Kickoff!

by Tiki Barber

  OOF!

  It hit him right in the numbers. He grabbed it with both hands—cradling it, the way Matt had shown them—and gripped it tightly.

  He didn’t have time to look and see who was coming at him, and from where. But he knew he had to make a quick move to avoid whoever was coming. So he spun clockwise in a full circle to his left, and took off full speed, heading straight downfield.

  As he went, he felt a hand reach out and grab for his jersey. It caught his sleeve, but because they were going in opposite directions, Ronde’s speed allowed him to break free of the Rocket player’s grip.

  He saw two more white Rockets jerseys fly by him on either side, even though everything was a blur. Ronde’s heart was pounding so hard, he thought it would burst right out of him and flop out onto the field—but he kept running anyway!

  The Rockets were converging on him now from every direction. Ronde saw a tiny seam open to his right. He spun again—this time counter-clockwise—heading directly across the field to the right.

  All the Rockets, who had been running the opposite way, now had to stop in their tracks and reverse course. While they were doing that, Ronde cut straight downfield again, breaking a tackle by the Rockets’ kicker.

  He could see the end zone ahead of him now! It seemed so close, and yet so far. From here on in, it was just a foot race between Ronde and one of the Rockets’ speediest players. He chased Ronde down the sideline, only a few feet behind him.

  Ronde ran for all he was worth. He could barely breathe, and his ears were stopped up by the pounding of his heart so that he couldn’t hear the cheering from the Eagles’ sideline.

  But he knew his teammates were yelling their guts out for him to score. And Ronde was determined to make it all the way to the end zone.

  When he was at the five, he could sense that the other boy was making a last lunging leap to try to catch him. Ronde leapt forward too, stretching the ball out in front of him. He landed in the end zone, and hung on for dear life as the Rockets defender landed on top of him.

  Touchdown!

  Ronde lay there for a minute, trying to catch his breath. No sooner had he gotten to his feet than he was knocked over again by half a dozen of his joyful teammates, screaming and hollering. The stunned crowd was on their feet, cheering.

  Finally, a hand reached out and grabbed Ronde’s, hoisting him to his feet again.

  “Tiki!”

  “Yeah, it’s me,” said his smiling twin.

  “You okay?”

  “Yeah, you?”

  “Uh-huh. Thanks for picking me up, man,” Ronde said.

  “No, thank you for picking me up,” Tiki told him. “You did it, bro—you came through big-time!”

  The brothers walked off the field together, arms around each other’s shoulders.

  “I guess you must be feeling okay,” Ronde said.

  “I’m fine, man. Never been better,” Tiki said, grinning from ear to ear.

  His smile grew even wider when Adam kicked the extra point, giving the Eagles a 21–20 lead.

  • • •

  The rest of the game was a defensive battle, but the score never changed. The final gun sounded, and the Eagles all let out a victorious roar, hugging each other and jumping up and down.

  Ronde sprinted straight into the locker room. He needed a minute by himself, just to make sense of everything that had happened. Had he really scored the winning touchdown in the Eagles’ biggest game of the year?

  Yes, he had. The lowly third-stringer had come out of nowhere and surprised everybody!

  “Ronde?” It was Tiki, standing in the locker room doorway. “Hey, man, everybody’s looking for you! Come on, get back out there and get your props!”

  “Me?”

  Just then, the entire team came pouring through the doorway into the locker room, whooping and hollering at the tops of their lungs.

  “Hey, there he is!” Bryce shouted. “Come on, little man—take your lumps!”

  He grabbed Tiki, and with Boomer’s help, hoisted him onto his shoulders as everybody rubbed his head.

  “Ron-de! Ron-de! Ron-de!” they chanted, bouncing Tiki up and down.

  “Hey, you guys,” Tiki protested. “Ronde’s over there! I’m Tiki!”

  “Huh?” Bryce let him down, and looked over to where Ronde was sitting. “Oh, man, these little guys all look alike!”

  Everyone laughed. Just then, Coach Spangler came in with the game ball in his hands. “Well, gentlemen,” he said. “I guess I know who this goes to.”

  He handed it to Tiki. “That was one of the best runbacks I’ve seen in all my years at Hidden Valley. Great going, Barber.”

  “Thanks, Coach,” Tiki said, as everyone laughed. “But you’ve got the wrong guy.”

  Now it was Coach Spangler’s turn to be embarrassed. “Sorry,” he said. “I’ve got to get your numbers memorized, because otherwise, I’ll never be able to tell you two apart.”

  “That’s okay, Coach,” Ronde said.

  “Just remember,” Tiki said, “we’re two different people.”

  “No,” Ronde corrected him, putting one arm around his brother and holding the game ball tightly with the other. “We’re more than that—we’re a team.”

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  BETTER DAYS A HEAD

  * * *

  THE CELEBRATION WENT ON FOR ABOUT TEN more minutes. Then they all had to get showered and changed for the bus ride back to Hidden Valley, where their parents were waiting to pick them up.

  On the bus, Coach Spangler addressed the assembled troops: “Guys, we can be very proud of what we did today,” he said. “That team was the best one we’ll face all year. In fact, if you throw the Bears in, we’ve already beaten our stiffest competition of the season.

  “At the beginning of the year, I said I thought we had a chance to go undefeated. I feel even better about that possibility now.”

  Everyone yelled, cheered, and pounded the walls of the bus with their fists to make even more noise. But just by raising his hand, Coach Spangler turned the noise to silence in seconds.

  “But we’re not going to get there by letting up,” he warned them. “Those other teams may not be as good as the Bears or the Rockets—but any team can beat any other team on any given day. That’s the great thing about this game of football, and we’re no exception to the rule. We’ve got to go out there every week and give it our maximum effort, or one day we’re gonna lose one of those so-called easy games. And if we do, we’ll have only ourselves to blame. Remember, players make plays, but teams win championships.”

  The silence was deafening, as all the players thought long and hard about what he’d said.

  “Now, I’ve already talked to Jeff and Jesse. They’re gonna be okay in a few weeks. But that still means we’ll have to win with our subs next week.” He smiled, for the first time in his speech. “But I think we’ve found some good talent today,” he said, looking straight at the Barber boys.

  The bus erupted into cheers again, and everyone reached out to slap Tiki and Ronde on the back, the head, or the arm. They were so into it, the twins had to duck to avoid getting hurt.

  After his speech was over, Coach Spangler came over to them. “Good game, boys,” he said. “Both of you. I like the way you play the game, and speed never hurts, either.” He sighed. “But I want you to know that once those other guys are ready to come back, you two are back to being subs.”

  His words took Tiki totally by surprise. He could feel Ronde recoil next to him, too. “But—”

  “You played great today, like I said,” the coach assured them. “But I’ve still gotta be loyal to my veterans. After all, they’ve put in the time and the hard work. Hey, if it was you, you’d want me to be loyal to you, wouldn’t you?”

  Tiki and Ronde were silent. They couldn’t argue with that.

  “But don’t worry—now that I know what you guys can do in a big spot, you’ll be getting plenty of chances from here on in. And next year?”
He laughed, and clapped them both on the back. “Next year, the sky’s the limit!”

  Those were the words Tiki had longed to hear since he first dreamed of coming to Hidden Valley Junior High. They made him glow with happiness, from the top of his head right down to the tips of his toes. “Thanks, Coach,” he said.

  “Yeah, thanks!” Ronde echoed.

  The bus pulled into the parking lot, and all the kids got out. Mrs. Barber was waiting for Tiki and Ronde with a big smile on her face, and a camera in her hand.

  She quickly snapped their picture together, and the flash blinded Tiki for a second. When he could see again, he realized that someone else was there with his mom—Mrs. Pendergast!

  “Congratulations, you two!” Mrs. Barber said, beaming. “Congratulations, everybody!”

  “Hi, Ma,” Tiki said, hugging her. “Hi, Mrs. Pendergast.”

  “Hi,” Ronde said, waving to Mrs. Pendergast before being swept into his mom’s embrace. “Ma, you’re crushing me,” he said, making Tiki laugh.

  “Come on, boys,” said Mrs. Barber. “We’re going out for ice cream—we’ve all got so much to celebrate!”

  At Sweet Treats Ice Cream Parlor, their mom shared some more good news. “The company that wanted to build the factory withdrew their plans!” she said.

  “That’s great, Ma!” Tiki said.

  “Yeah,” Ronde agreed. “Now you won’t have to do that kind of stuff anymore.”

  Their mom and Mrs. Pendergast shared a look. “There are always more battles to fight,” said Mrs. Pendergast.

  “There are?” Tiki said.

  “Oh, yes,” said their mom. “We’ve got to do whatever good in the world we can, boys.”

  “Well, whatever it is, Ma, you can count on us,” Tiki said.

  “That’s right,” said Ronde. “We’re a team, all of us.”

  “Oh, I’m so pleased to hear that!” said Mrs. Pendergast. “I think this calls for a Double-Sized Kitchen Sink Sundae—what do you say?”

  Tiki said yes, naturally. But he didn’t say what he was really thinking—that in spite of being kind of different, Mrs. Pendergast had turned out to be a pretty cool lady.

  • • •

  The sun was just about to set, but Tiki and Ronde were still out on the street, throwing the ball around. It was just the two of them now—Adam and Paco had gone home to eat supper, and Chris and Jason never had time for touch football anymore. Jason had track, and Chris—well, he had debating team, and Model U.N., and Scouts, and a bunch of other stuff.

  But the Barber boys didn’t mind playing alone. Monday afternoon, they’d be practicing with Matt Clayton again, along with all their new friends on the Eagles.

  New friends, Tiki thought. Until now, all his friends were kids he’d known his whole life. And while Tiki knew he never wanted to lose touch with them, or stop being friends with them, he had so much more in common with the guys on the team. It wasn’t just them, either—there were some kids in his classes he’d started having lunch with, too.

  And of course, there was always his best friend—his brother, Ronde. Even though they didn’t wear the same clothes or have classes together anymore, they were closer than they’d ever been.

  Their mom had been right about that, Tiki thought, as she almost always was about everything.

  Man, how lucky were he and Ronde to have a mom like theirs, who stood up and spoke out. She showed them how to be by the way she was herself. . . .

  “Yo, wake up!” Ronde said, startling Tiki back to attention. “You’d better go long before I get myself sacked!”

  Tiki laughed as he trotted down the street, waiting for the pass to come.

  Life was good, he thought, reaching out to haul in the ball.

  “Barber makes the grab!” Ronde shouted, doubling as the sportscaster since Chris wasn’t around. “Touchdown, Eagles!”

  Tiki had to smile. He’d only been at Hidden Valley a month, and look at all he’d learned already.

  And to think he’d been nervous about going to junior high! What a start to the year.

  FOOTBALL TERMS

  blitz: a rush on a passer, usually sending more players than the offense can block.

  block: to prevent a player from getting to another player or a specific part of the field.

  center: a member of the offensive line who starts a down by passing the ball between his legs to the quarterback.

  chip shot: an easy, short field goal.

  cornerback: a defensive back defending the wide receiver.

  defense: the team attempting to prevent the opposing team from scoring.

  defensive back: a player responsible for preventing receivers from catching passes.

  down: a complete play, advancing the ball.

  end zone: the area where touchdowns are made, located at either end of the field between the goal line and the end line.

  fullback: a player in the offensive backfield for blocking and line plunges.

  fumble: to lose hold of the ball while it’s in play.

  halfback: see running back.

  interception: when the defense prevents the pass of the opposing team, resulting in a change of possession.

  line: a demarcation across the field parallel to the end line.

  line of scrimmage: an imaginary line that marks the position of the ball at the start of each down.

  linebacker: a defensive player who lines up five to seven yards behind the line of scrimmage to make tackles on running plays or defend against short passes.

  offense: the team in possession of the ball attempting to score.

  possession: control of the ball.

  punt: to kick a ball downfield to the opposing team. The ball is dropped from the hands and kicked with the top of the foot before it meets the ground.

  quarterback: an offensive player who lines up behind the center, calls signals, and initiates most plays.

  running back: an offensive player who lines up in the backfield and whose job it is to run with the ball, block, and catch short passes.

  sack: 1. to tackle the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage before he can throw a pass. 2. a kind of defensive back.

  safety: 1. when a member of the offense is tackled behind its own goal line, resulting in two points for the defense. 2. a member of the defensive backfield who occupies the deepest position to prevent the other team from scoring.

  screen pass: a short pass made to appear as though it will be a long pass in order to fool the defense into rushing forward.

  scrimmage: 1. play that begins when the ball is snapped and ends when the ball is dead. 2. when the team practices, playing against itself to experience play as if in a “real game.”

  snap: to put a football into play with a brisk move.

  special teams: units usually composed of second- and third-string players on the field for kickoffs, free kicks, field goals, and extra points.

  tackle: 1. to stop, seize, or throw down an opposing player in possession of the ball. 2. a strong blocking player on the offensive line, primarily in charge of outside protection. 3. a defensive lineman.

  take a knee: an action performed by the quarterback, dropping to one knee after receiving the snap, automatically ending the play. Usually used at the end of a game to run down the clock without putting the ball at risk.

  touchdown: being in possession of the ball on, above, or behind an opponent’s goal line when it is declared dead, earning a score of six points.

  wide receiver: a pass-catching specialist who lines up several yards to the side of the offensive formation. Fast and agile, he or she is often responsible for the biggest plays made by the offensive team.

  SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  Copyright © 2007 by Tiki Barber and Ronde Barber

  All rights reserved, incl
uding the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  SIMON & SCHUSTER BOOKS FOR YOUNG READERS

  is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  Book design by Kristin Smith

  The text for this book is set in Melior.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

  Barber, Tiki, 1975–

  Kickoff! / by Tiki and Ronde Barber ; with Paul Mantell. — 1st ed.

  p. cm.

  “A Paula Wiseman book.”

  ISBN-13: 978-1-4169-3618-3 (hardcover : alk. paper)

  ISBN-10: 1-4169-3618-1 (hardcover : alk. paper)

  1. Barber, Tiki, 1975—Childhood and youth—Juvenile literature. 2. Barber, Ronde, 1975 Childhood and youth—Juvenile literature. 3. Football players—United States—Biography—Juvenile literature. 4. Brothers—United States—Biography—Juvenile literature.

  I. Barber, Ronde, 1975– II. Mantell, Paul. III. Title.

  GV939.A1B36455 2007

  796.332’092—dc22

  [B]

  2007016650

  ISBN 13: 978-1-4169-8466-5 (ebook)