The next day was the start of practice or tryouts as they were called.
Natalie woke early and showered before dressing in her practice clothes and grabbing a light breakfast and calling an Uber. She arrived at the stadium where the "tryouts" were held 25 minutes early. She slipped out of her sandals and pulled on her socks as she was instructed to come in shin guards to the first day.
She stretched just trying to get her hamstrings as loose as they could be.She pulled her socks up before pushing them back down to tape her shin guards to her protruding claves. Once they were tight enough she pulled her socks up and went through her routine.
She placed her headphones over her ears and pressed play on her game day playlist filled with heavy rock and rap. A playlist that you would expect on a high schools boys playlist not a well mannered college graduate that graduated with a degree in psychology.
She bobbed her head to the blaring percussion as the screams filled her ears of the lead singer as she picked up a ball and started messing with it. Just flick ups and juggling trying to shake her nerves and silence her mind of doubts and the outside world.
In no time at all she was being tapped on the shoulder. She removed the headphones from over her ears and placed them on her neck still hearing the rather loud music as she turned to face the man. "The players are just getting here, you can start stretching if you would like."
"Okay." Natalie responded before removing the headphones and placing them in her bag after disconnecting her phone. She stepped onto the field and felt her mind slip away.
She had always found a solace on the pitch. When she found out her mother diagnosis she didn't seek out a friend or even a hook up she sought out the pitch. She lived on that pitch for the following months of the summer as it was the only place she could escape her thoughts.
Before she knew it players were gathered around in groups of 4 or 5 stretching and passing in a circle. Natalie remained by herself and stretched following the same routine she had done almost everyday without fail for the past 4 years at Texas Tech.
She stretched until the whistle blew. She followed the herd of players heading to the center circle. "We are going to do positional drills since you all have obviously either played for us before, or played professionally or in college. Keepers head to the far goal, defenders will go to the keepers box but stay outside the 18, middies stay here and forwards head to the near goal. We will put all of you at different positions today to try and narrow down our 50+ player pool down little by little until we have at least a rough outline of our 28 player roster for the season. If you are asked to leave we expect you to just say okay and leave, you are allowed to keep all the gear you have been given but please exit the training grounds and await the email with your flight details. This is nothing personal. And with that said go to where you were directed to."
Natalie followed the blonde keeper and stopped outside the box. By the end of this week 30+ players will be sent home. Natalie only hopped she wouldn't be in the thirty or so that did so.
She believed in her ability but making this team wasn't about if she was a good or bad player. She was selected number one in the draft for crying out loud . It was about how you could mesh with the players and what you brought to the table that played into the style of football that the team ran.
A coach walked over to them. "Im John Hanesly I'll be the defender coach this year. Right now we are just going to work on your displacement of the ball. So you'll start in the center of the field and you will run backwards all the way until you hit the sideline a ball will be passed in. You are expected to clear it, if you fail to abide by it you will be asked to leave. Got it?"
A chorus of "yess." Are heard through the crowd of 20 or so defenders. Natalie just so happened to be at the front of the makeshift line. The whistle blew and she took off backwards making sure to keep her weight on her toes as to not trip herself. She saw the ball come in. She used her right leg to push herself forward. She planted her left foot and unlocked her hips loading her back leg. She swung through the ball harder then she had ever before. She connected with the white ball right on her laces as she and everyone else watched in awe as the ball soared into the upper rows of the stands. It hit a few chairs before settling on the ground allowing for a youngish girl to collect it and chucked it back over the wall.
Natalie walked back to the back of the line and waited. She didn't even bother to look back only tracing the ball that soared over her head. Only a few were able to hit the stands much less rocket it into the upper decks of it.
It was her turn again and she did the same thing again but instead of just nailing it she struck the bottom third of the ball giving it a wicked curve that caught air and just seemed to fly away. She thought that the men and women in the us space station that were in orbit would see the white ball heading into outer space.
She jogged back to the back of the line again. She watched a few girls whiff a ball and even watched a few take the dreaded walk fo shame to the sideline. That is until she was hit in the back of the head. She was hit hard to. If she wasn't so focus she might've even dropped to the grass. But instead she took it in stride didn't even think to look back as she just took another step back. The suspected player was immediately asked to leave.
And that's when she saw her. Ashley Torres the University of Texas player who started the whole rivalry against them after tearing her ACL.
A few more girls went before the drill was called off. "Good job. Most of you have probably noticed that some were asked to leave. Also on another note we will not tolerate any college or any sorta childish rivalries. You are all fighting for your spot on the team. Don't ruin your chances because you have history with someone else. If you can't get over that then I will ask you to leave. Now we will be doing one v ones. First to push the ball out of the box wins, or if you start with the ball if you can keep it in the box for 1 minute then you win."
We all nodded and looked at the small box set up out of cones. The box couldn't of been more then 15 by 15. Really small considering we all were used to the wide field of play. I'm at the back of the line on the offensive side. I watch a few players go up against each other and the defensive team was dominating. I counted back the number of players on the opposing team and realized I would be going up again allysha Chapman.
Finally it was my turn. Chapman had about an inch to two on me so I wouldn't have an aerial advantage which I had never had but still. The whistle blew and I just started to corkscrew the ball taunting the Canadian to attack. She took the bait and opened her legs allowing me to Meg her. I collected it and pulled it to the corner. I sat there trying to burn time. She came at me again and I did an attaka. Real easy trick that somehow got around the Olympic gold medalists. I knew my time had to be ticking down. She got close again and I rainbowed her. A trick I had yet to pull off in a game as my main focus was just sending the ball to my forward up top. It was enough as once I collected it the whistle blew again.
I passed the ball to John and got back in line only for no one to step into the box. I wasn't the last one to go. I had maybe two or three players behind me. "Number 47 what is your name?" We all looked down at our shirts only for me to figure out I was infact wearing number 47.
"Natalie Miller." I state trying to sound as confident as possible.
"Where did you go to school?"
"Texas Tech."
"We're you ever a forward?"
"No my high school coach didn't believe I had the fitness or the skill to score so I was put as a center back and stayed there through my whole college career." I say honestly.
"Well if you ever see them again I want you to laugh and say you were wrong. I want you to go head up and train with the forwards. Tell them John sent you."
"Will do." I nod. I don't want to play forward, but if it gets me a spot on the team I'll play goalkeeper. I jogged across the field to the forwards who were gathered around. I stand on the outer ring of the huddle and wait for him to finish. The huddle breaks showing a 30 something year old blonde dude.
"Excuse me. John told me to tell you that he sent me."
"Why is a defender up here?" He rhetorically asks.
"I don't know. He just told me to head up with the forwards."
"Johns gone nuts." He utters to himself, not quietly might I add. "Well we are doing set pieces, get in line and do as the other players are."
"Will do". I walk away and join the back of the line. We were about 25 yards away from the goal on the left side of the far corner of the 18. After you shoot you head to the right side with cones set up marking the spot for the ball about the same distance away.
A few minutes later it's my turn. I take a deep breathe to steady myself before I take my two step run up and slam my hips shut as I shoot. I watch the ball sail into the top right corner before making contact with the post which sends the ball tucking itself nicely behind the bottom left post. I just nod and jog over to the right side. I catch a glimpse of the forward coach who is currently slack jawed. I mentally high fives myself as I got I line behind Rachel Daly.
She turns and gives me a once over before speaking in her British accent. "I know see why Campbell was smitten over you. Good shot. She never mentioned you were a striker."
"I'm not. John sent me over here."
"Ahh okay." She turns back and gets ready as the last three shooters take their shot, two going over the goal. The players infront of me take their shot as continue to stretch. It's finally my turn again. I took no run up and fully extended my left leg back. I had spent my whole off season working on my shot with my non dominant foot so why not do it. I unleashed my hips and knuckled the ball with my left foot sending it right to the center of the goal.
I get back in line and wait. Before I can go again the whistle is blown. We all head to the center circle. "Good first day of practice. Check your email as some of you won't see the pitch tomorrow. Good job and I'll see most of you guys tomorrow, come in full gear. With that said you all are dismissed."
I head over to my bag and grab my phone making sure I hadn't missed a call. I had I fact missed one.
One from my dad.
I click on the call back button as soon as it appeared. I listened to it ring as I walked down the tunnel and tucked myself into a corner out of sight with my stuff. He picked it up by the 4th ring.
"Hey Chipmunk." His voice cracked painfully. As if he had been crying.
"Hey dad. Sorry I was at practice. What's up?"
"Umm we have been running test and I wanted to tell you. . ." He paused as if contemplating if he should tell his daughter the news. "The doctors think mom might be out of the hospital by the end of the month." She heard the hesitation in voice causing her mind to run.
"That's awesome. Well I love you dad."
"Bye." His voice cracked as he hung up. That was all she needed to know that her mom had in fact not gotten better but most likely worsened.
The tears started to leak from her eyes before she could even comprehend the stinging in her tear ducts. She sank to the floor and hugged her sweaty knees to her chest trying to muffle her cries. Any other day she wouldve turned her nose up at herself and showered but today-right now she was okay with the stench as the pain outweighed any of the scented assault taking place on her nostrils.
She wasn't quiet enough as the sound of cleats walking towards her grew closer on the concrete flooring.
That's when she heard the unmistakable voice do none other then Jane Campbell. "Are you okay?" She questioned comfortingly.
"Yeah. Just surreal you know. My dreams coming true." Natalie lied weakly.
Somehow Jane bought it. "Okay. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."
"Thanks. I'm fine though."
"We'll see your tomorrow." Jane said turning on her heel. It hurt the keeper to leave her but it's what she wanted and the keeper would respect that.
Natalie dried her eyes and ordered an Uber as she walked out of the stadium. She waited a few minutes before the car arrived. She got in and stared out the window as they drove towards the hotel.
Once at the hotel she walked straight to her room ignoring the calls of the teammates gathering in the lobby. She needed to be alone right now, and wouldn't stop until she was.
She got up to her room and she'd her clothes stepping into the warm shower she had started while she gathered her comfort clothes.
She showered. Washing the sweat, grime, and emotions that wore deep on her as she tried to lessen the emotions weight fo the situation. She finally stepped out when her skin had been rubbed raw from being scrubbed with hotel body wash. She smelt like how a dove commercial looked.
She dried herself off and dressed in shorts and a hoodie. She plugged in her phone and wound herself in her blankets.
She dozed off only to be awoken by a deep knocking at her door. The knock that rattled the pin in its place.
She got out of bed rubbing her eye and sluggishly stumbled towards the door. She pulled open the door and came face to face with-
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Oops.
Also what's your guys favorite sport besides soccer(football)