Kylie Jean: Soccer Queen Read online

  For Poppie and Grandpa Bob —MP

  Table of Contents

  All About Me, Kylie Jean!

  Chapter 1: Benbrook Buccaneers

  Chapter 2: A New Friend

  Chapter 3: Soccer Tryouts

  Chapter 4: Practice, Practice, Practice!

  Chapter 5: Field Time

  Chapter 6: Team Spirit

  Chapter 7: Saturday Soccer Camp, Day One

  Chapter 8: ER Friends

  Chapter 9: Sunday Soccer Camp, Day Two

  Chapter 10: Ice Creams and Big Dreams

  My name is Kylie Jean Carter. I live in a big, sunny, yellow house on Peachtree Lane in Jacksonville, Texas, with Momma, Daddy, and my two brothers, T.J. and Ugly Brother.

  T.J. is my older brother, and Ugly Brother is . . . well . . . he’s really a dog. Don’t you go telling him he is a dog. Okay? I mean it. He thinks he is a real, true person.

  He is a black-and-white bulldog. His front looks like his back, all smashed in. His face is all droopy like he’s sad, but he’s not.

  His two front teeth stick out, and his tongue hangs down. (Now you know why his name is Ugly Brother.)

  Everyone I love to the moon and back lives in Jacksonville. Nanny, Pa, Granny, Pappy, my aunts, my uncles, and my cousins all live here. I’m extra lucky, because I can see all of them any time I want to!

  My momma says I’m pretty. She says I have eyes as blue as the summer sky and a smile as sweet as an angel. (Momma says pretty is as pretty does. That means being nice to the old folks, taking care of little animals, and respecting my momma and daddy.)

  But I’m pretty on the outside and on the inside. My hair is long, brown, and curly.

  I wear it in a ponytail sometimes, but my absolute most favorite is when Momma pulls it back in a princess style on special days.

  I just gave you a little hint about my big dream. Ever since I was a bitty baby I have wanted to be an honest-to-goodness beauty queen. I even know the wave. It’s side to side, nice and slow, with a dazzling smile. I practice all the time, because everybody knows beauty queens need to have a perfect wave.

  I’m Kylie Jean, and I’m going to be a beauty queen. Just you wait and see!

  When I wake up, it is a perfect Saturday morning. It’s springtime, and the sky is as blue as a robin’s egg, with just a few wispy white clouds. The breeze is blowing, and the birds are singing. Miss Clarabelle, my next-door neighbor, would call it glorious.

  The best part of this Saturday morning is that Momma has a surprise for me! All week long I have been trying to figure out what her mysterious surprise is. I’ve tried guessing, begging, and snooping, but I still can’t figure it out!

  As soon as I am awake, I run downstairs and see that Momma has a big Saturday morning breakfast waiting. She even made my favorite blueberry pancakes. Yum! She also made Ugly Brother’s favorite maple bacon. Ruff, ruff! I take a seat at the kitchen table and dig in.

  “How are those pancakes?” Momma asks me.

  “They are the most delicious pancakes in the whole wide world!” I reply.

  Momma laughs. “Thank you,” she says, “but if you think your sweet compliments are going to make me tell you about my surprise, they’re not! You’ll just have to wait and see!”

  “Buttering you up seemed like a good plan to me, and I just had to try one more time to find out what it is,” I say.

  My older brother T.J. is busy shoveling pancakes in his mouth. Between bites, he mumbles, “Got lawns to mow today.”

  “Don’t forget to check with Miss Clarabelle and ask about mowing her lawn too,” Momma tells him.

  T.J. mumbles again with his mouth full, which probably means okay.

  “Kylie Jean, you’d better wash the syrup off your hands and face,” Momma says. “It’s almost time to go.”

  “Go where?” I ask.

  But Momma just shakes her head. “It’s a surprise,” she reminds me.

  Once I am cleaned up, I wait by the front door while Momma gets her purse. When she comes toward me, I spy a clue. She has her game bag! Whenever T.J. has sports games, Momma brings a bag with sunscreen, water, snacks, a magazine, and a first aid kit. We must be going to a game!

  But wait a second . . . T.J. is mowing lawns today, not playing sports. Hmm . . . this is very curious.

  “Come on, Ugly Brother!” Momma calls, holding out his leash. This must be a clue too! I bet we’re going to a doggie-friendly place.

  Finally it’s time to go. We hop in Momma’s van, and I watch the road, trying to see which way we are turning. Maybe I can figure out where we are headed.

  Before long I recognize the road we’re on. “I know!” I holler. “We’re going to Lucy’s house!”

  Momma smiles. “We are, but only because Lucy is going to join us for the surprise,” she tells me. She stops in my cousin Lucy’s driveway and honks. Beep, beep! Lucy runs out and hops in the van beside me.

  “Don’t forget to buckle your seat belt,” Momma reminds her from the front seat.

  Lucy looks as excited as I feel. “Where are we going?” she asks.

  I shrug. “I can’t figure it out, and Momma won’t tell me!”

  Before long we are turning into the parking lot of our community college. The sign in front of the school says, “Go, Buccaneers!”

  Finally Momma says, “The Benbrook College Buccaneers are playing a big soccer game today — and we’re going to watch. Surprise!”

  “Yay!” Lucy and I cheer. Ugly Brother chimes in, barking twice. We park, and Momma pulls a lawn chair out of the back of the van. Ugly Brother tries to scramble out.

  “Sorry, Ugly Brother,” Momma tells him, “but you’ll have to wear your leash. The players would not like it if you ran out onto the field to chase the ball.”

  Ugly Brother is not too happy, but he sits down so Momma can hook the leash to his collar.

  “You’re a good sport,” I tell him.

  We cross the parking lot. Momma carries her chair, Lucy carries the game bag, and I hold Ugly Brother’s leash. Anxious to see what is happening, he drags me ahead of Momma and Lucy. I am not walking him — he is walking me!

  On the sidelines of the field, people are sitting on chairs and on the ground. We pick a spot and get settled. Lucy and I sit on the cool green grass. Ugly Brother sits beside us. Momma pulls snacks out of her bag: water and trail mix for us, and beef jerky for Ugly Brother.

  After a few minutes, the players arrive, and we all cheer and clap as they run out onto the field. The girls in the black-and-purple uniforms are the Buccaneers. The other team, the Roadrunners, has red-and-yellow jerseys.

  The game starts, and I am amazed by the players’ fancy footwork. One player even uses her head to hit the ball! Every time the Roadrunners move the ball down the field, the goalie for the Buccaneers stops them from scoring. She is amazing!

  I think the Buccaneers are going to win because the other team can’t score any points. But then one of the Roadrunners’ players kicks the ball into the net. Oh, no!

  The game is fast-paced and exciting. I shout and point and cheer, “Come on, Buccaneers!” I look over at Lucy to see if she’s having fun, but she seems a little bored.

  Back on the field, one of the Buccaneers moves the ball down the field and scores again for our team. The buzzer sounds, and I look up at the scoreboard. It reads 1-5 Buccaneers — we won!

  The crowd goes crazy! The players run around jumping up and down and hugging each other. Then they head over and shake
hands with the losing team.

  “What good sportsmanship,” Momma says. “I think those players are good role models for you girls.”

  I see the girl who scored the most goals standing over on the sidelines. There is a long line of younger girls waiting to get her autograph. I hurry over and wait my turn. When I get to the front of the line, I introduce myself. “I’m Kylie Jean Carter, and I want to be a soccer queen just like you!”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Kylie Jean,” the girl says. “I’m Belle Jenkins. You know, if you really want to be a soccer queen, you should join one of the rec center teams. I’m going to be one of the coaches.”

  “Oh, boy!” I exclaim. “I’m ready to sign up right now!”

  Belle hands me a flier to give to Momma and explains that my parent has to do the paperwork. I run right over and tell Lucy everything I learned.

  Lucy just pouts. “I want to go home,” she says. “Soccer is boring.”

  I can hardly believe it. My best cousin and I do a lot together, but I think I’ll be going to soccer camp on my own. Apparently Lucy does not want to be a soccer queen!

  That night I ask Momma to help me find soccer tryouts for our local rec center teams. “Please!” I beg. “Belle said I should sign up.”

  Momma smiles and says, “Okay, but it’s too late to call. We’ll just look up their tryout schedule on the Internet.”

  We sit at Momma’s desk in the corner of the kitchen, and she turns on the computer. “I knew you’d love soccer!” she says.

  I smile. “Momma, you know what I like before I do!”

  Momma types in the website for the rec center. “This says they’re holding tryouts Monday after school at the Jacksonville park. And a practice session tomorrow afternoon.”

  “That means tryouts are only two days away!” I exclaim. That’s hardly any time at all for me to become a soccer queen!

  I think quietly for a minute. “I want to try out, but I am feeling a little nervous. I think Lucy should come along too.”

  “That’s a good idea,” Momma agrees. “Maybe you should call Lucy and ask her to try out with you.”

  “Great idea!” I agree. I pick up the phone and dial Lucy’s number. Ring! Ring!

  “Hello,” Lucy answers.

  “Hey, it’s me, Kylie Jean,” I say. “Do you want to try out for the soccer team with me Monday after school?”

  For a while it’s as quiet as a church on Sunday. I wait and wait for Lucy to say something. Finally she says, “Hmm . . . I’ll think on it and let you know tomorrow if I want to try out.”

  “Please think about saying yes!” I beg her. “You know we always make a great team!”

  “I know,” Lucy says.

  We hang up, and I feel a little worried. Lucy doesn’t seem very excited.

  * * *

  On Sunday after church, Momma takes me to the park so I can practice my footwork. When we arrive, I see lots of girls working on moving the ball around the soccer field with their feet. They make it look easy!

  I know from reading on the rec center’s website that what those girls are doing is called dribbling. You can’t touch a soccer ball with your hands — it’s against the rules!

  Momma finds a spot on the sidelines to sit and read the book she brought with her, and I run to the field. I start dribbling the ball back and forth with another player. She has black hair and brown eyes and is wearing lots of stretchy, colorful bracelets.

  We run up and down the field. The other girl seems like a really good soccer player. We are breathing hard from running so much, and my sweaty pink T-shirt is sticking to my back. Finally, I decide to take a break. “My name’s Kylie Jean!” I say. “What’s yours?”

  “Ana Sofia!” she replies.

  “I sure do like your bracelets,” I tell her, admiring them.

  “Thanks,” Ana Sofia says. “These two are my lucky ones.” She points to a black one with soccer balls on it and a white one that says “#1 Player.” “I got them after my very first soccer game.”

  Right then and there I decide I like Ana Sofia. She has two names just like me! She is so nice that I just know she’ll be my new friend.

  Suddenly I notice some coaches are watching us from the sidelines. I see Belle standing there too. “Tryouts aren’t till tomorrow,” I say. “I wonder what the coaches are doing here.”

  “They come to watch because it’s easier to see what we can do if they see us play more than once,” Ana Sofia says. “It’s better for us too. If you mess up one day, you still have another chance.”

  I grin. “Second chances are fantastic!”

  We are close to the goal, so I take a shot. The black-and-white ball flies right in! Ana Sofia gives me a high five. I sure hope Belle and the other coaches saw me score.

  “You should be an attacker,” Ana Sofia says. “They try to score. The coaches are always looking for attackers. We need defenders too. They keep the other team from scoring.”

  Just then, I hear Momma calling me. “Kylie Jean!” she hollers. “We need to get going so I can start supper!”

  “Bye, Ana Sofia!” I say with a wave. “I sure hope we get to play on the same team.”

  “Me too!” Ana Sofia agrees. “See ya, Kylie Jean.”

  When we get home, I decide to practice some more. Luckily, Ugly Brother wants to play too, so I have a four-legged player on my team! He runs back and forth across the yard with me. He wants to be a soccer player too. Too bad they don’t have doggie soccer teams!

  The next morning on the school bus, I sit by my best cousin Lucy. “Are you ready for tryouts?” I ask her.

  Lucy shakes her head. “I don’t think I want to play soccer,” she says.

  I am not surprised, but I’m as sad as a player without a team until I remember my new friend Ana Sofia. “You know what?” I say. “That’s okay. Best cousins don’t always have to do everything together.”

  Lucy smiles. “Yup!” she agrees. “We’ll always be best cousins no matter what.”

  All day I think about trying out for the soccer team. My stomach does nonstop flip-flops, and I can hardly eat my lunch. After school Momma comes to pick me up so we can go to the soccer park.

  When we get to the soccer field, Momma gives me a big squeezy hug. “Try not to be nervous,” she says. “Just do your best. I’ll be watching.”

  “Thanks, Momma,” I reply.

  There are a lot of girls there. I look left and right, searching for Ana Sofia. Finally I spy her standing beside Coach Belle and another coach and wave. Ana Sofia waves me over.

  “Hi, Kylie Jean!” she says. “Do you know Coach Belle and Coach Kristy?”

  “I know Coach Belle,” I reply. I turn to the other coach and say, “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “It’s nice to meet you too, Kylie Jean,” Coach Kristy replies.

  Both coaches seem super nice, but I want to be on Coach Belle’s team!

  “Come on,” Ana Sofia says. “I’ll introduce you to some of the other girls.”

  We walk over to a group of players, and Ana Sofia introduces me to some of the girls she played with last year: Miranda, Layla, and Ava.

  Just then Coach Belle calls, “Gather around, girls!” and we all hurry over to sit in a circle.

  “I’m so glad to see so many faces at tryouts today,” Coach Belle says, smiling at all of us. “Today we’re going to do some drills and then have a scrimmage. That means we’ll divide into teams and play against each other just like a regular game.”

  Coach Kristy continues, “Since we have so many girls wanting to play, we’ll be playing several four-on-four scrimmages. Coach Belle and I will be watching to see how well you understand the game.”

  I lean over and whisper to Ana Sofia. “Now I am really worried. I’ve never played soccer before!”

  “Have you watched very
many games?” Ana Sofia whispers back.

  “A few,” I reply. “My brother T.J. is a soccer player.”

  “Just think about those games and watch me. You’ll figure out what to do in no time,” Ana Sofia says.

  Before I know it, it’s time to start the drills. First we have passing drills. Luckily Ana Sofia and I practiced passing yesterday, so I know what to do right away.

  Next the coaches tell us it’s time to work on dribbling. It’s not too hard either. The whole time, the coaches watch us and make notes on their clipboards. I sure hope they think I’m doing a good job!

  Soon we are all demonstrating what we know about shooting. I realize right away how lucky I was when I scored a goal yesterday. Shooting is harder than it looks! An older girl is playing goalie, and she is blocking all of our shots. Finally Ana Sofia manages to sneak one past her! I give her a high five.

  The last thing the coaches ask us to do is juggle. They explain that in soccer, juggling means keeping the ball in the air using any part of your body except your hands. I’m not very good at it yet, but Ana Sofia is a pro. I’m going to ask her to give me some tips!

  Soon it’s time for the scrimmage. The coaches divide us into several teams of four. Ana Sofia is not on my team, but Ava is. She has red hair and lots of freckles. I like her because she’s spunky.

  “Stick with me,” Ava says. “I’ll help you.”

  I grin at her. “Thanks!”

  My group is one of the last to scrimmage. We’re going to be playing against Ana Sofia and Miranda. I’ve been carefully watching the other games so I can do my best. The coaches stand on the sidelines ready to take more notes. Then Coach Belle blows her whistle, and we’re off!

  The other team gets the ball right away, so we’re on defense. Ava steals the ball and passes it to me. Miranda tries to stop me, but I dribble to our goal and take a shot. It goes in!