on lunch duty today.”
“We’re way back in the corner,” Chris said. “She won’t see a thing.” He picked up a tater tot from his plate. “We’ll go first. Come on, Nick, open up.”
Nick opened his mouth. Chris held the tater tot like a dart, eyeing the distance across the lunchroom table. He let it go with a quick flick of his wrist. The greasy puff of potato flew across the table and bounced right off Nick’s nose.
Everyone at the table laughed.
“Zero for one!” Aidan shouted.
“Come on, Nick, you gotta move your mouth,” Chris said.
“All right, our turn,” Josh said, holding up a tater tot. He closed one eye, trying to zero in on Aidan’s lower jaw.
Josh’s throw was perfect. The tater tot landed on Aidan’s tongue and he snapped his mouth shut.
“Goal!” Josh shouted. “The United lead, 1–0.”
Nick’s next toss landed on Chris’s forehead and then fell to the floor. Aidan missed Josh’s head entirely, but the United team still led, 1–0.
“Okay, last try,” Chris said. “The pressure’s on.” Chris’s toss sailed true and the tot zoomed right into Nick’s wide-open mouth.
“Goal!” Chris shouted. “Tie score.”
“Keep it down,” Aidan warned. “Ms. Littlewood is looking over here.”
“We got one last shot,” Josh reminded everyone. He picked the smallest tater tot from his plate and looked across the table. Staring into Aidan’s wide-open mouth, Josh felt like a dentist. He steadied his hand and let the tater tot fly.
It was—good! Aidan closed his mouth and punched his fist into the air. “Dee-licious!” he declared, chewing the winning tater tot.
“Another United victory!” Josh turned to Chris and said, “I’m telling you, these team-building exercises are working. Big time.”
Chapter 14
All right,” Coach Hodges called. “Bring it in.” Despite the order, the United players kept playing. Evan slid a back pass to Aidan, who lofted a pass to Josh, positioned perfectly in front of the goal. Josh headed the ball and it looked good, but the ball sailed just inches above the goal. He threw his head back and shouted, “Aaarrgh!”
“Good try,” Evan said. “That was almost an unbelievable shot.”
Evan pointed at Aidan. “Great pass,” he said.
The boys turned toward Coach Hodges at the edge of the practice field. A large canvas bag was on the ground next to her.
“Get some water and get over here,” she ordered. “Let’s hustle.”
“What have you cooked up for us today, Josh?” Aidan asked between gulps.
“I didn’t cook up anything. But I’m sure someone did,” Josh said. He was thinking how much things had changed in such a short time. In the last two weeks, the United had notched two more wins. The team was playing much better—more together. Coach ended every practice with a team-building exercise, and everyone was getting in on it. At the last practice, Kadir led them in an exercise where the players had to lead a blindfolded teammate through an obstacle course using nothing but voice commands.
“Okay, let’s get started,” Coach said. She pulled away a large cloth cover from the bag and revealed a bunch of brightly colored balloons.
Josh laughed. “Is it your birthday or something, Coach?”
“I hope you brought cake,” Aidan added.
Coach Hodges smiled. “No, it’s not my birthday. But this could be a good party game.” She pointed at Evan. “How about demonstrating this one? Since this was your idea.”
Josh and Aidan looked at Evan. “Your idea?”
“Yeah, my idea,” Evan said. “I wanted to make sure we didn’t have to be blindfolded again. That was scary.”
Coach picked a red balloon from the jumble and nodded toward Evan.
“Okay,” he said, addressing the team. “The object of the game is to keep the balloon in the air by tapping it.”
“With our feet?” Victor asked.
“You can use your hands or
feet,” he said. “Just don’t let the balloon touch the ground.”
“Ready?” Coach asked.
“Ready,” replied Evan.
Coach tossed the balloon into the air. Evan moved under the balloon as it floated down and easily kept it in the air with a series of hand taps. “Once you get one balloon going,” Evan explained as he kept the red balloon aloft with quick taps, “we add another balloon.”
Right on cue, Coach tossed another balloon—a green one—into the air. Moving quickly, Evan kept the two balloons in the air for a short while. Soon, however, the balloons drifted apart and one settled onto the grass.
“It’s a little harder with two, isn’t it?” Coach smiled.
“Yeah. You can’t do it alone,” Evan said. “So each time Coach tosses in another balloon, someone else needs to come up and help.”
“I’ll go first,” Josh said.
“I’ll go next,” said Patrick.
“Okay, everybody else line up and get ready,” Coach said. “When I toss in a second balloon, Josh will go in to help. When I toss in a third balloon, Patrick will go in. We’ll keep adding balloons and teammates.”
“Yeah, the idea is to keep as many balloons in the air as we can—together—as a team,” Evan said.
“What happens if one touches the ground?” Kadir asked.
“The team loses and we start over again.”
“How do we win?” Demetrius asked.
“If we get all eighteen players on the field keeping eighteen balloons up in the air, that’s a win,” Evan said.
Coach Hodges pulled the bag of balloons next to her. “Okay, let’s get started. And remember: talk to each other.”
Soon the air was filled with green, yellow, red, and blue balloons. The United players scrambled around the field, tipping them into the air and shouting to each other.
