TABLE OF CONTENTS

  COVER

  TITLE PAGE

  CHAPTER 1: RIVALS

  CHAPTER 2: ANOTHER WAY

  CHAPTER 3: TRYOUTS

  CHAPTER 4: ON THE TEAM

  CHAPTER 5: A NOT-SO-WARM WELCOME

  CHAPTER 6: ONE-ON-ONE

  CHAPTER 7: TRUCE

  CHAPTER 8: BULLS VS. DRAGONS

  CHAPTER 9: GAME TIME

  CHAPTER 10: VICE CAPTAIN

  CHAPTER 11: ONE FOR ALL

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  GLOSSARY

  DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  WRITING PROMPTS

  MORE ABOUT SOCCER

  EXPLORE MORE

  COPYRIGHT

  BACK COVER

  CHAPTER 1

  RIVALS

  Where are you, Ms. Perez? Melina Stern wondered as she gripped the chain-link fence around the athletic field and stretched her quadriceps. She let out a frustrated sigh.

  Today was the Delano Middle School soccer team’s first day of practice. All the girls had been busy stretching and warming up for the past fifteen minutes. But the coach, Ms. Perez, was a no-show.

  Nora Kahn came up to Melina and jogged in place. “Maybe you should just go home,” she said. She flashed a sly grin, like a big bad wolf. “I can lead practice today.”

  Melina and Nora had been playing on school teams, at soccer camps, and in after-school intensives together since they were four. They were teammates, but they had also become something else — rivals.

  “You’re hilarious,” Melina said, reaching for her toes to stretch her hamstrings and calves. “I can wait just as long as you can.”

  The other girls were warming up too, but they kept an eye on the two strikers. Now that Nora and Melina were in eighth grade, the team expected their best players to lead them.

  “I have an idea,” Melina said, straightening up. She called out to the group, “Why don’t we do the captain vote? Get it out of the way while we wait.”

  For an instant, Melina saw Nora frown in fear, clearly caught off guard. If Melina didn’t know her so well, she might have missed it. Then it was gone, and the sinister grin was back.

  “Sounds like a plan,” Nora agreed. She turned to the team. “I nominate Melina Stern.”

  Melina shot her rival a look. “And I nominate Nora Kahn,” she replied.

  Nora smiled big. “Thanks. Any other nominees?”

  When no one said anything, Nora continued. “Vote by a show of hands? Sound good?”

  Melina noticed some of the girls shuffling uncomfortably, but no one spoke up. That seemed good enough for Nora.

  “Great,” Nora said, clapping her hands together. “Raise your hands to vote for, um . . . me!”

  Five or six girls raised their hands. Melina thought seventh grader Ginger Adams was only doing it because Nora was watching.

  But the small number of hands gave Melina a huge confidence boost. She stepped forward. “And who votes for me?” she asked.

  The rest of the hands went up. Melina grinned. “Looks like a landslide,” she whispered to Nora.

  For the first time Melina could remember, Nora couldn’t muster a smile at all.

  “Ladies, ladies,” called a familiar voice. Melina looked up and saw Ms. Perez, eighth-grade history teacher and soccer coach, striding onto the athletic field. “So sorry I’m late.”

  Melina waved and ran to greet her. As she went, she noticed the coach was still in her teaching clothes — black pants and a white blouse, even her sensible black shoes. And she wasn’t carrying a big mesh bag of soccer balls, either.

  That’s weird, Melina thought. What’s going on?

  “Hi, Melina!” Ms. Perez said, giving Melina a hug when she reached her. “Sorry I was so late.”

  “Hi, Coach! That’s all right,” Melina replied. She started walking with Ms. Perez back toward the team. “We’ve just been warming up.”

  Ms. Perez sighed and stopped at the edge of the field. “I wish I’d been as productive this afternoon as you girls have been.”

  “What happened?” Melina asked.

  “I’ve been on the phone since the last bell rang,” Ms. Perez explained. She shook her head. “But some things can’t be fixed.”

  Melina frowned. Her coach was obviously upset. “Maybe this will cheer you up,” she offered. “We did the captain vote while we waited — I won!”

  “Oh, Melina,” Ms. Perez said, giving her shoulders a squeeze. “You deserve it.”

  “Thanks,” Melina said, beaming proudly.

  “But I’m sorry to say . . . you won’t get to be captain,” the coach went on.

  Melina’s heart seemed to sink into her stomach. “What? Why not?” she asked. “We voted fair and square. Even Nora’s okay with the team’s choice.”

  “That’s just the thing,” Ms. Perez said, looking out over the crew of soccer players. “The team doesn’t get a choice, because this year there isn’t going to be any team at all.”

  CHAPTER 2

  ANOTHER WAY

  “I don’t get it, Ms. Perez,” Nora said. She and the rest of the girls stood in a half circle around Ms. Perez and Melina. They had all just been told the terrible news. “How could this happen?”

  For once, Melina agreed with her rival. Soccer was her life. What would she do without her team?

  Ms. Perez offered a half shrug. “Well, the city schools have had to make lots of cuts due to budget constraints — there also won’t be boys’ middle school soccer or boys’ swim and dive this year.”

  “What are budget constraints?” called out Holly Bing from the back.

  “That means they’re outta money,” Nora answered with a smirk.

  Ms. Perez nodded. “That’s the general idea,” she admitted.

  “So we won’t be able to play any soccer at all?” asked one of the sixth grade girls.

  “Yeah,” said the girl sitting behind her. “Because my parents said they can’t afford to put me on one of the club teams this year.”

  Melina glanced at the worried sixth grade players. She had seen both of them around, but she didn’t know their names. Without a soccer team, she probably wouldn’t ever learn their names, either.

  “Well, of course you girls can always get together to play soccer, if you make the time,” Ms. Perez said. “But I’m afraid I don’t have any other options for you sixth graders.”

  Melina looked up at her hopefully. “What about for the eighth graders?” she asked.

  “And seventh graders?” asked Prissy Wilkins. She had been on the team with Melina last year.

  “There I do have some good news,” Ms. Perez said, “depending on how you look at it.”

  “What do you mean?” Melina asked.

  “I wasn’t just on the phone with the money people this afternoon,” Ms. Perez explained. “I’ve also been talking with the junior varsity coach at the high school, Coach Naranjo.”

  Melina felt a flutter of excitement, despite the sad situation. Ms. Perez was talking about Coach Maya Naranjo, former captain of the Bulloch High School varsity team. When Melina was seven, she had seen Maya play. She had been amazing. Melina had dreamed of playing on the high school team ever since.

  “I made a suggestion, and I got the school board’s approval,” Ms. Perez continued as a smile began to form on her lips. “Coach Naranjo was okay with the idea too, so we’re going to give it a shot.”

  “Tell us already!” Nora said, bouncing on her toes.

  “Yeah, Ms. Perez,” Melina said quietly. She had an idea what her coach was going to say, but it was too wonderful to believe. “What’s the plan?”

  “All seventh and eighth graders are invited to try out for the high school’s junior varsity team,” Ms. Perez said, and her lips bloomed into a hundred-watt smile.

  Melina smiled too. She had a chance to play soccer after all! And not just any soccer, she reminded herself. But high school soccer, coached by former all-star striker Maya Naranjo!

  “Wait, what?” Nora said. She was not smiling. “We’re supposed to try out against high school girls? They’ll clobber us!” A few of the girls nodded in agreement.

  “The JV team is mostly ninth and tenth graders,” Melina pointed out. “The really strong players will be on the varsity team.”

  Ms. Perez nodded. “I think you’re right about that,” she said. “Still, you’ll all have to show Coach Naranjo your best if you want a chance to play on a school team this year.”

  Suddenly, Melina realized something else. “Wait, what about you, Ms. Perez?”

  “I’ll be the JV team’s assistant coach,” the coach replied. “So I’ll be around plenty, don’t worry about that.”

  Melina nodded, relieved that not everything was changing. She was still disappointed that there wasn’t a middle school team and that she wouldn’t be their captain. But the idea of playing on a high school team was thrilling. Melina was ready to up her game.

  “Okay,” Nora said, pacing back and forth. “So when do we try out? How much practice time do I have?”

  She seems nervous, Melina noticed. Nora’s usually super confident — over confident, even. Where did it all go?

  “You have two days,” Ms. Perez said. “Tryouts are tomorrow at three thirty, right here.” She pointed firmly at the ground they were standing on: the shared athletic field between the middle school and high school.

  “We won’t let you down,” Melina assured her.

  “Of course you won’t,” Ms. Perez said. “But just to be sure, let’s practice.”
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  Melina gave her a puzzled look. “Practice? But you’re not in your sweats, and we don’t have any soccer balls.”

  “I was in a hurry,” Ms. Perez said. She pulled a lanyard from her pocket and handed it to Melina. The key to the equipment room dangled from the strap. “We still have an hour or so. Might as well make the most of it.” She turned to the group and added, “Prissy, help her out, please.”

  Together the two girls hurried to the equipment room.

  “Think we have a chance of making the high school team?” Prissy asked.

  “It’ll be tough,” Melina said, “but I think we might!”

  The truth was, though, Melina was confident that by this time next week, she’d be on the junior varsity team.

  CHAPTER 3

  TRYOUTS

  School on Thursday was a muddled blur. All Melina could think about were the JV tryouts. But she was more excited than nervous — this was her chance to play soccer on a more advanced level.

  She looked around at the other middle school girls waiting for tryouts to start. There were nine of them, gathered on the shared athletic field between the middle school and high school. They wore their gold and maroon sweats, and many were nervously bouncing up and down.

  Twenty yards away, the high school JV hopefuls had gathered as well. They were wearing the blue and white colors of Bulloch High School. A couple of them were juggling soccer balls with their knees and feet and heads.

  “Look at them,” Nora whispered beside her. “Practically pros. I bet you can’t do that.”

  “Maybe you can’t. But I totally could, no problem,” Melina shot back. She wasn’t about to let Nora psych her out today.

  “So, you nervous?” Nora asked.

  Melina let out a soft snort. “Of course not,” she said. “Are you?”

  “Nope, not at all,” replied Nora quietly, shoving her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. She caught Melina’s eye and gave a small smile.

  FWEET! FWEET! Two sharp whistles broke the chilly air. All the girls looked up to find Coaches Naranjo and Perez striding onto the athletic field.

  “Good afternoon, girls,” Coach Naranjo called. She was a foot shorter than Ms. Perez, but far more intimidating. “If the middle schoolers could join the rest of the hopefuls, I’d appreciate it.”

  Melina and her old teammates jogged over to the high schoolers. The older girls glared at them.

  “Wow, I’m feeling so welcome,” Prissy whispered.

  Melina frowned. She hated to admit it, but joining the high school girls on JV was starting to seem a little less than perfect. They didn’t look like they wanted any middle schoolers on their team.

  Coach Naranjo stood in front of the soccer players. “So it’s kind of a weird year,” she said. “For those who haven’t figured it out, we’ve invited girls from the middle school to try out for JV.”

  “Do we get extra credit for babysitting?” cracked one of the high school girls. A few players laughed.

  Melina recognized the girl as Laney Mendez. She’d been on the middle school team when Melina was in sixth grade and had been really nice. But looks like things have changed, Melina thought.

  Coach Naranjo clapped her hands to quiet the crew. “All right, all right. Now that we’ve all gotten that out of our systems, let’s get down to tryouts.”

  “Right,” Ms. Perez agreed. “First up, five laps around the field.”

  Melina blew out a big breath as she hustled to the sidelines and tried to avoid getting in the way of any of the older girls. JV tryouts had officially started.

  * * *

  After forty-five minutes of intense practice, Melina thought she couldn’t last another second. Then Coach Naranjo called the players together.

  “We’ve got about fifteen minutes left,” she said. “I want everyone to line up side by side.”

  The players followed the coach’s instructions. The high schoolers stood on one end and the middle school girls clumped together at the other.

  “As I go down the line, count off every other,” Coach Naranjo said. “One, two, one, two . . .”

  Like that, the girls numbered off until everyone was either on team one or team two. Melina was on two. Prissy and Holly on either side of her ended up on team one.

  “Those are our scrimmage teams,” Coach Naranjo said. “Team two, grab some jerseys from the box, please.”

  Melina hustled to grab her bright scrimmage jersey — she never knew when the coaches were watching — and knocked into Nora. “Oh, sorry.”

  “No worries,” Nora replied, grinning. “So, looks like we’re on the same team, huh?”

  Melina pulled on her jersey. “Obviously.”

  “Well, try not to get in my way,” Nora said. “I’m about to show the coaches my awesome skills.”

  Melina rolled her eyes and started to shoot back a reply. But before she could say anything, Nora had jogged off.

  Huffing out a frustrated sigh, Melina joined the others on the sideline. Coach Naranjo was already calling girls from each team onto the field.

  After a few minutes, Melina was brought into the scrimmage. Now’s my chance to show Coach Naranjo my skills, she thought.

  Before long, she had gotten the ball. She started dribbling it hard up the field. As she reached the defense, Melina caught sight of the coaches on the sidelines watching her. She decided to give them a show while she threw off her defender.

  Melina darted to the right, stopped the ball against her ankle for an instant, and kicked it up. She chest-bumped the ball, and as soon it landed at her feet, she charged toward the goal.

  But it didn’t work. The defender had barely lost her footing during Melina’s move. Now Melina found herself up against two defenders at the top of the penalty arc.

  “Nice move, show-off,” said one of the girls as she raced forward. She shoved her shoulder into Melina as the two struggled for the ball. “Too bad it didn’t work.”

  Melina’s heart thumped loudly as she fought to keep control of the ball. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Nora racing down the side. She didn’t want to give her rival a chance at goal, but there was no other way to shake her opponents.

  Gulping down her nerves, Melina got a foot on the ball and then spun left. The defenders stumbled after Melina as she passed to Nora.

  Nora easily received the ball, barely breaking her stride. Just before entering the penalty box, she fired a shot at the net.

  The goalkeeper dove across the goal and caught the ball. She punted it back up field.

  No goal, but it was a good play, Melina told herself. She glanced at the sidelines just in time to see Coach Naranjo scribbling on her clipboard.

  After two more plays and a close shot on goal, Melina trotted off the field as another middle school player took her place. She took a gulp from her water bottle and watched as the clock ticked down.

  Soon the fifteen minutes were up. Team one had the lead, 1–0.

  “Gather round, ladies!” Coach Naranjo shouted.

  The exhausted players grouped up in front of the coaches, although the high schoolers still stood off to the side. Melina caught an occasional scowl from the older girls, but she just tried to focus on the coach’s final announcements.

  “I’ll post the new team roster tomorrow morning outside my office at Bulloch High,” Coach Naranjo said. “Ms. Perez will also hang the list in the middle school. Dismissed!”

  With that, tryouts were over. The coaches stayed to go over their notes and make the final JV roster. But the girls in blue jogged to the Bulloch High School locker room while Melina and the girls in maroon went back to the middle school.

  “Yikes!” Prissy exclaimed as they left the field. “That was rough.”

  “Yeah,” Ginger agreed. “And it wasn’t just because of all those insane drills and sprints. Those high school girls were not friendly!”

  Melina hung at the back of the group, listening to the girls’ chatter. She didn’t feel like talking; too many thoughts were racing through her head.

  She felt confident about her performance at tryouts. She could picture herself on the JV team, wearing the Bulls blue and white.

  Then Melina thought about the high schoolers’ glares and their rude comments. The tiniest pinprick of fear pierced her heart. If she did make JV, those girls would be her new teammates.

  Can I handle that? she wondered. Can I play my best with teammates who don’t seem to want me at all?

 

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