Zero to Hero
Authors: Seb Goffe
Seb Goffe
For my nephew, Will
Chapter Two Practice Makes Perfect
Chapter Three In With a Chance?
Chapter Eight Turning It Around
Throwing It Away
“Come on, Ravens!” shouted Will. “Just hold onto the ball!”
Ravenshill were leading by one goal to nil but the other team were fighting back.
Will and his best friend, Steve were on the touchline and cheering on the Ravens. “They will never hold on to the lead,” said Will. “Not playing like this.”
Steve nodded, and huddled into his coat. The rain was freezing cold. Steve didn't know why Will watched every game the school team played. After all, Will hadn't been picked for a team since junior school. But he was always there on the touch line.
The ball flew into the Ravenshill penalty area. The keeper punched it out, but only as far as the edge of the box.
A player from the other team got to the ball and fired a low hard shot at goal that ended up in the corner of the net.
A ragged cheer came up from the away fans. The ref blew a long blast on his whistle, and the game was over. The draw meant that Ravenshill were now very close to being relegated from their league.
“Come on,” said Steve. “I'm soaked, I want to get home.”
Will looked over at the Ravens team, who were listening to their coach, Mr Smith. He was sure Mr Smith would be telling them that the other team wanted to win more than they did.
“That's the third game in a row we've messed up, even though we were in the lead,” said Will as he and Steve made their way home.
“We can't spend a whole match chasing the ball,” he went on. “We need to bring our midfield in to control the game more. We can't just rely on being stronger and quicker than the other team.”
“I suppose you think you know it all,” said Steve. “Just because you can't get in the team because you're so small!” He knew this was mean, but he was fed up and very cold. “I suppose you think you'd make a difference to the team?”
“I might,” said Will, “if I was ever given a chance. But if Smithy wants to fill his team with sprinters and giants, what can I do?”
Every year Will tried out for the team but he never got picked. He just couldn't compete with players like Adam, the team's star striker.
“I don't know,” said Steve. “Maybe Smithy's tactics
are
useless, but he's still the coach.”
They had reached the end of Steve's road. “See you at school,” he said, and Will walked the rest of the way home on his own.
Practice Makes Perfect
“Did they win?” Will's mum asked as he got home.
“No,” he replied. “We threw it away again. I'm going outside to practise a bit.”
“But it's tipping it down out there, you'll get soaked!” said his mum.
“I'm already soaked, Mum!” shouted Will. He went out into the garden, and fished his football out from under a bush.
Will was completely football mad, and practised every single day. Sometimes he'd practise with Steve in the park. But some days when Steve was in a mood or couldn't be bothered, Will practised on his own.
He flicked the ball into the air and started doing keepy-uppies. Right foot, left foot, right foot⦠one, two, threeâ¦
When he got to ten he trapped the ball under his left foot, took a step back and kicked it towards the wall. He was aiming for a small circle painted half-way up.
The wet ball thudded into the wall just below the circle, and rolled back towards Will.
Good, but not perfect
, thought Will. He knew if he was ever going to get a chance in the team, he had to be the best to make up for his small size.
He started the routine again but using his right foot for the final kick. This time he hit the circle bang in the middle.
He kept this up for a while, aiming at different marks on the wall from different distances using both feet.
Then he dribbled around his set of training cones. At the end of each run he bounced the ball off the wall, controlled it, and started again.
His mum called him in for supper, but before he went in to eat he had one last go at keepy-uppies, just to see how many he could do.
He almost got to fifty, but skewed the ball off his left foot and lost it. He chased after the loose ball, and hammered it towards the wall, just hitting the edge of the circle.
He smiled, and then headed in before his mum got tired of waiting. When his chance in the team came, he knew he'd be ready.
In With a Chance?
The next Monday, as Will walked through the school gates, the playground seemed a lot less noisy than usual.
“Hey Steve!” he said. “Where is everyone today?”
“There's a flu bug going round,” said Steve. “Some of the football team have got it. Mr Smith is holding trials to get a team out for this weekend's match. There's a notice up in the main hall.”
Will's mind raced. Maybe this would be his big chance. If he could get in the team for one game, he could play so well they would have to keep him in the side, even after everyone had got better from the flu.
“How many players are away?” he asked Steve.
“Four or five,” said Steve. “So they can't just make do with the usual subs.”
“Cool,” said Will. “I'm going to go and sign up. See you in English.”
Will hurried off to the hall to find the notice. He saw Steve's name and a few others on the list. He hoped there wouldn't be so many others he'd miss out again.
Mr Smith had called a practice that afternoon. Will texted his mum to let her know he'd be home late, and put his name on the list.
The Trial
“Right,” said Mr Smith when all the boys had arrived. “We need to put out a team against Kingham on Saturday or we forfeit the match. Now, even using our subs there are still three gaps in the team: left wing, centre back and right back.”
Will's heart sank. There was no chance of him getting the place on the wing, or in central defence, because he wasn't fast or tall enough.
What he'd been hoping for was a chance in midfield, where he could show off his passing and ball control, but it looked like the only chance he would get would be at right back.
“James and Ed, you're the tallest,” said Mr Smith, “so you can try out for centre back. I need someone quick on the wing. David and Joe, you can take it in turns to play there.” Mr Smith looked over at Will and Steve. “That leaves you two to try out for right back.”
Will and Steve looked at each other. They would be going head to head for one place in the team, so one of them would have to miss out.
“Good luck, I suppose,” said Steve as Will got ready for the start of the trial. He was facing David on the wing, who was pretty good.