Not Having Fun

36

My school is holding tryouts for the footie team this week. I've been doing lots of practice at home, and I really want to be in the team! The only problem is that other kids are part of actual football clubs outside school, and I think they're a lot better than me.

"I'll tryout with you too!"

"Can girls be on the team?" I ask.

"Yeah!" Jemima points to an old school team photo from a few years ago. In the picture, there's a girl in the team.

"Wow, alright then," I nod. Let's try out together,"

At lunchtime, we eat really quickly. And instead of going outside to play, we go into the sports hall for the tryouts. Most of the other kids here go to football clubs outside school.

"I really really want to show I can do it!"

"You will!" Jemima pats my back. My tummy feels funny!

The gym teacher puts us into teams. I don't like him, he's really strict. He made me run around the gym hall 5 times once because I took too long changing.

I'm on a team with Jemima! When we're deciding our positions, Jemima picks goalkeeper and I pick defender. I'm not big, but I'm tall so I'm a good defender.

But still, I don't want to be a defender! I'll never score a goal and then I'll never get noticed.

No, if I want to get noticed for the team then I need to score.

The game starts and it's really boring. I do my best to show I'm watching the ball and 'anticipating passes', whatever that means. But I see the ball veer off to the left on the other side of the hall. That's my chance!

I run for it. I run out the defender position and across to the other side. That's where I kick the ball right towards the goal and-

I miss.

By no more than a foot! I almost scored!

But the other team steals the ball from where I kicked it to and they kick it over my head. Right where I was supposed to be as the defender. It goes over Jemima's head and straight into the goal!

No!

The other team celebrate and I sulk on my way back to my position.

I need to try again. And I do! The next time it looks like I could get a goal. But I miss it again. At least the other team didn't score this time.

At the end of the match, we get given reviews from the teacher. Jemima did okay but doesn't know the game at all. So she didn't get picked. When the teacher gets to me, he frowns.

"You left your position twice during the game. One of the times you gave the other team a goal. I'm sorry Max, but better luck next year," he pats my shoulder.

"It's okay Max," Jemima tells me. But it isn't! I wanted to be in the football team!

As the teacher said, there's always next year. I'm going to make sure I get picked. And that means only playing football until I'm good enough. Every minute of every day.

The bell rings. Well, every minute except for class time. It's drawing on a Friday afternoon, and I like drawing!

But when I get home, I head straight out to the back garden and start playing. I play against the fence for a long time. My mouth is dry, and my legs hurt now. That's okay though, I need to get better!

"Max!" Mum shouts from the doorway. "Come in for dinner,"

"No Mum!" I keep playing. "I'm practicing!"