Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Copyright Page

  This is Jack. He is in a bouncy mood. It is his first day at soccer. Jack is wearing his new team uniform.

  He is wearing bright orange soccer boots with real studs. Jack chose them himself. Jack has a shiny new soccer ball under his arm. He feels very excited.

  Jack has been practising soccer all week in the backyard. He practised dribbling and passing and shooting goals.

  Jack is good at dribbling. He is good at passing too. But most of all, Jack is good at kicking goals.

  Jack really hopes that he will kick a goal today.

  ‘All right, team!’ calls the coach. ‘Time to warm up. I will watch you practise. Then I will choose your positions for the match.’

  Jack and the other players stand in a line facing the coach. The coach kicks the ball to them one at a time.

  Soon it will be Jack’s turn. Excited feelings and nervous feelings jumble around in his tummy.

  Jack swings his leg back and does a perfect kick — right into the coach’s hands!

  ‘Hey, Jack, good kick!’ says the coach.

  Jack grins proudly.

  Next it is time to practise passing. The coach gives everyone a partner.

  Jack’s partner is called Jamal. He is even bouncier than Jack!

  ‘Hey, Jack!’ he says. ‘You can call me Jem. Everyone does. Cool boots!’

  Jack grins. ‘Thanks, Jem,’ he says.

  Jack and Jem pass the ball back and forwards between them.

  ‘Good work, boys!’ says the coach. Jem gives Jack a high five. Jack likes Jem already.

  Lastly, it is time to practise throwing and catching. Jack and Jem throw the ball to each other. Jack doesn’t drop the ball once!

  Today is a good day, Jack thinks. He is sure he will kick a goal today.

  ‘Nice work, Jack,’ says the coach. ‘I think I’ll make you our goalie. We need someone good at catching to play goalie.’

  Goalie! Jack thinks. I don’t want to be goalie. You can’t kick a goal if you’re the goalie!

  Jack hangs his head. This is not such a good day after all!

  Jack stands between the goal posts. His bouncy feeling has disappeared.

  Now he feels as flat as soccer ball with no air inside it.

  Being a goalie is boring, Jack thinks. He doesn’t want to just stand around waiting for the ball. He wants to score a goal.

  Jem has been put mid-field. Jack watches him dribble the ball around the other team’s players.

  He is right near the goal at the other end.

  Then Jem kicks the ball towards the net.

  It’s a goal!

  Everyone in the team cheers. Jack is happy for Jem, but he wishes it was him who had kicked a goal.

  It’s not fair, thinks Jack.

  He feels like he’s been standing there forever. And the ball hasn’t come his way once! He kicks a clod of grass.

  ‘Jack! Hey, Jack!’

  Jack looks up just in time to see the ball fly over his head. Straight into the net!

  Oh no! It’s a goal for the other team - and Jack let it in!

  ‘Sorry!’ Jack says in a squeaky voice.

  ‘Eyes on the game, Jack,’ the coach says kindly. But the other players in Jack’s team look annoyed.

  Even Jem won’t look at him.

  Of course he’s annoyed with me, Jack thinks. That was an easy save. Nobody will cheer for me now!

  Jack takes a deep breath. He squeezes his eyes together to stop any tears coming out. He won’t cry in front of his new soccer team.

  Now Jack keeps his eyes glued to the game. He watches his team work hard to keep the ball away from the other players. He watches as they try to kick another goal.

  But it’s no use. The other goalie is too good.

  It looks like the game is going to be a draw.

  As Jack watches, he notices something. That goalie always jumps up to save the goal, he thinks. I bet if I kicked low, I could get a ball right through his legs!

  But it’s no use. A goalie can’t kick goals.

  Now both teams have one goal each and the game is nearly over.

  Jack sees a big boy in the other team get the ball. He is coming towards Jack. It’s the same boy who scored a goal last time.

  No way! Jack thinks. I’m not letting the ball in this time.

  The boy swings his leg back and takes a mighty kick.

  The ball soars high into the sky. It flies straight towards the net!

  Jack jumps high. He stretches out his hands — and catches the ball!

  Jack’s team-mates go wild. Jem jogs over and gives Jack a high five.

  ‘Hey, Jack! That was awesome!’ he says. ‘Good save.’

  ‘Thanks,’ says Jack, grinning. Jem turns to run into the middle but Jack calls him back.

  ‘Hey, Jem!’ he says.

  ‘What is it?’ says Jem, jogging back.

  ‘Shoot between the goalie’s legs,’ says Jack.

  Jem looks at Jack and frowns.

  ‘What?’ he says.

  ‘Trust me,’ says Jack. ‘I’ve been watching him. Pretend you’re shooting high, but really shoot low.’

  ‘OK,’ says Jem. ‘I’ll give it a go.’

  Jem runs into the middle of the field.

  The match starts again.

  Jack sees Jem get the ball. He dribbles it down the field towards the goal at the other end. Then he kicks it hard.

  The other team’s goalie jumps up, but the ball stays low.

  It spins into the net — right between the goalie’s legs! Just like Jack said it would.

  Jack’s whole team cheers.

  The whistle blows. It’s the end of the game. Jack’s team has won!

  Jack is happy for Jem. He has kicked two goals. He helped their team win the match.

  Jack runs up to congratulate his new friend. Jem is surrounded by all the other players. They are cheering and clapping him on the back.

  ‘Good kick!’ one boy says to Jem.

  ‘Actually, that was Jack’s idea,’ Jem says.

  ‘He told me to kick the ball low.’

  Jack grins. ‘Yeah, but you kicked the goal,’ he says to Jem.

  Jem pats Jack on the back. ‘We make a good team,’ he says.

  ‘You all make a good team,’ says the coach.

  ‘Jack, you did a great job as goalie. Next week we’ll have to get you out there kicking goals!’

  Jack grins and nods. He can’t wait until next week’s match.

  The Winning Goal

  published in 2012 by

  Hardie Grant Egmont

  Ground Floor, Building 1, 658 Church Street

  Richmond, Victoria 3121, Australia

  www.hardiegrantegmont.com.au

  eISBN: 9781742737874

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means without the prior permission of the publishers and copyright owner.

  A CiP record for this title is available from the National Library of Australia

  Text copyright © 2012 Sally Rippin

  Illustration copyright © 2012 Stephanie Spartels

  Logo and design copyright © 2012 Hardie Grant Egmont

  Design by Stephanie Spartels

  Typesetting by Michaela Stone

 

 

  Sally Rippin, The Winning Goal

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