Jamdown

Chapter 7

Donavan Malt

That was amazing, but Irwin was always going to be amazing. I could tell when I first saw him. 

"Do I have to wear that?" Irwin asked.

He was talking about the pads on the ground of the patchwork grassy field we were playing in.

I raised my brow at him. Leon started to laugh, but he was restraining it.

"We are almost done with training today, so let's just do a light...initiation to see if you are worth applying for the team."

He scrunched up his face at me. "You were begging me to join a while ago, what's with this?" Irwin complained.

"I still need to see the rest of your physique to know what we should train. You know, your less rewarding qualities. I can obviously see from your skinny arms, putting you in the line would be suicide. But I... we already have a place for you. Running back, but let us see how you run, and then we can take it from there. Because in this sport how you run is very important, almost like track running."

"Eh?" He sighed. Turning he walked off, some distance later he said. "Let's get this over with."

Irwin walked up to the others who stared at him with curious and wide glares.

"Are you sure about this man?" Leon asked with a smile.

Not really, Irwin was hard to read, and I was not sure what he wanted. I was honestly shocked he jumped at joining, but it was obvious it was the talk of payment that got him even interested in the first place.

That was actually the problem. We were not a big team. We were pretty much at bottom of the pile. The best we could do right now to make money was playing official matches that happened on the Maticull Field in Portmore, St. Catherine. 

We got a share of the pot if we played there. It was not much, but it was something. But honestly, we needed a sponsor. 

Paying this uninspired recruit would be a pain. There were players who we owed two matches' wages. All this was under my supervision now for Hill was leaving the team. 

I watched Irwin looking like some angry little troll. Maybe he was a walking mistake waiting to happen. Irwin looked young, so there was much for him to grow into.

"Come on, it will be fine," I said as I went over. After introductions, we split the team up. I looked at Irwin who gave me a blank stare. "How old are you?"

"Seventeen, old man."

I frowned. "Ain't old, am twenty-three."

"Look old to me." 

I popped the ball in the air and caught it in the other hand. His eyebrow raised as he chanced a glance at the ball.

"Football is easy to understand, hard to master. What I need for you to do is simple, when you get the ball run all the way down this field. Get a touchdown, simple enough yes?" He nodded. I placed my right hand over the left hand, just over my stomach. With my fingers close to each other, it was a close fit. "This is how you will receive the ball, ok? When Cidric gives me the ball, come from behind me and go over to my right. I will be turning and placing the ball in your clasped hands."

"Hey Leon, it sounds like it is going to be a run," Hill shouted, suddenly.

"Yeah, I think it is going to be a run." They both nodded with sneaky smiles on their faces.