his brother, I don’t
know what I’d do.”
“Hayes? Boy, there’s a guy who’s having a tough time on the ice!”
Jeff nodded. “Bucky’s mouthing at him probably doesn’t help. It’s funny, I heard the coach say Hayes’d be a decent player
if he’djust concentrate more. I bet that’s why he didn’t make the team last year.”
They mounted the steps to the rink. As they headed for the locker room, Kevin said, “Guess all that really matters is that
we get the chance to show the coach what a dynamic duo we are together. You at right wing with me right behind you. Right?”
“Right!”
The locker room was already crowded with boys lacing up their skates and pulling on their pads. Jeff and Kevin hurried to
join them. In no time at all, they were on the ice.
Coach Wallace blew his whistle.
“Okay, guys, this is it,” the coach announced.
“The last day of tryouts. I’m not going to bore you with the usual speech about how I wish I could put all of you on the team,
even though that’s the truth.” A few of theboys muttered and others hung their heads. “What you should know, however, is that I’ve decided to try something new this
year.” The same boys perked up again. “I’m going to keep two promising players on as alternates. They’ll practice with the
team and come to the games, though they’ll only play if nobody else on the team can. This may sound like a lousy position
to take. But consider how much stronger you’ll be next year, going into tryouts with a whole season of practices under your
belt. And here’s something else to think about: if for any reason I feel there’s someone on the team who’s slacking off, I
won’t hesitate to substitute one of the alternates in his place. Now get out there and warm up!”
As Jeff took to the ice, he knew his face was beet red. A few guys glanced his way, then quickly dropped their eyes. Jeff
wassure everyone there was thinking the same thing: this year, if he got kicked off the team, he wouldn’t be missed. Someone
else would be more than happy to step in. And more than ready.
4
A fter ten minutes of warm-up, Coach Wallace whistled the players back in line. He had them count off as either “in” or “out,”
then told the two groups to form circles at center ice.
“Here’s the drill,” he said. “I’m going to start the puck toward one of you. I want you to stop it, then pass it on to someone
else. Don’t skate after it. Just keep it moving. If you have to skate, if you miss the puck, or if you slip and fall, drop
out and head for the sideline.”
Coach Wallace gave a puck to the “out”group, then joined the “ins.” He dropped the puck in front of himself and shot it to Shep Fredrickson. Shep stopped it carefully.
He glanced around the ring and eased a pass to Michael Gillis. It slid right up to Michael’s stick.
This looks like a breeze, Jeff thought as he watched Michael pass to Bucky Ledbetter.
Still, he remained alert, his stick in ready position.
It was a good thing he did. Bucky flipped a fast but accurate pass to Chad Galbraith, but Chad was caught napping. Coach Wallace
motioned to him to skate aside. Bucky retrieved the puck and fired a lightning-quick shot right at Jeff.
Jeff reacted instantly. He stopped the puck with just enough give to keep it from bouncing back into the middle of the ring.
He sent a controlled pass across to Hayes.
After that, the competitive juices began toflow as each player tried to outsmart his opponents. One player after another had to leave the circle. Soon there were only
four players left: Bucky Ledbetter, Shep Fredrickson, Michael Gillis, and Jeff.
Bucky had just received a pass from Shep when Coach Wallace blew his whistle. Jeff glanced over at the coach, ready to learn
about the next drill.
Wham!
Out of nowhere came a pass so hard and powerful it almost knocked the stick from his hands. As the puck skittered away, Jeff
looked back
know what I’d do.”
“Hayes? Boy, there’s a guy who’s having a tough time on the ice!”
Jeff nodded. “Bucky’s mouthing at him probably doesn’t help. It’s funny, I heard the coach say Hayes’d be a decent player
if he’djust concentrate more. I bet that’s why he didn’t make the team last year.”
They mounted the steps to the rink. As they headed for the locker room, Kevin said, “Guess all that really matters is that
we get the chance to show the coach what a dynamic duo we are together. You at right wing with me right behind you. Right?”
“Right!”
The locker room was already crowded with boys lacing up their skates and pulling on their pads. Jeff and Kevin hurried to
join them. In no time at all, they were on the ice.
Coach Wallace blew his whistle.
“Okay, guys, this is it,” the coach announced.
“The last day of tryouts. I’m not going to bore you with the usual speech about how I wish I could put all of you on the team,
even though that’s the truth.” A few of theboys muttered and others hung their heads. “What you should know, however, is that I’ve decided to try something new this
year.” The same boys perked up again. “I’m going to keep two promising players on as alternates. They’ll practice with the
team and come to the games, though they’ll only play if nobody else on the team can. This may sound like a lousy position
to take. But consider how much stronger you’ll be next year, going into tryouts with a whole season of practices under your
belt. And here’s something else to think about: if for any reason I feel there’s someone on the team who’s slacking off, I
won’t hesitate to substitute one of the alternates in his place. Now get out there and warm up!”
As Jeff took to the ice, he knew his face was beet red. A few guys glanced his way, then quickly dropped their eyes. Jeff
wassure everyone there was thinking the same thing: this year, if he got kicked off the team, he wouldn’t be missed. Someone
else would be more than happy to step in. And more than ready.
4
A fter ten minutes of warm-up, Coach Wallace whistled the players back in line. He had them count off as either “in” or “out,”
then told the two groups to form circles at center ice.
“Here’s the drill,” he said. “I’m going to start the puck toward one of you. I want you to stop it, then pass it on to someone
else. Don’t skate after it. Just keep it moving. If you have to skate, if you miss the puck, or if you slip and fall, drop
out and head for the sideline.”
Coach Wallace gave a puck to the “out”group, then joined the “ins.” He dropped the puck in front of himself and shot it to Shep Fredrickson. Shep stopped it carefully.
He glanced around the ring and eased a pass to Michael Gillis. It slid right up to Michael’s stick.
This looks like a breeze, Jeff thought as he watched Michael pass to Bucky Ledbetter.
Still, he remained alert, his stick in ready position.
It was a good thing he did. Bucky flipped a fast but accurate pass to Chad Galbraith, but Chad was caught napping. Coach Wallace
motioned to him to skate aside. Bucky retrieved the puck and fired a lightning-quick shot right at Jeff.
Jeff reacted instantly. He stopped the puck with just enough give to keep it from bouncing back into the middle of the ring.
He sent a controlled pass across to Hayes.
After that, the competitive juices began toflow as each player tried to outsmart his opponents. One player after another had to leave the circle. Soon there were only
four players left: Bucky Ledbetter, Shep Fredrickson, Michael Gillis, and Jeff.
Bucky had just received a pass from Shep when Coach Wallace blew his whistle. Jeff glanced over at the coach, ready to learn
about the next drill.
Wham!
Out of nowhere came a pass so hard and powerful it almost knocked the stick from his hands. As the puck skittered away, Jeff
looked back
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