I hate tryouts! I hate standing around waiting for the coaches to post the team rosters. All the seniors say I'm a front-runner for Varsity-I think they actually want me-but I hate thinking about what I'll do if Jake doesn't make the team. And Logan! What am I going to say to him? Better luck next year? He worked his butt off for this, but making Varsity is a long shot for him.
Coach Kingsly comes out of his office. He doesn't even glance around at the crowd of guys. He staples a sheet of paper to the bulletin board by the door. Then he gets out of the way, back into his office, and slams the door shut.
What? No good work or nice effort or I'm proud of all of you. Not quite what I expected from the head coach, but he's a strange guy, I guess.
A couple of seniors-Zack and Mike-hang back with me, while the others push forward to check the list for their names.
Tom-a junior-turns back from the list and gives Zack and Mike a thumbs up. He comes over and high fives them, then smacks my shoulder and says, "Welcome to hell, dude."
"Jee, thanks." I hold back the smile.
"If I were you, I'd watch my back. You guys took three junior spots, you know."
"Three?!" I step aside and spot Jake and Logan, both smiling big as they make their way back toward me. They made it, we all made it! Yes! Logan reaches me first, and I jostle him roughly. Jake holds up his hand, and we high five and pound fists. "I knew you would make it," I say.
Tom catches my eye. He frowns at us and says, "Why are you so happy?"
We all stare blankly at him.
He rolls his eyes. "You realize what this means, don't you? You three are our designated bench warmers. You took the place of three juniors who aren't gonna get the experience they need to carry the team next year. You aren't gonna get any playing experience, so you won't be ready for next year, either. You messed up the system, and now, even if this year is awesome, my senior year is going to suck thanks to you." He glares at Logan.
We might have survived tryouts and cuts, but it's going to take a lot more to prove to our teammates that we earned our spots on Varsity. And I thought trying out was torture. Practice is going to be hell.
This basketball season is going to kill us.
CZYTASZ
In My Head
Dla nastolatkówTeenage baller Kaden Hastings has a fit when his family moves to California. He can handle the new medical diagnosis that slowly eats away at his life, but when his parents separate him from his teammates and girlfriend to move him to California to...
