there. Then she checked the list of people who had definitely made the team—but her name wasn’t there, either. Alex’s heart sunk deep into her stomach.
Coach Gregorson, a tall, redheaded woman who also taught Alex’s PE class, was standing next to the bulletin board with a clipboard, assigning groups of girls who were on the third list to tryout teams. “Alex,” Coach Gregorson called. “Come on over.”
Alex walked over, feeling nervous. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi, hon,” Coach Gregorson said, looking down at her clipboard. “So, I’m going to put you on the A team for tryouts tonight. That will start at four. Is that okay?”
“Yes,” Alex said. “Can I ask you a question?” Her stomach felt like it was in knots.
“Sure,” the coach said, scribbling something onto her clipboard. “What’s up?”
“Well,” Alex began. “Um . . . it’s just that in fifth grade, I was the MVP of my team . . .”
Coach smiled. “Don’t worry, Alex,” she said consolingly. “A lot of the girls who weren’t immediately placed onto the team are nervous. You’ll be fine, and if you don’t make it, you’ll try out again next year. No matter what, the second round gives me a better idea of what you can do, and it will give you valuable experience.” She patted Alex on the shoulder. “See you at four.” She grabbed her packet of passes out of her pocket and quickly scribbled one for Alex. Alex walked away, shoving her pass into her pocket.
Alex spent the last two periods of the day in a nervous haze. After school, she was so worried about the tryouts, she could hardly stand it. After the final bell rang, she put her books into her locker and walked around the halls aimlessly for a few minutes. Then she popped into the computer lab, since she knew she had an hour to kill, and checked into the Camp Lakeview blog.
Posted by: Val
Subject: Hi, everybody!
Sorry it’s taken me so long to write anything other than a response! We didn’t have Internet access for a while. Anyway, It’s been cool to see what everyone is doing.
I’m back at school, having a great time—middle school is different, but it’s so much fun! I’ve already met a bunch of new people—it’s really great.
Love, Val
Alex wanted to post about the upcoming tryouts, about how nervous she was that she wouldn’t make the team, about feeling like she wasn’t good enough, and about how hard middle school was for her. But she just couldn’t do it. She trusted and loved her camp friends so much, but she didn’t want them to see her feeling like she might fail. She closed the browser window and got up.
After leaving the computer lab, she headed for the locker room, where she changed into her practice clothes. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, tied her sneakers in double knots, and checked the time. It was three forty-five, fifteen minutes before her tryout was scheduled to begin. I guess I’ll go and watch the other group , she thought, trying to get excited about playing.
Outside on the field, Coach Gregorson blew on her whistle. “That’s enough, kids—great work today,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. The group of girls gathered around her. “Okay. Coach Henry, Coach Lisa, and I will be talking to you about whether you’ve made the team, and if you have, what position you’ll be playing and what your goals should be for the season. Please take a seat on the grass and come over when we call you. Let’s start with Jane.”
A girl with long, braided brown hair walked tentatively toward Coach Gregorson and Henry and Lisa, who were two high-school kids who helped Coach Gregorson. The other players scattered into small groups along the sidelines of the field. From her seat in the bleachers, Alex watched as the coaches sat down with Jane and talked to her. After a minute or so, Jane got up, looking really happy, and walked toward the school. Another girl walked over and sat down with the coaches, but it
Coach Gregorson, a tall, redheaded woman who also taught Alex’s PE class, was standing next to the bulletin board with a clipboard, assigning groups of girls who were on the third list to tryout teams. “Alex,” Coach Gregorson called. “Come on over.”
Alex walked over, feeling nervous. “Hi,” she said.
“Hi, hon,” Coach Gregorson said, looking down at her clipboard. “So, I’m going to put you on the A team for tryouts tonight. That will start at four. Is that okay?”
“Yes,” Alex said. “Can I ask you a question?” Her stomach felt like it was in knots.
“Sure,” the coach said, scribbling something onto her clipboard. “What’s up?”
“Well,” Alex began. “Um . . . it’s just that in fifth grade, I was the MVP of my team . . .”
Coach smiled. “Don’t worry, Alex,” she said consolingly. “A lot of the girls who weren’t immediately placed onto the team are nervous. You’ll be fine, and if you don’t make it, you’ll try out again next year. No matter what, the second round gives me a better idea of what you can do, and it will give you valuable experience.” She patted Alex on the shoulder. “See you at four.” She grabbed her packet of passes out of her pocket and quickly scribbled one for Alex. Alex walked away, shoving her pass into her pocket.
Alex spent the last two periods of the day in a nervous haze. After school, she was so worried about the tryouts, she could hardly stand it. After the final bell rang, she put her books into her locker and walked around the halls aimlessly for a few minutes. Then she popped into the computer lab, since she knew she had an hour to kill, and checked into the Camp Lakeview blog.
Posted by: Val
Subject: Hi, everybody!
Sorry it’s taken me so long to write anything other than a response! We didn’t have Internet access for a while. Anyway, It’s been cool to see what everyone is doing.
I’m back at school, having a great time—middle school is different, but it’s so much fun! I’ve already met a bunch of new people—it’s really great.
Love, Val
Alex wanted to post about the upcoming tryouts, about how nervous she was that she wouldn’t make the team, about feeling like she wasn’t good enough, and about how hard middle school was for her. But she just couldn’t do it. She trusted and loved her camp friends so much, but she didn’t want them to see her feeling like she might fail. She closed the browser window and got up.
After leaving the computer lab, she headed for the locker room, where she changed into her practice clothes. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail, tied her sneakers in double knots, and checked the time. It was three forty-five, fifteen minutes before her tryout was scheduled to begin. I guess I’ll go and watch the other group , she thought, trying to get excited about playing.
Outside on the field, Coach Gregorson blew on her whistle. “That’s enough, kids—great work today,” she said, putting her hands on her hips. The group of girls gathered around her. “Okay. Coach Henry, Coach Lisa, and I will be talking to you about whether you’ve made the team, and if you have, what position you’ll be playing and what your goals should be for the season. Please take a seat on the grass and come over when we call you. Let’s start with Jane.”
A girl with long, braided brown hair walked tentatively toward Coach Gregorson and Henry and Lisa, who were two high-school kids who helped Coach Gregorson. The other players scattered into small groups along the sidelines of the field. From her seat in the bleachers, Alex watched as the coaches sat down with Jane and talked to her. After a minute or so, Jane got up, looking really happy, and walked toward the school. Another girl walked over and sat down with the coaches, but it
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