Saved by the Whistle

one || panurgic

Ten minutes later, varsity coach Renne Carter stepped out of the coach's office with the junior varsity coach Liam Gray, ball bags in their hands as well as pug nets and cones for drills. There was about forty girls on the field, just over half of them returning players from the previous year. The varsity team had lost a large group of seniors last year, but with the upcoming talent from the juniors and sophomores, there were more chances for people to be on varsity.

"Alright, two laps around the field to warm up, stretch out, then go through stadiums. I hope you all brought your running shoes." Coach Carter boomed over the crowd, marking the beginning of Hell Week. They ran their two laps then stretched out in two lines, Georgia leading one and Allison leading the other, for it had been decided last season they would be co-captains for their final year at Blue Lake High School. They then lead the group around the stadium three times, going up and down the steps then around to the visiting section before going back to where they started. Although winded, the already existing members of the varsity team seemed as if they had only had to run a lap around the field. The other junior varsity members and freshman were winded in defeat as they flopped onto the turf to catch their breath and get a drink of water. When everyone returned from the stadium run, Coach Carter and Coach Gray walked over to discuss the next drill.

"Okay, I am going to work with the people who play defense, as well as the midfield, while Coach Carter is going to work with the offense and goalkeepers, then we're going to scrimmage the rest of the time. So, defense and some of the mid come with me, the rest of you head with Coach C." Coach Gray explained, Georgia instantly going to her bag and getting her gloves and sitting down to switch into her cleats. She had got her gloves the previous week before the season started, for during her indoor season she had ruined her last ones. There were two other goalkeepers, one of them being Victoria, the goalkeeper for junior varsity last year, the other most likely a freshman she did not recognize.

"GJ, ready for your last year?" Coach Carter asked as she set herself up in the net, and Georgia gave a laugh.

"Eh, not really. It's going to be very bittersweet." Georgia responded, her coach giving off a smile. 

"Don't worry, no one's going to touch your record anytime soon, hot shot." She stated as she set up the cones for the drill they were going to run through, one that she had defended against on numerous occassions. 

"Oh, that makes me feel so much better about leaving." She responded sarcastically before focusing on the drill while Coach Carter explained. The offensive players would weave through a set of cones, give a pass to the coach who would give a lay off pass around the eighteen yard box, and the player would take a shot on net.

"What do you want to do? Switch every five?" Georgia asked the new face beside her and Victoria. She looked up to her with doe eyes and shock, not able to find the words to escape her lips.

"Are you talking to me?" She asked in return, causing her to laugh.

"I'm not talking to myself and I'm not talking to Victoria." Georgia stated.

"Uh, well, I guess that's alright." The newbie responded with a small studder as she spoke. 

"What's your name, newbie?" Victoria asked as Georgia got into the net.

"Nicole." She answered as the drill started.

"Well Nicole, you're about to watch the best keeper in the state of Oregon." She continued.

"I know, that's why I am really intimidated by her." She muttered in response as the first shot was taken to the low left corner, Georgia reading it perfectly and blocking the ball from going into the net, instantly getting back up onto her feet.

One.

She watched as the next player weaved through the cones quickly, and she was fairly impressed as she took a touch around the last cone and got it to Coach Carter without any flaw. She got the ball back andplanned to one-time it to the right side of the net. Georgia cut off the angle and watched the hips of the player in front of her, reading the play and diving out towards the penalty spot, getting the tips of her finger on the ball, causing it to deflect outside the post.

Two.

The third player went through quickly as well, and the ball was already back from Coach Carter before she knew it. Her hips said low left, but knowing Jenna, she was going for an upper ninety opposite of her. Her hips switched quickly before she took the shot, and Georgia was already shuffling towards the right side of the net as the shot was taken. She found herself making slight contact with the goalpost as she dove up, getting a hand on the ball and sending it over the back of the net.

Three.

Oh how freshman are so predictable, she thought as the lowerclassmen went through the cones at a much slower pace, but kept her head up unlike other players. She got the pass back from Coach Carter and took a touch towards the eighteen, and Georgia came off her line, taking the rocket shot straight to the gut as she dove in front of her. She jumped over her quickly, apologizing for how hard the shot was, causing her to laugh.

Four.

Hailey went through the cones, for after three years of doing this drill she did not need to think about what she was doing anymore. She got the pass back from the coach and took a touch inside, switching it up and shooting with her left foot to the right of the goalkeeper, but Georgia dove and got the ball in her hands before it could go anywhere behind her. She rolled the ball back out and smirked, loosening her gloves as she stepped aside.

Five.

"Alright, one of you get in there." She said, stepping to the side of the net as one of the girls started to go through the drill. Victoria was quick to get in before the newbie just before the freshman going through the cones took a shot. 

"You're really good." She heard Nicole mutter as they watched Victoria let a ball go past her fingers, the net being hit for the first time.

"Thanks." Georgia laughed, a grin coming to her lips as Victoria came back, Nicole seeming nervous as she took her place.

"Let's see what you've got, newbie!" Victoria shouted as they stood on the side of the next to the goalpost. They watched as she let the first one, but she read it correctly, so Georgia gave her props for trying. She did not let the rest of them in, and just before she took place in the net once again, Coach Gray called for the scrimmage to begin. All forty girls stood and waited for their teams to be picked, Victoria and Nicole on the same team to switch out and Georgia sent to the other end of the field with a lot of lowerclassmen. A fake whistle was blown and the scrimmage started, which turned into the most boring and frustrating part of the entire tryout as she stood there, directing the freshman where to go. Sure, they had been playing for years before, but things were different once you got to high school soccer, and everything had to work flawlessly and together for things to work. Eventually the scrimmage ended in a tie of nil-nil, and they were talked to for a brief minute or so before being released to head home. Her body was sore, but a good sore as she packed up her things to head home for the evening to work on all of her AP homework for that night.

"Hey, you wanna work on the calculus homework together?" Allison asked as they went out of the stadium entrance and out to their cars, which were parked a few spaces apart from each other.

"If you pick up dinner, I am in." Georgia responded as she put her soccer bag in the backseat beside her backpack.

"Chinese?" She asked, and a smile came to her lips.

"You know it. See you in a bit." She said as she got into her car and started the engine, heading out of the parking lot to make the twenty-minute drive across Portland to get home.