Senior Year

Chapter 1. Captain Selection

Todays the day. I have waited my entire basketball career for this very moment. According to the new MHSAA rules in Michigan I wasn't allowed to be the captain of the team because I wasn't a senior. The leadership and amount of dedication a player has no longer matters to the MHSAA just the amount of years that you have been in high school. In my opinion captain means more than that of your year in school but, a bunch of old men who don't know anything have control over the entire thing.

It's the end of tryouts and 24 girls tried out for the Varsity team this year. One girl couldn't even run a down and back... she was obviously cut from the team. Not that I was judging, at the end of the day I just wanted to win.

Tryouts lasted an entire week because there were so many girls. Based on the ability scores that the coaches took during tryouts I was at the top with 1578 points out of a total 1600 points. I lost points for not having enough encouragement towards teammates. Whatever. The people behind me in points were: Amber Johnson, another senior with 1500 points, and Collins Goller, a junior who just transferred, with 1460 points. We are looking to have a pretty solid line up for this season. It would have been nice if the girls had shown up to more pre-season workouts but they are looking to be in shape from volleyball still.

This year we are keeping 12 girls, half of the people that tried out either were cut or moved back down to the Junior Varsity team. The announcement of who is captain is made after all the other girls have left and the team and coaches votes have been counted.

Emily is the only other person that I think may have a chance at getting captain. She has blonde hair, and is overly friendly. The team all really likes her however, her leadership skills and ability to make the right play is not there. I enjoy her company but on the court, I just wish she would pay more attention. Emily needs to worry more about her game rather than the people watching.

"Hey Alice, are you nervous?" Emily asks me. Of course, I am. I have been waiting to be the captain for four years.

"No, we would both make great captions and I don't think there is a wrong choice to be made here." I answer politely. I know that snarky and rude comments will not help me with the team later.

The coaches come from the offices with papers in hand. Its time! "This year was a rather hard year for the coaches to make a decision as the team opinions were exactly split. The two candidates were Emily and Alice."

They said her name first that means the choice is her right? I can't control myself. I look to the ground and prepare my fake smile and congratulations for Emily.

"This year's team Captain is... Alice Rollin!' Looking up in excitement, I am shocked! I thought that Emily was going to get this because of her personality and want to please everyone. All my hard work to make this my team has finally paid off!

I had a speech all prepared to tell them but now, in the moment, I am speechless. The team is cheering and coming in for a group hug. I know that I need to find Emily and talk to her about this as it will keep the peace on the team.

I finally found a second to go over to Emily in the locker room. "Emily, I just wanted to talk to you and make sure that we are still on good terms?"

"Alice, I am disappointed that I didn't get it but, as you said we would have both made a great captain. I am happy for you and expect that great things will happen with you as captain. Now if only my parents will understand that, they think this is all about putting on a college resume." Emily came back with sweetly.

I almost felt bad for her. Having to go home and tell my parents I didn't get it would have been horrible. Enough of feeling sorry for her, I have a team out there that is waiting to see me.

After the congratulations and hugs from my team I turn to leave and decide to hit the gym for a quick run before I head home to tell my parents the good news.

In the weight room I can hear the wrestling team is talking and anticipating their coaches for captain. I already know that the only person on that team that will be worthy of captain is Baker Fetch. I have known him my entire life and if anyone is driven and going to take the team to states it is the 171lb senior. He has a rough life but he is dedicated to the mat. Not terrible on the eyes either.

Baker is sitting on the top of the rolled-up mats, cockily sitting like he isn't worried at all. He spots me starring at him and winks at me. I wish the glass walls from the weight room weren't connected to the wrestling room. I wave and go back to staring at the television.

I was just finishing up my run when the coaches entered the weight room from the locker room. I decided to stay and watch the boys as they found out their new captain. It was Baker, he shrugged off all the fist-bumps and hugs from the coaches and went straight to the locker room.

I didn't understand how he could not care about what they all thought or how he expected his team to respect him when he couldn't even pretend to respect them. I do not understand boys at all...

As he walked past me on his way to the locker room he again winked at me. Was I missing something? We knew of each other but had never been friends. Or friends of the casual winking type at least.

Walking home I remembered that I had a protein bar in my bag, I stopped to pull it out when a car pulled up behind me. Inside the car, a rusted old mustang, was Baker Fetch. I wonder what he wants? Instead of pursing and having a conversation I force myself to continue walking forward.

He honked at me. I used all my energy to turn around and give him my best resting bit** face. He was just smiling like a goon. It was impossible not to burst over laughing at his goofy smile.

When I regained my senses, I stood up tall and asked what he wanted.

"Did you enjoy the view?" He smirks

"What view are you talking about? I was enjoying the sunset on my walk before you interrupted."

"I saw you staring at me earlier." I rolled my eyes. "And I saw you again when I was told I was captain."

"I was not looking at you, I was running and you were directly in front of me. And when you were told you were captain I was waiting to see if you were going to drop the attitude and be a good team member."

"I am a good team member, I am not going to stand around and let them fawn over me when there was no other choice for captain anyways."

He had me there, I knew there was no other choice for captain of the wrestling team but he was still being a disrespectful as* when he walked away like that. Forgetting he was still standing there I thought this all over in my head.

"So, do you want a ride home or you going to continue to walk?" He interrupts my thought.

"I would not be caught dead in your care Fetch. My momma would kill me I showed up home in that. Not even my captain position news could settle her down from that heart attack she would be having."

Baker just smiled at me again. He slowly began driving and as he was pulling away he yelled "See you tomorrow my captain!"

I forgot all about the prep rally and having to walk in with the wrestling team captain. Not only just walking in but basically spending the whole afternoon side by side.

Tomorrow I will have to do better at controlling the butterflies when he is around.