Future Stars of America 2 -- (nonfiction), sample page:
The dugout was quiet as Jayme hopped down the concrete steps and took a seat in the corner. Coach Douglas was speaking to each girl individually, offering congratulations on a great season. When he held out his hand to Jayme, she managed a faint smile and shook it. But all she could think was: How could we have missed the playoffs? Running her fingers through her long blonde hair, she searched for answers. Was the team’s quest to reach the nationals totally unrealistic? Would they ever get there?
After Coach Douglas finished speaking and left them alone, Jayme and her teammates huddled together. At first the girls were too dejected to even speak, until Jayme finally found her voice. Looking at her friends, she said,
“Coach is trying to make us all feel good, telling us that the season was a success. Well, in some ways it was a great season because we sure had a lot of fun. But the bottom line is simple: we weren’t good enough. Every one of us needs to get better so that next season we are good enough.”
The girls all nodded their heads in agreement at these simple, yet powerful words. They put their hands into the middle of the circle and promised each other that they would spend the off-season working harder than ever. This moment was a turning point for the East County Red Team. The season had come to a crushing end only twenty minutes earlier, yet they were already looking ahead. Channeling their disappointment into something positive was an important step. It would pay off for them in a big way.
After Coach Douglas finished speaking and left them alone, Jayme and her teammates huddled together. At first the girls were too dejected to even speak, until Jayme finally found her voice. Looking at her friends, she said,
“Coach is trying to make us all feel good, telling us that the season was a success. Well, in some ways it was a great season because we sure had a lot of fun. But the bottom line is simple: we weren’t good enough. Every one of us needs to get better so that next season we are good enough.”
The girls all nodded their heads in agreement at these simple, yet powerful words. They put their hands into the middle of the circle and promised each other that they would spend the off-season working harder than ever. This moment was a turning point for the East County Red Team. The season had come to a crushing end only twenty minutes earlier, yet they were already looking ahead. Channeling their disappointment into something positive was an important step. It would pay off for them in a big way.