I was sitting in the principal’s office, waiting for a short chat. Today just seemed to be a really off-day for me. First I go up to Brent and stop him from bullying me and another nerd, then I miss class. Something has to be wrong here. It’s like I just switched roles with Brent... Wait a second... Maybe I did? I mean, it would explain the beating him up for a change. There’s no way in the world I could beat Brent in a fight. But how could it have happened? No way, I’m just dreamin’. This was all just my imagination. Brent is just tired and I’m just slow. I have to stop reading all those super hero comics...
I was still waiting in the Principal’s office when I heard the door open behind me. I quickly turned to find Principal O’Shaughnessy walking through the door. He didn’t even give me a glance as he walked to his desk. He sat down and spun the chair around to face me. Now he was staring at me with such force, it scared me. But his look wasn’t mad or angry, it looked upset and surprised to see me in here. We sat in silence for a few minutes, until Principal O'Shaughnessy said
“Jake, what happened?”

“Brent was causing trouble in the halls again, and I got him to stop and go to class. But then I ended up late...”

“Don’t worry, this won’t affect your files much, since it’s only your first time, just don’t do it again.”

I could tell how disappointed he looked, but he wasn’t mad.

“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure I’m at class on time.”

“Thank you Jake. Now I don’t want to see you in here ever again. I know you’re a good student, and will do anything for your education. And it’s your first time in here. So I’ll let you off the hook for now, but consider this a warning, ok?”

“Yes Sir.”

I didn’t know what to feel when I left that room. I had never gotten in trouble before, and I had to make sure it didn’t happen again. I didn’t like it one bit.

My mom pulled up out front of the school to pick me up. I crept up to the door, expecting my mom to explode on me when I got into the car. I slowly opened the door, and closed it even slower. “Here it comes...” I thought. I winced when the car door shut and braced for my mom’s wrath..., but nothing came my way. Throughout the entire ride, the car was silent. I didn’t know what to say to my mom and I thought for a second that maybe things were ok, but I looked closer and realized the worry and I said “Mom, everything was ok. Principal O’Shaughnessy gave me a warning because of my good files, but I just need to be more careful. I wasn’t hurt by anything that happened, if that’s what you were wondering.”

“I know that you weren’t in the principal’s office for anything like that, but Phil told me how you finally stood up to Brent. It was all just sudden, like you changed into a completely different person when you woke up this morning... But I’m just glad that you’re safe and ok. As long as you’re not hurt, I’m ok too.”

“Thanks mom.”
Even though my mom and I talked about the situation already, she sent me right to my room for the rest of the night. I had some things to do in my room, but instead I just sat in my bed and looked around the room. Every poster, every collector’s item, every fathead revolved around football. Ever since I was a little kid, I had wanted to become a football player. But every time I decided to try, Brent stood in my way, and I never had my chance. I could practice anything, strength, skill, agility, speed. But no matter what I tried, Brent could beat me out. I sat there in my bed, tossing my football back and forth in my hands. I sat up and looked over to the little throwing target I had put up to practice my throwing. It was far away, and I had never made the shot before, but I tried it anyway. I cocked back my arm and threw for the target. My throw was harder than ever and my aim was perfect. It went right through the middle. Maybe it was about time I tried out for the team again.

The first day of tryouts were this friday, so I had to work fast. There was so much I needed to touch up on before I could even think about making the team. I started with some lifting. I hadn’t done it much, but I thought that maybe I had gotten a little stronger judging by the beating up Brent and the hard football throw. So I started up with about fifty pounds on each side. To my surprise, it wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. I continued to lift when my mom called, “Jake, Phil is here to see you!”

“Alright mom, send him up!”
Phil came up into my room and stopped as soon as he saw the weights.

“Don’t tell me you’re trying out for the Football team...”
“Yeah, why are you surprised?”

“Well not really, but you might get crushed out there. Brent’s gonna try and get you back for what you did, you know that right?”
“Yeah, but I have a feeling that this time will be a bit different.”

“Alright then, it’s your funeral. Hey is that a hundred pounds you’re lifting?”
“Yep and I think I might have to put more.” I dropped the barbell and went to put more weight on.

“Are you kidding? you’re like a completely different person! First you beat up Brent, TWICE I might add, and now you’re lifting a hundred, no, one fifty?
“Yep.”

“Maybe you are different.”

After a few days of hard workouts and training, I was ready for the tryouts. All day I was waiting for the chance to get some pads on and head onto that field. The bell finally rang and I ran out as fast as I could. I was on the field, ready, in no time. I was waiting for a few minutes for some of the other players to come out. The first ones out were Brent with his little gang of followers. He walked up to me, hesitated for a second, and then said “ You’re not welcome out here squirt. You’re gonna get squashed.”

“We’ll see about that Brent. I’ll see you at the end of try outs, when I’m the starter in your position.”

He said nothing in return. Actually, he seemed a little shocked at my statement. But he just stared for a second, called off his gang and walked away.

The coach walked out onto the field and said “Alright cupcakes, lets start this up with a few laps around the field... Well go on, get moving!”

“Yes coach!”
We started around the field. I was about to make my first turn, when Brent came up and tripped me. Him and his gang laughed as they kept running.

“Get up and keep running!” said coach.
“Sorry, won’t happen again.”
I knew then that this wasn’t going to be easy, and I needed to make sure I knocked Brent off of his team.

We started our workouts and moved onto drills pretty quick. It was obvious that Brent was the team captain the past few years, because everyone on the team followed him and his commands. But the time I’ve been waiting for, the hitting drill, had come. I’ve spent my time waiting to be able to wreck Brent and scare him right off the team. Brent had gone to the back of the line, and I guess he had the same idea as me because he said “come to the back of the line. I want to get you myself.” I was perfectly fine with that, so I followed along. It was a nice long wait before I was paired with Brent. It was finally time to see what I was made of. I got into m three-point stance, and Brent did the same. We both stood there, waiting anxiously for that whistle. “TWEET!” the whistle blew and Brent and I both went at each other with everything we had. Crash!
Brent was on the ground. I was standing next to him. I gave him a hand and helped him up, and when he stood he said “How did you get like this?”
“Practice.”
“But no one can get this good so fast. What did you do?”
“Maybe you finally knocked some sense into me.”
He stood there in silence, looking like he was trying to understand what just happened and what I just said. He walked off in slow silence and went to the back. Everyone there seemed to be in shock. I wasn’t surprised really. They had just seen the scrawny little nerd beat the Varsity Captain. The coach said with a little hesitation, “... Good job Jake, keep it up...”


“Will do coach.”
Throughout the tryouts, I did just as the coach had told me to do. I kept up all the work, continuously beating Brent and others in his little gang in hit drills, catching, running, throwing, everything. Even I was surprised at how good I had become. When Brent had asked me how I was doing all of this, I really didn’t know how to answer it. I had absolutely no idea how I had managed to become like this.

After a little while of thinking, I had figured “why care about it? It makes me better, so theres no need to worry.” It was true, really. I had no reason to even think about it, all that came from it was my happiness and being the best player on the football team (which by the way, I made a starting spot on the team. And I was named team captain after I beat Brent so many times!). So to me, none of that mattered anymore. I walked into school the next morning, thinking only of the first game. It may have only been a couple of days since tryouts ended, but I was waiting for this moment for almost 10 years. All this time Brent was keeping me off the team, but now, I was on the team, and was taking up his position as Quarterback too, as I made sure of. But in only a week, I was going to be in my first game, and I couldn’t wait much longer.

The week passed by. I spent all of my time working hard, training, and Hanging out with Phil. I needed to make sure that I didn’t end up the way Brent did. I need to make sure I stayed with Phil and not forget about him. Phil has been my friend for years, and he never turned away from me, no matter how many times we got into fights or were just mad at each other. But anyway, The time of the game had come. I was ready to play. We were all in the locker room, waiting for the coach’s first words.
“I first want you to know that I’m proud to be your coach. Win or lose, we will be together as a team. Tonight, we play as a team. We win or lose as a team. But just remember to play your hardest. If you choose not to play to you full extent, I won’t be mad. Just think about the team when you do it, and if we lose, think that I chose you because you’re good enough to be part of this team. So if we don’t all play our hardest, then we can’t be a true team. Now you guys get out there and win this. As a TEAM!”
“YEAH!”
“Alright team, bring it in.” I said.
Everyone came together in a huddle.
“Who are we?” I chanted as the team repeated an answer.
“Warriors!”
That’s when everyone started to looked pumped up and ready.
“What’s our Number?”
“One!”
“Say it again?”
“One!”
“Now lets get on that field and show em’ that!”

We ran out onto the field like we were a bunch of cereal killers about to strike again. We ran out there with the aim to intimidate our opponent, the intent to strike fear into them, and man was it working. I saw a whole bunch of heads turn on the other team, and then turn back to their partners and start to chatter. They were just a quiet little team that looked now terrified, and I had no doubt in my mind that we would have an easy time with this team.

It was just as I thought. We had no trouble with this team from the starting kickoff until the final seconds of the game. It was a memorable game for me too. I had thrown for four touchdowns and run for one. It was the best game I had ever played in. ... Well I guess it was the only game I’ve played in, but it was a good one. They never stood a chance for us, and after this game, I had the feeling that we had a big season ahead of us.

I was hauled into the locker room on the shoulders of my fellow teammates. I had just run for the game winning touchdown in the final seconds for a spot in the championship. Coach turned to the team holding a ball in his hands. He quieted everyone in the room, and we all watched, full of excitement.

“I’m proud of the way you guys played out there. You just beat the team that was predicted to be the champs this year. Well, who are the champs now?”

“We are!” We all replied, recalling our achievement.
“That’s right you are, and this is the first time this school has been in the state championship since 1960, and it’s all thanks to our most valuable player.”
This excited the team even more, at this point, we were literally on the edge of our seats.
“Jake,” said coach and tossed me the game ball.

“you are the reason to our success this year, with the most rushing and passing touchdowns in this league. Heck, one more touchdown and you’ll go down in the history books! We’re all proud of you, and this team is riding on your leadership. Isn’t that right team?”

“Yes coach!”
I hoped I wasn’t tearing up, I was to honored to even notice. “Thanks coach, and thanks everyone. I don’t even know what to say. This is the biggest honor of my life,” I stood and added on, “But there’s no time to be worried about something like this. We have to be ready for this team in the championship, might I add that they are the number one team in the league and have won the title for four consecutive years now. Now that we are here, it’s time to end their reign, and take it for ourselves. Now who’s with me?” I said.

“We are!” replied the team, with more enthusiasm than I had ever seen through them.
“alright then, hands in.” Everyone put their hands in together as a team and I chanted,
“one, two, three,...” and all together as a team we said,
“SPARTANS!”
We left the field, more inspired and more ready than ever.