Saving the Team by Alex Morgan Page B

Coach’s eyes I had never seen before. At the very least I had gotten her thinking a little differently. I talked to her about my ideas for team-bonding events, and for some drills we could run. Coach began to get excited and began to come up with a lot of great ideas. She knew a ton about formations, and she had done lots of different kinds of drills in her heyday. By the time our practice would have been over, and my dad was outside waiting to pick me up, we both felt energized and excited about the possibilities.
    â€œThanks for coming to talk to me, Devin,” she said. “I know it must have been hard for you, but I had no idea any of you were feeling like this or that the team was being teased. I’ll make sure to let you all know that we have an open dialogue here. I just want you girls to be happy, and I mistakenly thought what I would have wanted at your age is what you girls wanted too. I’m sorry about that.”
    Coach Flores was supernice. If she could put her ideas into action and start to lead the team, she could be the best coach ever! “It’s okay,” I told her. “I’m just excited for our next practice now!”
    Coach smiled. “You know what? So am I! See you tomorrow!” she said.
    â€œYou got it, Coach!” I raced out of her office, feeling like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. No more Mirabelle. And Coach was open to all my ideas! I felt like singing as I climbed into the car.
    â€œWow!” Dad remarked as he looked at my face. “You’re all smiles!”
    I felt my grin widen. “I have a feeling that the Kangaroos have just turned over a new leaf!”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

    I could barely sleep that night, I was so charged about all the new plans for the Kangaroos.
    But there were some problems I wasn’t sure even Coach could help with. Like Emma’s clumsiness, Frida’s not wanting to be on the team at all, and Zoe’s stage fright. A lightbulb went off in my head. I didn’t know what to do about Emma just yet, but I think I had a way to help Zoe and Frida!
    When I got up in the morning, I grabbed my phone and sent a group text to Jessi, Emma, Zoe, Frida, Brianna, Sarah, and Anna.
    New day, new Kangaroos! Meet me after practice. I have an idea.
    I raced to our dusty practice field after school. Even the crummy garbage-can goals looked better to me today. This was a new start! But I could tell the rest of the teamdidn’t feel so happy, especially the eighth graders.
    I overheard two eighth graders, Grace and Anjali, talking. They were the girls who’d hung out with us for a little bit at the dance. I didn’t know them too well, but they seemed pretty nice.
    â€œWe were supposed to be friends,” Anjali was complaining. “She didn’t even say good-bye.”
    Part of the problem with our team was that the seventh graders and eighth graders didn’t interact much. That had been mostly Mirabelle’s doing. But now that she was out of the picture, it was time to change that.
    Coach Flores wasn’t there yet, but I took charge.
    â€œGather round!” I yelled. Some of them looked surprised to hear me raising my voice.
    When everyone had gotten together, I started talking. “Look,” I said. “I know things haven’t been so great. But we can turn it around. I found out yesterday that back in the nineties the Kicks were state champions two years in a row! In fact, that’s when they got their nickname. It was because of their awesome footwork. And Coach Flores was on the championship team!”
    It sounded like a group of bees had descended on the field. Everyone started buzzing at the news!
    â€œIf we were state champions once, we can be again!” I yelled over the girls’ excited chatter. “It’s time to turn this team around and be a team worthy of the name ‘Kicks.’ With Mirabelle gone I need an eighth grader to be