I’m available.”
Traci spent the rest of practice in a daze. Later, she walked home with Valerie. Neither girl spoke at first. Traci didn’t
feel up to it. Finally, Valerie broke the silence.
“You probably won’t see it this way, but this couldbe a good thing. Margo is obviously a hot coach. I mean, she’s worked with Olympic
medalists!
Maybe you should call her.”
Traci stared at Valerie. “But I’m a gymnast!” She couldn’t believe her best friend was betraying her like this.
“What if you wreck your knees?” Valerie’s face was pinched with concern.
Traci shook her head. “I don’t know. Margo was
cold.
I didn’t like her.”
Valerie turned as they reached her gate. “Well, I’ll see you. And you should think about it. I’d love to have a coach who’s
worked with Olympic medalists.”
The girls hugged, and Traci headed for home.
No way!
she thought to herself.
I couldn’t be a diver.
But another voice in her head said,
You sure about that?
2
T raci usually ate a big dinner, but this evening she pushed the food around on her plate.
“Sweetie, are you feeling all right?” Mrs. Winchell asked.
Traci nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”
“When you don’t eat, something’s wrong,” Mr. Winchell said. “What is it?”
Traci explained what had happened in gymnastics class. Her mother looked sympathetic. “We know what this means to you, but
if there’s a risk of permanent knee damage, then it’s a good thing your coach spoke up.”
“What’s the diving coach’s name?” asked Pete, Traci’s sixteen-year-old brother.
Traci made a sour face. “Margo Armstead,” she said.
Pete laughed. “I was going to ask what she’s like, but from the look on your face, I already have an idea. Not your kind of
person, huh?”
Traci sighed. “She was totally cold. She said, ‘You’ll never be a gymnast, and you’ll mess up your knees’ like she was talking
about the weather. Zero sympathy.”
“Will you call her?” asked Traci’s father.
Traci had thought of little else since getting home, but she still didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know what to do,” she said
at last. “I’ve never dived off a board in my life. I don’t know if I could be a diver, and I don’t know if I can work with
this Margo, either.”
Mr. Winchell put a hand on Traci’s shoulder. “Honey, your mom and I are always there if you want to talk about these things,
but this decision is really yours to make. Whatever you finally decide to do, we’re behind you all the way. I hope you know
that.”
A little later, Traci was sitting alone in the den when Pete looked in. “Want company, or should I stay out?”
Traci gave her brother a weak smile. “Come on in. It’s okay.”
Pete didn’t love athletics the way Traci did. He worked on his school newspaper, and his great ambition was to be a successful
writer.
“Guess you feel pretty bad,” said Pete.
Traci stared at the rug under her feet. “I’ve been doing gymnastics forever. I’m good at it. Now, all of a sudden it’s all
over for me—because I’m too
tall?
It’s not fair!”
Pete nodded. “Hey, you won’t get an argument from me. But it could be worse. What if you really did blow out a knee?”
“Yeah, I guess. But that doesn’t mean I have to feel happy about it,” Traci answered.
“But there
is
something you can feel happy about,” Pete said. “It isn’t as if you’re all through as an athlete. You can still do it. What’s
more, there’s a coach, a very good coach, who thinks you have what it takes. I think you should give it a shot. You can always
change your mind later.”
Traci smiled at Pete. “Thanks. I think I’ll call Valerie and talk to her about it.”
She made the call from her bedroom.
“How are you doing?” Valerie asked. “Did you call that coach?”
“Not yet,” Traci said. “I thought I’d talk to you first.”
“Sure,” said Valerie. “Well, you already know
Traci spent the rest of practice in a daze. Later, she walked home with Valerie. Neither girl spoke at first. Traci didn’t
feel up to it. Finally, Valerie broke the silence.
“You probably won’t see it this way, but this couldbe a good thing. Margo is obviously a hot coach. I mean, she’s worked with Olympic
medalists!
Maybe you should call her.”
Traci stared at Valerie. “But I’m a gymnast!” She couldn’t believe her best friend was betraying her like this.
“What if you wreck your knees?” Valerie’s face was pinched with concern.
Traci shook her head. “I don’t know. Margo was
cold.
I didn’t like her.”
Valerie turned as they reached her gate. “Well, I’ll see you. And you should think about it. I’d love to have a coach who’s
worked with Olympic medalists.”
The girls hugged, and Traci headed for home.
No way!
she thought to herself.
I couldn’t be a diver.
But another voice in her head said,
You sure about that?
2
T raci usually ate a big dinner, but this evening she pushed the food around on her plate.
“Sweetie, are you feeling all right?” Mrs. Winchell asked.
Traci nodded. “Yeah, I guess.”
“When you don’t eat, something’s wrong,” Mr. Winchell said. “What is it?”
Traci explained what had happened in gymnastics class. Her mother looked sympathetic. “We know what this means to you, but
if there’s a risk of permanent knee damage, then it’s a good thing your coach spoke up.”
“What’s the diving coach’s name?” asked Pete, Traci’s sixteen-year-old brother.
Traci made a sour face. “Margo Armstead,” she said.
Pete laughed. “I was going to ask what she’s like, but from the look on your face, I already have an idea. Not your kind of
person, huh?”
Traci sighed. “She was totally cold. She said, ‘You’ll never be a gymnast, and you’ll mess up your knees’ like she was talking
about the weather. Zero sympathy.”
“Will you call her?” asked Traci’s father.
Traci had thought of little else since getting home, but she still didn’t have an answer. “I don’t know what to do,” she said
at last. “I’ve never dived off a board in my life. I don’t know if I could be a diver, and I don’t know if I can work with
this Margo, either.”
Mr. Winchell put a hand on Traci’s shoulder. “Honey, your mom and I are always there if you want to talk about these things,
but this decision is really yours to make. Whatever you finally decide to do, we’re behind you all the way. I hope you know
that.”
A little later, Traci was sitting alone in the den when Pete looked in. “Want company, or should I stay out?”
Traci gave her brother a weak smile. “Come on in. It’s okay.”
Pete didn’t love athletics the way Traci did. He worked on his school newspaper, and his great ambition was to be a successful
writer.
“Guess you feel pretty bad,” said Pete.
Traci stared at the rug under her feet. “I’ve been doing gymnastics forever. I’m good at it. Now, all of a sudden it’s all
over for me—because I’m too
tall?
It’s not fair!”
Pete nodded. “Hey, you won’t get an argument from me. But it could be worse. What if you really did blow out a knee?”
“Yeah, I guess. But that doesn’t mean I have to feel happy about it,” Traci answered.
“But there
is
something you can feel happy about,” Pete said. “It isn’t as if you’re all through as an athlete. You can still do it. What’s
more, there’s a coach, a very good coach, who thinks you have what it takes. I think you should give it a shot. You can always
change your mind later.”
Traci smiled at Pete. “Thanks. I think I’ll call Valerie and talk to her about it.”
She made the call from her bedroom.
“How are you doing?” Valerie asked. “Did you call that coach?”
“Not yet,” Traci said. “I thought I’d talk to you first.”
“Sure,” said Valerie. “Well, you already know
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