Chapter 1
J osh Bradshaw burst through the front door and scrambled upstairs. Aidan McFarland, Josh’s best friend, was not far behind.
“Hey, keep it down,” Josh’s father called as the door slammed behind the boys. “I’m trying to work.”
“It’s just Aidan and me, Dad,” Josh called back. “We’re going to my room.”
The two friends tossed their backpacks onto the bedroom floor, which was covered in dirty clothes and old school papers. “Man, carrying around all these books should get us in shape for soccer,” Aidan said. Heglanced at Josh and added, “Do you think it’s on the website yet?”
“Coach Hodges said she would post the list of players who made the team on Monday,” Josh said.
The boys smiled and sang out together: “And it’s Monday!”
“Where’s your laptop?” Aidan asked, looking around the room.
“I think it’s on my bed somewhere.” Josh pushed away the sheets. “Here it is.” He flipped open his computer and took a deep breath.
“Why are you so nervous?” Aidan said, scooting onto the bed next to Josh. “We’ll make it.”
“I don’t know,” Josh said as he started tapping the keys. “There were a lot of good players at the tryouts. Coach can’t keep everybody.”
“Yeah, but you’re the best scorer,” Aidan insisted. “You must have scored a million goals for the Flames last year.”
“Playing with a rec-league team like the Flames is different,” Josh said. “The United’sa travel team. They’re like All-Stars.”
“I know. That’s why playing with the United will be so cool,” Aidan said. “Everybody’s good.”
The United website popped up and the boys leaned closer. “Click on
News,
” Aidan said.
“There it is!” Josh shouted as he read from the screen. “United Names U-14 Team.” His heart jumped. He wasn’t at all confident he had made it.
“Come on! Click it!” screamed Aidan.
“Okay, okay,” Josh said. A list of names appeared.
UNITED ROSTER
Evan Perry
Kadir Sims
Victor Baldassi
Aidan McFarland
Robert Brodie
Langston Adams
Dylan Cole
Demetrius Brown
Patrick West
Thomas Smythe
Joshua Bradshaw
Ty Robinson
Mario Barretto
Robin Hall
Noah Stern
Fletcher Downing
Paul Chambers
Walter Winwood
The room was quiet as the boys scanned the list. Then, at the same instant they shouted, “Yes! We made it!”
They jumped off the bed and bounced around the bedroom, bumping chests and throwing clothes into the air. “We are the United! We are the United! We are the United!” they chanted at the top of their lungs.
Mr. Bradshaw stuck his head into the room. “Keep it down, will you,” he said sharply. “I told you I was—”
“We made it, Dad!” The words burst out of Josh. “The United! We made the team.”
Mr. Bradshaw’s head snapped back in surprise. “They’ve posted the roster already?”
Aidan turned the laptop around. “Take a look.”
Josh’s father leaned over the screen. A satisfied smile creased his face. “All right!” he said. “Congratulations!” He traded high fives with Josh and Aidan, then looked back at the screen. “Do you know any of these other guys?”
Josh and Aidan studied the roster.
“That guy Mario played in our league last year. He was good,” Josh said. “We got Patrick West too. He’s an awesome goalie.”
“And we played against that kid, Kadir Sims, in rec league,” Aidan said. “He was kind of a whiner. Always looking at the ref to call a penalty.”
“Remember, we were playing
against
him,” Josh said. “Now we’re going to be playing
with
him.”
Josh kept studying the roster. “Evan Perry. He was that kid with the fancy red shoes who played midfield during the scrimmages,” Josh recalled. “He acted like he’s the next Pelé or something.”
“Someone said he played for the United last season,” Aidan said. “He’s good.”
“Victor Baldassi played for the United last season too,” Josh added. “I’ve heard about him. He’s a terrific
J osh Bradshaw burst through the front door and scrambled upstairs. Aidan McFarland, Josh’s best friend, was not far behind.
“Hey, keep it down,” Josh’s father called as the door slammed behind the boys. “I’m trying to work.”
“It’s just Aidan and me, Dad,” Josh called back. “We’re going to my room.”
The two friends tossed their backpacks onto the bedroom floor, which was covered in dirty clothes and old school papers. “Man, carrying around all these books should get us in shape for soccer,” Aidan said. Heglanced at Josh and added, “Do you think it’s on the website yet?”
“Coach Hodges said she would post the list of players who made the team on Monday,” Josh said.
The boys smiled and sang out together: “And it’s Monday!”
“Where’s your laptop?” Aidan asked, looking around the room.
“I think it’s on my bed somewhere.” Josh pushed away the sheets. “Here it is.” He flipped open his computer and took a deep breath.
“Why are you so nervous?” Aidan said, scooting onto the bed next to Josh. “We’ll make it.”
“I don’t know,” Josh said as he started tapping the keys. “There were a lot of good players at the tryouts. Coach can’t keep everybody.”
“Yeah, but you’re the best scorer,” Aidan insisted. “You must have scored a million goals for the Flames last year.”
“Playing with a rec-league team like the Flames is different,” Josh said. “The United’sa travel team. They’re like All-Stars.”
“I know. That’s why playing with the United will be so cool,” Aidan said. “Everybody’s good.”
The United website popped up and the boys leaned closer. “Click on
News,
” Aidan said.
“There it is!” Josh shouted as he read from the screen. “United Names U-14 Team.” His heart jumped. He wasn’t at all confident he had made it.
“Come on! Click it!” screamed Aidan.
“Okay, okay,” Josh said. A list of names appeared.
UNITED ROSTER
Evan Perry
Kadir Sims
Victor Baldassi
Aidan McFarland
Robert Brodie
Langston Adams
Dylan Cole
Demetrius Brown
Patrick West
Thomas Smythe
Joshua Bradshaw
Ty Robinson
Mario Barretto
Robin Hall
Noah Stern
Fletcher Downing
Paul Chambers
Walter Winwood
The room was quiet as the boys scanned the list. Then, at the same instant they shouted, “Yes! We made it!”
They jumped off the bed and bounced around the bedroom, bumping chests and throwing clothes into the air. “We are the United! We are the United! We are the United!” they chanted at the top of their lungs.
Mr. Bradshaw stuck his head into the room. “Keep it down, will you,” he said sharply. “I told you I was—”
“We made it, Dad!” The words burst out of Josh. “The United! We made the team.”
Mr. Bradshaw’s head snapped back in surprise. “They’ve posted the roster already?”
Aidan turned the laptop around. “Take a look.”
Josh’s father leaned over the screen. A satisfied smile creased his face. “All right!” he said. “Congratulations!” He traded high fives with Josh and Aidan, then looked back at the screen. “Do you know any of these other guys?”
Josh and Aidan studied the roster.
“That guy Mario played in our league last year. He was good,” Josh said. “We got Patrick West too. He’s an awesome goalie.”
“And we played against that kid, Kadir Sims, in rec league,” Aidan said. “He was kind of a whiner. Always looking at the ref to call a penalty.”
“Remember, we were playing
against
him,” Josh said. “Now we’re going to be playing
with
him.”
Josh kept studying the roster. “Evan Perry. He was that kid with the fancy red shoes who played midfield during the scrimmages,” Josh recalled. “He acted like he’s the next Pelé or something.”
“Someone said he played for the United last season,” Aidan said. “He’s good.”
“Victor Baldassi played for the United last season too,” Josh added. “I’ve heard about him. He’s a terrific
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