Switch Play!

by Matt Christopher

  Ted breathed a sigh of relief. He’d thought the coach was going to tell him to stop switching positions. It turned out he just wanted Ted to get a rest — which he needed anyway! But as he reached for a cup of water, he saw the coach look at him with a slight frown.

  Chapter 6

  As the second half continued, other players subbed in for the starters. Ted wished he’d be put back in, but the game ended with him still on the bench.

  The ’Cats won, 5–1. Ted felt good knowing his assist had helped their score. For the first time in days, he was friendly to his sister, even helping her find a misplaced shin pad.

  Their mother had been at the game, but she had to stop at the grocery store on the way home. The twins decided to walk home instead of going with her.

  They hadn’t gone more than a block when they heard footsteps running up behind them. It was Stookie.

  “What were you trying to prove out there?” he demanded, staring at Ted.

  Ted stopped. “What do you mean?” he asked.

  “You know what I mean,” Stookie said angrily. Before Ted could respond, Stookie added, “You’re a fullback, Ted. Usually you’re a good one, but today, sheesh! It was like you were hoping the coach would put you in as a halfback. If I didn’t know better, I would have said you were even trying to take over my position!” He barked out a short laugh. “Well, I’ve got news for you. There’s no way you’re getting my position, bud. In fact, you’ll be lucky to keep your own position with the way you were playing today!” With that, Stookie spun on his heel and stormed away.

  Ted turned, open-mouthed, to Lisa. She was looking at him thoughtfully.

  “What?” he said. “You think I was lousy today, too?”

  Lisa shrugged.

  Ted blurted, “I was just doing what the coach taught us in practice! And it worked, too, didn’t it? I made an assist for the first time in my life! But did anyone care about that? No! They were too busy cheering for Stookie and his stupid goal.” Fighting back tears, Ted took off down the street, leaving Lisa to stare after him.

  Chapter 7

  Ted didn’t say much at dinner that night. Mrs. Gaddy and Lisa, on the other hand, talked about the game all through the meal, filling Mr. Gaddy in on what he’d missed.

  “Oh, and you should have seen Ted!” Mrs. Gaddy said with pride. “You made an assist, didn’t you?”

  Ted nodded, feeling a little spark of pleasure at the memory.

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you dribble that far downfield during a game before,” Mrs. Gaddy continued. “Why did you do it in this game? Was it a special play or something?”

  Ted was about to explain about switching and his hopes of making a goal when he realized Lisa was watching him closely. Suddenly, he didn’t feel like sharing his secret.

  “Uh, no,” he said quietly. “I — I just didn’t see any open players on the field so I kept going.” He turned his attention back to his dessert, hoping no one would see his red face. He finished as fast as he could, then excused himself. When he reached his bedroom, he closed the door and leaned against it.

  Why didn’t he want Lisa to find out his secret plan? Was it because he’d feel foolish if it didn’t succeed? Or was he afraid she’d think it was silly that he wanted people to cheer for him?

  “She wouldn’t understand,” he said out loud. “People clap for her all the time. I just want a turn, that’s all.”

  Later that night, Ted came into the kitchen looking for a snack. As he rummaged around in the pantry, he saw that the cordless phone wasn’t in its cradle. That’s when he heard Lisa whispering. She was standing in the hallway, her back to Ted.

  He held his breath and listened.

  “Great, so you’ll talk to him about Ted’s switching?” she murmured into the phone. “Thanks. Good night.”

  Before Ted could move, Lisa turned around and saw him standing there. A look of alarm crossed her face.

  “What was that all about?” Ted asked, narrowing his eyes.

  “N — nothing!” Lisa stammered. She hung up the phone and disappeared up the stairs before Ted could quiz her further.

  Ted looked at the phone. An idea struck him. He picked up the receiver and hit the redial button. In another moment, Ted would know whom his sister had been talking to.

  “Hello, this is the Neel residence. Bundy speaking.”

  Ted quietly hung up the phone without saying a word.

  Chapter 8

  Ted lay awake in bed that night, wondering about Lisa’s phone call.

  Bundy was the captain of the team. One of his responsibilities was to talk to the coach about team problems.

  So if Lisa asked Bundy to talk to the coach about my switching, Ted thought, then she thinks it’s a problem. Why would she think that?

  He sat up. She must have guessed my secret! And I’ll just bet she doesn’t want me to get the chance to make a goal!

  He flopped back down in the bed. “Man, my own sister, out to get me,” he said to the darkness. “I don’t believe it.”

  Yet the more he thought about it, the more it seemed like the only explanation possible.

  Ted didn’t sleep well that night. When he got up the next morning, he was grumpy. When he saw Lisa, his mood darkened even more.

  So you decided to ruin my plans, huh? he thought angrily. Well, two can play at that game.

  Halfway through breakfast Lou Barnes called to see if the twins wanted to meet him at the town pool. Mrs. Gaddy gave her permission.

  Ted and Lisa hurried to get their swim gear together. Ted finished first and went back downstairs.

  “Ted, could you grab my pool pass from the kitchen drawer?” Lisa called from her room.

  Ted didn’t answer. He pulled the drawer open and rummaged through the pens, pencils, and other junk until he found the envelope with the pool passes. He stuck the one with his name on it in his pocket. After a moment’s hesitation, he slid the others back into the envelope and closed the drawer.

  Mrs. Gaddy dropped them off at the pool five minutes later. Ted showed his pass to the guard, who waved him through. Ted started toward the locker room.

  “Hey, wait!” said Lisa. “Where’s my pass?”

  Ted looked at her innocently. “Didn’t you bring it?” he asked.

  “No! I asked you to get it for me! Didn’t you hear me?”

  Ted shook his head. The guard shrugged. “Sorry, miss, but I can’t let you in without a pass. Pool rules.”

  “Aww, too bad, Lisa.” Ted tried not to see the disappointed look on Lisa’s face as she slumped into a chair outside the gate.

  * * *

  Later that day, Ted decided to walk to the library. There was a new book on spaceships he wanted to check out.

  On his way there, he passed Lisa on her bike. When she learned where he was going, she asked him to pick up a book for her. “It’s the next one in this series I’m reading about girl adventurers,” she said.

  Ted found the book he wanted at the library and sat reading it for half an hour. Then he checked it out and started for home. He hadn’t even bothered looking for Lisa’s book.

  “Oops, I forgot,” he said when she asked him for it later. He felt a twinge of guilt, but tried to ignore it.

  Lisa gave him a funny look, but didn’t say anything.

  After dinner, however, she finally exploded. The twins had heard the tune of the ice-cream truck and knew it was heading to their street. They were allowed to get a treat but had to pay for it with their own money. Ted had a dollar in his pocket, but Lisa had to run upstairs to her piggy bank.

  “Ask the ice-cream man to wait for me, okay?” she hollered. But when she ran out into the yard, clutching her dollar, all she saw was the back of the truck as it turned out of their neighborhood.

  She turned to Ted, who was calmly licking his treat.

  “What’s gotten into you today?” she said, fighting back tears. “You’ve been mean to me all day!”

  When Ted didn’t answe
r, Lisa ran into the house.

  “See if I ever do anything nice for you again,” Ted thought he heard her say.

  Chapter 9

  For the second night in a row, Ted didn’t sleep well. The image of Lisa crying because of something he’d done made him feel rotten. He woke up the next morning determined to apologize for having been so mean.

  He changed his mind, however, when he saw her talking with Bundy before the game against the Torpedoes. The two glanced at Ted from time to time. He was sure they were talking about him.

  Lisa and Bundy broke apart a moment later. Bundy walked toward Ted.

  Ted half-expected Bundy to lecture him about staying in position, or to tell him that he’d talked to the coach about Ted’s problem. But Bundy just punched him on the shoulder and wished him a good game. Then he walked up to Stookie and started talking to him.

  Maybe the coach is going to talk to me instead, Ted thought nervously. But no one said anything to him during warm-up drills. Coach Bradley put him in at his usual position at the start of the game.

  Ted began to wonder if he might have misunderstood Lisa’s phone call. But if she wasn’t asking Bundy to talk to the coach, then who did she ask him to talk to?

  He didn’t have time to think of an answer. The Torpedoes were bearing down on them with full force.

  The Torpedo right striker had the ball. She dodged around Amanda and kept coming. Ted thought she was heading straight for the goal.

  Bucky seemed to think so, too. He came out of the goal to challenge her.

  In a flash, the Torpedo kicked the ball to her teammate who was right at the goal mouth. Bucky was too far out of the goal to stop a kick. It looked like the Torpedoes would score first.

  But just as the Torpedo connected with the ball, Ted leaped into the goal. The ball soared toward him, chest high. Ted made sure he didn’t use his arms or hands. Instead, he stopped the ball with his chest. It rebounded off him and bounced away from the goal. Lisa quickly got control of it and sent it down the sideline.

  The fans went wild.

  “Great save!” Lisa crowed.

  “Thanks!” said Ted. He took a deep breath. “Listen, about yesterday —”

  He was interrupted when Bucky slapped him on the back. “Hey, I thought you were supposed to yell ‘Switch!’ when you wanted to change positions!” Bucky said with a laugh.

  Ted looked at him sharply. Is Bucky making fun of me?

  No, he decided. Bucky was just making a joke.

  Ted didn’t have time to wonder why Lisa’s face was bright red. The ball was coming their way again.

  Chapter 10

  Ted, Lisa, and the other fullbacks got into position. The Torpedoes passed the ball back and forth, then slowly closed in on the goal.

  The right striker had the ball again. She glanced at her center and the center started toward the goal.

  She’s going to pass to him! Ted realized. Without hesitation, he rushed into the open space between them just as the right striker kicked a pass to the middle. Ted was there to steal the ball. There was nothing in front of him but open space.

  He started to dribble. A quick glance showed him that both Bundy and Dewey were covered. Amanda was too far away to pass to. He kept dribbling.

  “Ted, switch!”

  It was Bundy! Ted faltered a step, then kept going. Bundy’s defender, confused, followed Bundy back to Ted’s position before realizing what had happened. By that time, Ted had crossed the center line.

  Ted’s heart was pounding. He could see the ’Cat strikers trying to get free for a pass. But the Torpedo defense was just too tough.

  “Ted, switch!”

  Stookie was the one who made the call this time. Ted dribbled madly past his teammate. The only thing between him and the goal were the fullbacks!

  But unlike Bundy’s defender, Stookie’s defender didn’t follow Stookie. Instead, he moved in on Ted. Ted knew he had to act fast or lose the ball. With a mighty effort, he stopped, planted one foot on the ground, and kicked with all his strength.

  Ted held his breath. The ball soared in the air, over the heads of the fullbacks, straight toward the goal—

  Clang!

  It hit the goal post and bounced straight up into the air. Ted couldn’t believe it. He’d missed!

  A blur of movement caught his eye. Stookie was rushing forward, his defender a step behind. When the ball fell, he headed it into the goal. Score! A second later, the ref blew his whistle to end the first half.

  “Yes!” Ted cried, pumping his fist in the air. “Way to go, Stookie!”

  Stookie grinned, but shook his head. “You’re the one who deserves the credit for that goal! There’s no way the ball would have been down here if it weren’t for you.”

  Ted was grabbed in a bear hug from behind. It was Lisa.

  Stookie said, “Actually, Lisa deserves some thanks, too. After all, she’s the one who asked Bundy to talk to me about switching with you sometime. Too bad you didn’t make the goal like you wanted. Well, maybe next time!”

  Ted stared at Stookie in amazement. Then he turned to Lisa. She was grinning happily.

  “How’d you guess?” he said.

  “We’re twins,” she answered simply. “I just put myself in your place and figured out what you were trying to do last game. Plus I saw the way you looked when the coach told his switching story.” She leaned in and whispered, “Stookie needed a little convincing, is all. Hope you don’t mind that I asked Bundy to talk to him.”

  Ted gave his sister a hug. “You’re the best,” he whispered. “I’m sorry about being so mean yesterday. Can I make it up to you?”

  Just then, they heard a melody being played in the distance.

  “You sure can make it up to me,” Lisa said as they headed off the field together. “After the game, you chase down that ice-cream truck and buy me whatever I want!”

  SOCCER ’CATS

  #1 The Captain Contest

  #2 Operation Baby-Sitter

  #3 Secret Weapon

  #4 Hat Trick

  #5 Master of Disaster

  #6 Heads Up

  #7 All Keyed Up

  #8 You Lucky Dog

  #9 Switch Play!

  #10 Kick It!

  SOCCER ’CATS

  #9

  Switch Play!

  Matt Christopher

  Illustrated by Daniel Vasconcellos

  Ted Gaddy is tired of his sister’s amazing “secret weapon” throw-in getting all the applause and attention during games. But what can a fullback do to make people cheer? Coach Bradley tells a story about a fullback who almost made a goal. Ted decides to do exactly what that fullback did, hoping that he, too, will get a chance at scoring. But will Ted’s sister keep him from carrying out his plan?

  Here is the ninth entry in Matt Christopher’s Soccer ’Cats series, an exciting line of first chapter books perfect for sports fans ready to start reading on their own.

  Matt Christopher is the name behind more than seventy-five bestselling sports novels for young readers. For a list of books in the Soccer ’Cats series, please refer to the last page of this book.