Chapter 38
Upon hearing what the coach just said Ethan woke up from his thoughts and his eyes widened.
He pointed at himself in disbelief.
"Me? But Coach, I\'ve never played with the team before..."
"I know"
The Coach said.
"But you\'re all I got. Now get out there, and show me what you can do"
Upon hearing what the coach just said the other players started to grumble. They couldn\'t believe it, a newbie that has never trained with the main team before, he wants to use him instead of them.
At that moment the captain of the team couldn\'t keep quiet anymore, he said.
"Coach, come on."
Said Damien, the other trying to stand behind him.
"You\'re putting a rookie in? Because he defeated Jay in some practice, doesn\'t mean he Replicate that same form in real Match?"
"Yeah"
Said Mike, the quarterback and vice captain of the team.
"We have plenty of guys who could replace Jay. Guys who actually know and understand our tactics better than the rookie"
All of the team muttered in agreement.
Some of them glared at Ethan with a deadly gaze.
At that moment Coach Johnson\'s eyes flashed with anger.
"Enough of this nonsense!"
he roared.
The players went silent immediately. They knew that look. The Coach isn\'t happy.
"I\'ve made my decision"
The coach said, his voice was hard.
"If anyone has a problem with it, raise your hand."
Immediately his eyes moved around, daring them to challenge him.
But no one moved a muscle. No one dared.
After a few seconds the coach said,
"That\'s what I thought."
"Now let me ask you all a simple question."
He paused for some seconds before he continued.
"Has anyone here ever beaten Jay in a race or ball carrying? Anyone besides Damien and the newbie?"
At that moment none of the players at that moment could say anything, they started looking at each other.
But none of them could say anything.
The Coach nodded.
"All of you are quiet because none of you here has even come close. But Ethan hasn\'t done it once but four. And that\'s why he\'s playing."
At that moment he looked at each player, his eyes was intense.
"I\'m here to win"
He said.
"Not to make friends or plead with anyone. I will not spare any feelings to win. And I\'m going to put the best players on the field. The ones who give us the best chance and if you\'re not selected know you have to work hard just like Ethan has done."
He pointed at Ethan.
"Right now, that\'s him. So you all better get used to it. And fast."
The players shifted uneasily. They still didn\'t like what the coach said. But they knew better not to argue.
At that moment the commentator took Over.
"Wait a minute... is that..."
The other responded.
"yes it is! The Coach is putting in the new kid, Ethan! The rookie who defeated Jay in practice!"
" This is a shocking move, ladies and gentlemen. Ethan has never played a single match with this team together, none I can remember. Can he handle the pressure of this championship game?, the most important game for the tigers"
The other continued.
" I\'m as shocked as you are, and with the look on the other Tigers players face, they don\'t seem to like the idea either. They\'re grumbling, and I saw the captain arguing with the coach earlier. he must have demanded for one of the familiar teammate to take over Jay position, But it seems Coach Johnson shoots them down! it seems he has made his decision.
It\'s Ethan\'s time to shine, whether they like it or not!, and if you ask me, even if Jay was going to play I\'m confident tigers would win, now he\'s not going to play Damien allow can\'t do it all, knight are going to take the day Convincingly."
The other nodded his head and responded.
" I totally agree with you, it\'s going to be a long day for the tigers"
At that moment the Coach clapped his hands to get everyone\'s attention.
"Alright, listen up guys"
he said.
"This is it. The big game we have been preparing for. We\'ve worked hard to get here. Real hard and it would be disheartening to let it go now, not when we are this close."
He paced in front of them, his voice rising.
"I know we\'re the underdogs. I know everyone expects us to lose. But I don\'t care about that. And neither should you."
He thumped his chest.
"You know what I care about? Heart. Guts. Leaving it all on the field. Playing like this is the last game you\'ll ever play, give it all for our fans, our school, give it all for yourself, your parents that are here today to watch and support you, give it all for your pride, our pride"
The players at that moment nodded multiple times. The Coach\'s words were getting them fired up.
"The Silver Knights, they think they\'ve got this in the bag and they are going to walk away with it"
The Coach continued.
"They think we\'re nothing. Just a bunch of losers."
He grinned fiercely.
"Well, I say we show them how wrong they are. I say we show everyone never to look down on us, I say we show everyone never to write us off before the match starts.
I say we go out there and punch them in the mouth. I say we make them regret ever stepping on our field! our home"
At that moment the team roared. They were ready now. Ready to fight, ready to make a statement.
they put their hands together.
"Tigers on three!"
The Coach yelled.
"One, two, three..."
"TIGERS!!"
The team bellowed.
They ran out to the field, their hearts pounding, and Nervousness was written all over their faces.
The crowd cheered as the players took their positions. The Knights were already out there, looking big and mean.
Ethan lined up in the backfield.
His stomach was doing flips, he doesn\'t know what he\'s going to expect, this was his first time playing with the team, he has been doing it in practice and watching all of their games, and including the games of professional teams.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om
"I\'m going to do my best and prove a point. The coach has full confidence in me and I can\'t disappoint."
Ethan said to himself.
"Relax."
Mike said, patting Ethan on the shoulder.
"Just do what you did in practice. You\'ll be fine, the coach has full confidence in you and so do I, let\'s win this."