CHA

PTER

1
It was the third to last game of the footy

season and my time was running out.
‘It’s almost three-quarter time, let’s really go
for it,’ I told Boris, who was playing ruck. ‘Just
tap it down to me.’
My school footy team St Mary’s
were playing against St Joseph’s and
I really wanted to beat my record.

1

 I could get four goals in one game, I knew it – but

the clear, she looped the footy over to me with a

I needed two more.

gentle drop punt. I marked it.

I could see it in my head: I’d step around a

I walked back to take my kick. I was about

player, take a bounce and then kick to tall, lean

forty metres out from goal. I took a deep breath,

Manu at full-forward or Josie at centre half-

dropped the ball onto my foot and booted through

forward. If someone was about to tackle me, I’d

it as hard as I could.

dish it off to Tiago. His mop of shaggy black hair
was easy to spot and he was always in the right
place at the right time.
Boris flashed me a cheeky smile as I caught
my breath, waiting for the bounce. He launched
his huge body into the air and tapped the ball
straight into my hands. I burst around two of
the St Joseph’s players, then handballed to
Josie. Josie spun around to pass into fullforward but when I yelled that I was in

2

 It flew long and high, and split

I took the slice of orange from

the centre of the goals. I jumped up,

my mouth and looked up at him.

punching the air. Boris ran over and
lifted me off my feet. My other teammates slapped

‘But I’m not tired. I could run all day!’
‘I bet you could, Patty,’ Coach

me on the back. Josie high-fived me. ‘You’re going

Clarke said, ‘but I’m going to

to smash your record, Patty,’ she said.

give Tyson a go in the centre this

‘Three down, one to go,’ I said.

quarter.’
I couldn’t believe it. Tyson always beat me
at athletics, but when it came to football, he
couldn’t touch me. When I’m on the ground I’m

At three-quarter time I bit into a slice of

in my element – moving like the wind, my hands

orange as I sat listening to Coach Clarke give the

like magnets for the ball.

team instructions. Coach Clarke was the coach

Tyson’s not even a forward – he’s a backline

of the basket­ball team, but that day he was filling

player. I knew Coach Clarke was only letting

in for Coach Riley. ‘Patty, I’m going to put you in

Tyson play in the centre because he was the star

the back pocket this quarter,’ he said.

player on the basket­ball team.

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5

 ‘Coach Clarke, I’m one goal away from
beating my record,’ I pleaded.
‘We’re leading by five goals, Patty. Let’s share
it around a bit, hey mate?’
Tyson grinned at me and said, ‘Don’t worry
Patty, I’ll boot a goal just for you.’
I didn’t want Tyson to kick a goal for me.

it was like watching kick-to-kick. When Tyson
kicked a goal I knew I should have been happy for
him, but there was steam coming out of my ears.
It didn’t help when Tiago threw his arm
around me after the siren sounded and said,
‘Great game, Patty. Next time we play you should
stay on the ball for the whole game.’

And I didn’t want to share my goals around.

Josie understood I was disappointed. She

Scoring goals is what I love doing – it’s what I’m

walked over and patted my shoulder just as Tyson

really good at.

jogged past.

I sulked back onto the oval, knowing my
chance to break my record was blown. I stood
in the back pocket for what seemed like hours
watching Boris tap the ball down to Tyson. Like

‘Pity you were stuck in the back pocket for
the last quarter,’ he called.
‘Well, at least you got to touch the ball for
once.’

me, Tyson passed the ball to Manu, Tiago or Josie.

Coach Clarke was congratulating my team­

Our team was so strong against St Joseph’s that

mates as they walked off the oval. ‘Nice work

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 today, Patty,’ he said. Tiago was holding a bin

‘Patty, have you ever thought about playing

full of footballs on top of his head, carrying them

basket­ball?’ Coach Clarke asked.

to the change rooms. I took the ball from beneath

I shrugged my shoulders.

my arm and threw it. Somehow the ball landed in

‘I’d like you to try out,’ he said.

the bin, startling Tiago.

‘Would I get to play on the ball for the whole

Coach Clarke took the ball out of the bin,
told Tiago to stay standing where he was, threw
it to me and said, ‘Do that again.’
‘Do what?’ I asked him.

game?’ I asked him.
Coach Clarke laughed. ‘Everyone plays on
the ball in basket­ball.’
I thought about it as I walked into the change

‘Throw the ball into the bin.’

rooms. The basket­
ball team was really strong:

I looked at Coach Clarke as if

Boris, Manu and Tiago were all tall and skillful,

he was crazy, and threw the ball.
A smile spread across his

and Tyson was a freak. They were expected to
win their third grand final in a row.

face when the ball landed in the
bin for the second time.
‘Nice shooting,’ Tiago said with a laugh.

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