Live Love Lacrosse

by Barbara Clanton

  As the coach read off the list of the Onondaga Owls girls’ lacrosse roster, Addie’s mood sank as he got further down the list and her name wasn’t called. Kimi and Brooke made the team, of course. There had been no doubt about that. He got to the end of the list and said, “Thank you all for trying out. If you didn’t make the team, then work hard, come back next year, and try out again, okay?”

  Addie’s heart fell. She had worked so hard. Sometimes hard work didn’t pay off. She took off her gloves one at a time, fighting back tears. All this expensive stuff she’d made her parents buy for her and she wasn’t going to be able to use any of it.

  Kimi put an arm around her and hugged her awkwardly. “He’s right, you know.”

  “About what?” Addie wiped at the tears in her eyes. There were several other girls doing the same thing.

  “About trying out again. Working hard.”

  “Whatever.” Addie turned away from Kimi and headed toward her new expensive equipment bag and rolled her eyes. All she wanted to do was get out of there as quickly as she could. She could curl up on the front porch and read about Captain Janeway. Yeah, that sounded good right about now.

  A loud whistle blew, and Addie was going to ignore it, seeing as she wasn’t a member of the team and all, but then Coach Cairns made an incredible announcement. “Any girl who did not make the first-team cuts, please gather around me.” Addie wasn’t sure what was happening, but at Kimi’s urging, circled up around Coach Cairns.

  “Girls, even though you didn’t make the team this summer, I’ve convinced Coach Marks to give you all an incredible opportunity.” She put her hand up on one side of her mouth and loudly whispered, “And it took a lot of convincing, I have to tell you.”

  Addie laughed along with the other girls that had been cut. At least she hadn’t been the only one.

  Coach Cairns flicked her long dark braid over her shoulder. “I was adamant that we not discourage anyone away from the game I love.” She stood up taller. “Each and every one of you has potential. There was not a single one of you who can’t play this game given a little more work and coaching. And that is why we are inviting you all to stay as the second team. Now, there are conditions to this. You’ll practice with the first team, but you may not be put in games.” She looked over the heads of the girls to a handful of parents who were listening intently. “So we want you to stay and practice to improve your skills, but you may not get any game time. Okay?” Everyone nodded.

  Kimi stood in a group surrounding Coach Marks. She must have been eavesdropping because she nodded at Addie so vigorously that Addie almost laughed out loud.

  “Be forewarned, though,” Coach Cairns continued, “if you plan to stay, we expect you to do everything the first team does. Like Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday practices and games. And,” she looked at each one of them in turn, “that also includes warming down with three laps. So if you’re planning on staying, you’d better get going. The first team has already started its first lap.” She pointed to the first team turning the corner at the endline.

  “I hope you’ll stay, Addie,” Coach Cairns said to her.

  “Thanks, Coach,” Addie said. “I think I will.”

  “I’m glad,” Coach Cairns said. A big smile crept up her face. “You’d better hustle.”

  Addie sprinted as if she wasn’t about to collapse. She ran with the four other girls who had decided to stay on. She rounded the first turn and then, out of nowhere, her legs gave out on her. She fell to the ground, groaning in agony as first one then the other leg cramped up on her. Not sure how to relieve the pain she held her breath as the cramps seized her. Gasping for air, she tightened up against the pain.

  Coach Cairns rushed over and massaged the cramping muscles. “You probably overdid it today. It is a little humid.” She continued to massage Addie’s muscles and by the time Addie felt relief, a crowd had gathered around her. “Addie, Addie, Addie. You scared me. I think you just overdid it today. Look, I’ll drive you home, that way I can talk to your parents, but you have to make sure you drink plenty of fluids for the rest of the day, okay? Can you do that? Even when you don’t want any?”

  Addie nodded. “Yes, Coach.”

  Kimi sprinted over. “Are you okay? What happened?”

  “I’m okay.” Addie tried to laugh it off. “I’m just fat. It’s not fatal.”

  Chapter 15

  Attacker

  AFTER THE PRACTICE on Saturday, Addie slept until dinner, stumbled down the stairs to eat soup and then practically crawled her way back up the stairs to go back to bed. Kimi wanted to do some running and get some practice in on Sunday, but Addie was so sore and tired, that she had to pass. Oh, she wanted to practice, but her body was sore in places she didn’t know she had. Even lifting her arm to brush her teeth was difficult. She totally expected Troy to give her grief over how tired and sore she was, but he barely spoke to her. He barely spoke to anyone. Addie figured out why he was so quiet. He was mad. He was mad at their dad for getting in a fight with their mom, and at their mom for making them spend the summer in Syracuse instead of back home. Addie was mad, too, but that didn’t mean she was going to stop speaking to everyone.

  Once Tuesday evening practice rolled around, Addie was feeling better and ready to move. She had been drinking fluids, including the Gatorade that Coach Cairns had recommended, and eating mainly soups. Eating soup was a good way to feel full, but not take in too much real food. Calories in, after all, had to be less than calories out, and she had to offset the calories in the Gatorade.

  On their jog to the park, Kimi was uber-excited because after drills, they were going to scrimmage. That made Addie nervous because she didn’t know anything about the positions, except goalie which she definitely did not want to be, and was afraid she’d look stupid. Of course, since she was only on the second team, and she might not get to play at all anyway.

  Coach Cairns came up to them as they were stretching on the sideline. “Hey, girls. Are you feeling better, Addie?”

  “Much better. Thanks, Coach.” Addie smiled. “I’m doing my best to get in shape, I guess.”

  “Good for you. Just keep drinking those fluids.” Coach Cairns turned to go, but then looked back. “I’m glad you came back, Addie.”

  “Me, too.” And she was. Hopefully her new diet regimen would start showing results soon. Brooke wasn’t the only one who gave her disdainful looks, and one day she hoped to run rings around everybody else and be so in shape that everyone would keep asking to see her monstrous bicep muscles.

  Coach Marks blew his whistle and the madness that was lacrosse drills continued right where it had left off on Saturday. After two water breaks, they finally broke up into a half-field scrimmage.

  “Second team and subs gather here with me on the sidelines,” Coach Cairns called them over. “If you already know what position you want to play, that’s great, but let me point out some of the positions. Watch these players if you aren’t sure yet. Brooke, obviously, is a goalie – you have to be a little crazy to play that position in my opinion.” The five girls surrounding the coach laughed. “For attack, you should watch the sisters.” She pointed toward two girls standing together at midfield. “Taylor and Paige.” Addie had seen them play the weekend before, and both of them were crazy good. “And for you insane middies out there, watch Kimi. She is all over the place. You have to have a lot of stamina to play this position, because you have to play both defense and offense. Defenders watch Megan. Okay, I have to go referee. I want you second-teamers to figure out a position that intrigues you, but try to learn all the positions, okay?” There were several head nods.

  Coach Marks blew his whistle and called out, “Defense, every attacker must be covered. Offense, you must find a way around the defensive coverage. The drill stops when there is either a goal–”

  “Not going to happen, Coach,” Brooke called from the end line and pounded her chest with a gloved fist. She had on her full regalia of goalie pads, helmet, and
oversized stick. She looked downright mean.

  “I like your attitude, Goalie,” Coach Marks called back to Brooke. “The drill stops when there’s either a goal or the defense gets the ball. We reset when that happens. Got it?”

  A chorus of “got it” echoed across the field.

  Coach Marks backed away and then rolled a ball onto the field toward Taylor who scooped it up cleanly and sprinted toward the goal. Kimi was on her instantly, but Taylor dodged and broke free. Addie was surprised that Kimi had gotten beat. Even Addie could tell that Taylor was going to fake left. It was all in the mid-section. You watched a person’s hips, not the arms or the shoulders or the feet. Those were fake-outs. Wherever the hips went, so went the person. Addie had learned that from avoiding Troy’s ninja attacks.

  Taylor made it past all the defensive players and all the way to the goal, but sailed her shot over the net.

  Coach Cairns’ whistle blared as she ran by. “Hey, can one of you guys go get that?”

  “I’ll go,” Addie said and jogged after the ball.

  She wanted to show the coaches that she had recovered from Saturday’s temporary setback and that she was a team player. When another ball skipped past the end line, she figured she should just hang out there and retrieve balls. Standing behind the goal gave her an incredible view of the players. Watching the fierce determined look in Taylor’s eyes as she headed toward the goal fired her up. Her sister Paige had an equally ferocious look when she was directing her teammates. Attackers. They were intense. Addie wondered if she’d make a good attacker. Attackers scored goals, and she had scored that one goal on Brooke the other day. Hmm.

  Addie stood mesmerized by Kimi’s crisp and precise movements as she tried to prevent the attackers from reaching Brooke’s goal. And, Brooke, wow, she had a single determined focus not to let any ball get in that goal. She wasn’t always successful, but watching her move, you could tell that she was determined.

  “We’re going to have a good team,” Addie muttered, but then checked herself. “They are going to have a good team.” She wasn’t exactly on the team.

  The first-team players that had been hanging on the sideline got cycled in and out of the scrimmage, but the second-teamers didn’t. They had to be content watching or running after loose balls.

  Addie ran after another missed shot on goal and muttered, “I guess all I’m going to do all summer is chase down missed shots.” She’d take it, though, because it was a really good way to get calories out.

  Coach Marks blew his whistle. “Water! Five minutes.”

  The girls sauntered off the field. It was obvious that they were tired. Addie was also tired from running after all the loose balls, but she was also kind of bored-tired, too.

  “You guys look great out there,” Addie said to Kimi and Brooke.

  Kimi frowned. “Not really.”

  “What are you talking about?” Addie asked.

  Brooke laughed. “Taylor keeps burning her, and that makes Kimi mad.” Brooke laughed again and walked away to talk to some of the defenders.

  “It’s all in the middle, Kimi,” Addie said. “They can fake you out with their arms and shoulders and even their feet, but they have to go wherever their hips go.”

  “That makes sense, I guess.” Kimi still sounded bummed.

  “C’mon, you can do it,” Addie encouraged. “Who are you anyway? My friend Kimi is a fierce warrior.”

  A glimmer of amusement crept up Kimi’s face. “You know what? You’re right!” She stood up tall and pounded her chest with one fist. “I am midfield! I am everywhere! Including right in Taylor’s face!”

  “That’s the spirit.”

  Coach Cairns called over. “Hey, Addie, Anne-Marie has to go home.” She pointed to one of the girls heading toward the parking lot with her bag over her shoulder. “I’ve convinced Coach Marks to put you in. Attacker.” Before Addie could ask why, Coach Cairns said to Kimi, “Give her the break down on the attacker position and what she has to do, okay?”

  With guidance from Kimi, Addie knew where to stand and what part of the field to cover. She had to laugh when Kimi said that in theory Addie’s main focus was to try to score, but in reality her best bet was to pass the ball to Taylor or Paige and let them do the scoring. And that was basically it.

  “And,” Kimi added as they headed onto the field, “good luck getting past me.”

  If Addie hadn’t been so nervous, she would have smiled at Kimi’s maniacal laugh. She steeled her nerves and decided to be strong like the time Captain Janeway snuck onto the Borg cube to disable its engines.

  She felt a little better when the girls on offense gave her encouragement.

  Two minutes into the play, a loose ball bounced near her. Addie scooped it up, amazed that she’d done it so smoothly, but before she could do a thing with the ball, Kimi was on her and knocked the ball out of her stick head.

  “Sorry,” Kimi said as she scooped up the ball, ending the drill.

  “Crud,” Addie muttered under her breath. “I messed that one up.”

  “Reset,” Coach Marks yelled with a frown. He turned to Addie. “C’mon, kid, know where the defenders are.”

  “Yes, Coach.” Addie said, determined to do better.

  Coach Marks rolled the ball into play, and Paige scooped it up cleanly. She dodged one defender and ran right toward Addie. Not sure what to do, Addie got out of her way and circled back to fill in the area where Paige had been. Paige headed toward a wall of defenders and then flicked the ball toward Addie. Addie hadn’t been expecting it, and missed it cleanly. The only thing she could do was watch helplessly as it bounced out of bounds.

  “Double crud.” Addie blew out a sigh. She didn’t know what she was doing.

  “Sub!” Coach Marks called out. The frustration was clear in his voice. One of the first-team players on the sideline came in to take her place.

  Addie ran off the field, hanging her head in shame. All those circuit stations and running drills that she and Kimi did together, none of those taught her what to do in an actual game.

  The other second-teamers congratulated her when she got off the field.

  “Thanks, you guys. It’s a lot harder than it looks.” She sat down and took a swig of Gatorade. She had only been out there for three minutes, but it was long enough to sap every ounce of energy right out of her. It wasn’t quite as bad as Saturday, but an overall feeling of exhaustion took over her.

  “Nice job, Addie,” Coach Cairns said as she ran by. “You knew to fill the lane Paige left open for you. Good instincts.”

  “Thanks, Coach.”

  Okay, wow. So she had good instincts. She leaned back on her elbows as fatigue permeated her bones. She didn’t belong on the field with those girls. They were so much better than she was. And they were in so much better shape. She rubbed a hand over her big belly. None of the other girls had a fat belly like she did, and all of the other girls could outrun and outlast her at everything.

  Addie sat up and took a deep breath. She resolved to do two things. The first was to continue to keep her intake of calories to a bare minimum. The second was to watch lacrosse on TV between now and Thursday’s practice. That way she’d have a fighting chance of figuring out what the heck attackers were supposed to do.

  Chapter 16

  Willpower

  IT WAS THE last day of July, exactly four weeks since she’d met Kimi and exactly two weeks since she’d played in her first team scrimmage. Okay, so she’d only played for three whole minutes, but still—four weeks before, the words exercise and sports weren’t in her vocabulary. And now she sat in a circle with her team, her dark blue t-shirt emblazoned with the words “Onondaga Owls” across the front; a big number twenty one on the front and on the back. She was getting ready for their first real game against a real team, the Van Buren Vipers. Of course, Addie probably wouldn’t get in the game at all, but it was awesome to feel like she was part of the team.

  In those two weeks since her first scri
mmage, Addie had tried to find lacrosse games on television, but couldn’t find any. Kimi quipped they couldn’t find a cameraman fast enough; that’s why lacrosse wasn’t on TV. Luckily, though, Kimi had a few games recorded on her family’s DVR. They spent every free moment watching the Syracuse Orange Women’s lacrosse team play. Addie was mesmerized by the fast pace. Kimi instructed her on every position, while Addie drank in every word.

  She found that she really liked the attack positions with the fast action and scoring goals. Coach Cairns must have thought Addie would like it, too, because whenever the team scrimmaged, she’d put Addie in the attacker position for a few minutes. And Addie was catching on. She even caught a few of the passes Paige sent her way. And Addie was getting better at knowing how and when to pass the ball so Taylor could score. Of course, Addie still couldn’t run like the other girls. That had become extremely obvious when Coach Marks made them do full-field scrimmages. Addie could barely keep up with the speed of the game.

  During those two weeks since her first ever scrimmage, Addie discovered that her heavy no-energy feeling came on quickly if she didn’t eat before workouts, so she compromised and ate either an apple or an orange or even a banana before leaving the house. They were only about one-hundred calories each, so she’d do a gazillion sit-ups and push-ups after each workout to try and offset the extra calories. And eating only salads for dinner with a little chicken or hardboiled egg on it was also helping make sure the calories in were at a bare minimum.

  She hadn’t had any more leg cramps. Well, not that many. Okay, sometimes she felt light-headed when they ran or when she got up too fast, but she powered through. Willpower. The diet book said willpower was the key. Mind over matter. Addie was amazed to find she was able to ignore the jerk when he taunted her with bacon or cookies or chips now that he had officially found out she was on a diet. Her “calories in less than calories out” strategy seemed to be working, too. The scale in her grandmother’s bathroom said she’d lost sixteen pounds. She had no idea how much she should weigh, but she still had a muffin top so obviously she had more pounds to lose. She hated the fact that she’d had to buy girls’ size large clothes at Dick’s Sporting Goods. She knew the pretty sales girl was thinking she was a big fat pig but was, thankfully, too polite to say anything.