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peewee football, it was something my
town took pretty seriously. The windows of the cars in the parking
lot were painted with numbers and comments like “Go Team” as
parents came to support their sons who were playing or daughters
who were cheering.
    I’d hardly been able to sleep the past two
nights—I was so excited for this game. We were playing the
Wickenburg Thunder, a team that was also undefeated. I was so
pumped to play, knowing all my relatives were coming out to support
me. This was my first chance to win a championship, and there was
no way we were going to lose if I had anything to say about it.
    With my Gatorade in hand, I walked toward
the field. The grass was bright green, almost seeming brighter than
I’d ever seen it. The drink was part of my game day ritual—drink
half before the game and half of it at halftime. I quickly guzzled
the first half before setting it on the sideline table and heading
out to warm up.
    As we ran through some drills, I had the
feeling that something wasn’t quite right. I glanced around, but
nothing seemed out of place, so I shook it off.
    The referees came out onto the field and my
coach called the team captains out to do the coin toss. We all
watched in anticipation as the quarter was flipped into the air.
The ref caught it and revealed it to everyone. Heads up. We’d won
the call. It had to be a sign. Today was going to be a great
day!
    I ran back to join the mob of my teammates
jumping and hitting each other as we pumped ourselves up. I glanced
to the stands and saw Amy Stackhouse sitting there watching me. She
was the cutest girl in school. We liked each other, but wouldn’t
admit it. She’d been my first kiss in third grade, after a triple
dog dare that had happened in front of half the school. I briefly
thought about the note she’d slipped me yesterday, wishing me good
luck today and telling me that if we won, she would have a special
surprise for me. I wanted to know what that surprise was.
    My mom caught my eye, waving proudly at me
from where all of my family sat together with big smiles on their
faces. I nodded at her and smiled back before turning my attention
back to the field.
    ***
    We easily won the game—our team was much
better and we proved it. After all the celebrating and
congratulating was done, I headed over to the sideline to grab my
things. Coach Billy approached me and gave me a thump on my
shoulder pads.
    I smiled at him. He was one of my favorite
coaches ever, and he sure knew how to make his team win. “Good
game, Coach.”
    He nodded, but then his face grew serious.
“You know you’re something special, right?”
    “Yeah, but I couldn’t do it without my
team,” I answered, knowing it sounded good to give credit to
everyone else.
    “No, that’s not what I mean.” He placed a
hand on each of my shoulders and I realized he was trying to tell
me something important. “Chase, all these boys look up to you. You
could lead them to turn left on a right turn only. That’s a gift
that most men, even at my age, don’t have. People dream of being
able to influence others like that.”
    “Thanks, Coach. You’ve been a role model to
me,” I replied, not sure what the appropriate response was to
this.
    “One more thing. I want you to know there’s
something else you have,” he added with tears coming to his eyes.
“You have the gift to make others love and respect you, no matter
the age difference; and you have drive. If there’s something you
want, you go and get it; even if things don’t fall your way, you
always go after and get what you want. Remember that; and use it to
make good in the world and touch the lives of those around
you.”
    He patted me, again, on the shoulder, then
turned around and left. I stood there, watching after him, unable
to say a word.
    “Mr. Walker? Mr. Walker?” I heard a soft
female voice calling to me and I glanced around. Suddenly I felt
dizzy and everything got brighter. I blinked several times,