The Soccer Dream(added more)

Aja had a dream to play soccer for a top club. This is the story of how her dream came true….

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Part 1: The Soccer Game

One cold fall day in 2008, Aja had a soccer game at a local park which was located near the Hudson  River. She was a member of a soccer club called the Warriors United Soccer Club and was on the U-10 team. Her team was called the Red Super Ninjas.  Two of her best friends were on the team with her. Their names were Carly and Sami.   Aja loved playing soccer and enjoyed playing it with her friends.  

Aja would start the game  until it started raining. The club called Aja’s house and told her family that the game would be delayed until 4pm the same day. Aja was happy that the game wasn’t cancelled.  Aja’s family went to a movie while they waited for the rain to stop.  After the movie,  they went home and waited for the rain to be over.  It was now 3pm and 1 hour until the game.  Aja was so excited for the game. She got ready for the game then she wrote in her diary. This is some of what she wrote:

Dear Diary,

I was so excited for the game but then it had to start raining. I was so mad!!!! I really wanted to play the game on time. I was so happy that the game was just delayed. I want for my team to win. I can’t wait for the game.

A hour later, it was time for the soccer game. The field was very moist and would be slippery. The players would have to careful. Aja was a starting forward for the Ninjas. She wore her uniform with pride. The game started then Aja got the ball and passed it to one of her teammates in front of the goal. Alexis scored and the red Super Ninjas were up 1-0.  Aja scored a goal to make it 2-0. Aja got knocked down in the penalty box and she was awarded a penalty kick.  She converted it to put her team ahead 3-0 still in the first half.  

Her team was up 3-0 at halftime.  At the break, each player on both teams got a soccer club pin. Aja’s pin was black and red and had a soccer ball. In 5 minutes, it was time for the second half to begin.   The score was 3-0 with 30 minutes left.  Alexis scored again to make it 4-1. The other team scored a goal right before Alexis scored.   With 10 minutes left, it was now 5-2. Aja completed her first hat trick of the season. The soccer game was just the second game of the club season.  In the first game, she had 2 goals so now she has 5 goals. The final score was 7-4. Maggie had a hat trick for the other team and Aja finished with 4 goals.

There was a scout watching the game.  The scout was from a top club in California.  The scout was named Elizabeth.  The club competed against top teams in the nation.  After the game, the scout went over to Aja.  Aja was wondering what the scout wanted. The scout asked her if she was interested in trying  out for  the U-10 team.  Aja told Elizabeth that she would have to think about it. The tryouts were local. Maggie was recruited for the tryout as well.  Aja headed home then she wrote in her diary.

  Dear Diary,

It was a great game. I scored 4 goals. The best part of the day was when I was asked if I was interested in playing on another team. I don’t know much about the club.  I really want to try out. I never know if  I will make the team or not. I will ask Carly and Sami for their opinion.  What if the club is really far away? Will I have to move away from my family and friends? What if the kids are bigger than me?  These are the questions in my head.  I will have to research the club. I know the club is called the Yellow Jackets.  I am excited that a top club wants me.  

When she got home, she went to her mom’s office and asked her if she could do the tryout. Her mom said yes but asked where the club is. Aja said that she didn't know where the club is. She logged onto her computer and searched Yellow Jackets. She realized that the club is in California.  She knew if she really wanted this she would have to make sacrifices. For example, she would have to move to California. She would be sad to  leave her friends.  At the same time, she was happy that she would play for

The next day, she went to talk to Carly and Sami. Aja told them that she was asked to try out.  Aja was shocked to find out that Carly and her friend, Morgan were asked to try out. After she talked to Carly and Sami, she went to talk to Elizabeth. Aja told Elizabeth that she was interested in trying out.   Elizabeth told her that the tryouts would be 2 weeks long. Following the tryouts, there would be a month of training and a few games.  The Yellow Jackets were competing in a tournament  near where Aja lives.  The tournament was for U-10, U-12, and U-14 club teams.  She would be competing for the Yellow Jackets’ U-10 team if she makes the team.  She was excited to tryout.

Part 2: The Tryouts

It was the first day of the tryouts for the Yellow Jackets soccer club. Aja was so excited.  She got ready by putting her shin guards and sneakers She got a bag ready. The bag had a water bottle, cleats, and a soccer ball. Before she left, she started writing her diary entry for the day.

Dear Diary,

I love soccer and I am good at it. Today and the weeks to come will determine if I am really good. Today is the start of the tryouts. I heard that there will  be 50 girls trying out for the U-10 team. I am one of them.  All of the girls are from the Northeast.   I  am nervous for the tryouts. I know that  I should be happy that I was considered to  play for one of the top clubs in the country.  I felt happy that my friends were asked to try out as well.  I learned that on the last day of the first week 13 players will be cut. I am hoping that I am not one of those unlucky players.  My mom wished me the best of luck and supported me.   I will write more when I get home.

She arrived at  the field where the tryouts were taking place. The players were separated into age groups including U-10, U-12, U-14, and U-16. The U-16 group had about 50 girls. On the Yellow Jackets’ U-16 team, there were 15 spots up for grab. Aja’s group had 50  girls.  There were only 11 players on the current U-10 team so there were 25 spots open.  At the end of the first week, there would be 10-20 girls cut from the running to be on each team.  There would be 12 for U-12, 20 for U-14, and 10 for U-16.   For Aja’s team, there would be 13 players cut.   

It was time for tryouts to begin. Aja and the other potential players did a warm-up lap around the field. After the lap, they did stretches.  Elizabeth and the head coaches of the each team were there.  After the stretches,  they did conditioning and drills. After the conditioning and drills,  The U-10 team head coach decided  to have a juggling championship.  The head coach was named Megan.

Megan told them that the top 10 finalists would be on an all-exclusive juggling team.  Aja hoped to be in top 10.   Aja was an awesome juggler.  The top 20 finalists included Maggie, Morgan, Courtney, and Cassidy. Aja and Carly both were still in as well. One by one, 10 girls were eliminated. Five of the top ten girls included Cassidy, Morgan, Maggie, Courtney, and Carly. Aja was officially on the All-Star U-10 Juggling team with the Yellow Jackets.  Aja heard that the next day there  would be a juggling invitational. This would be Aja’s first test.  The local juggling club teams would be competing in the state-wide juggling competition. The top 5 competitors would move on to the Northeast Regional championship. They did some drills then  Aja went home then wrote in her diary.

Dear Diary,

It went very well at the tryouts.  I think I made a good first impression. I was so excited  that I was one of the qualifiers for All-Star Juggling tournament.  This will be first-ever juggling competition. I did it for fun.  I hope to make it to the Regional Championship. The coaches from the Yellow Jackets will base their  decision on how we do at the Juggling competition. The juggling competition is on Friday.  The announcement of who was moving on to the next week of tryouts will be after a scrimmage and the juggling competition.  I think I will make it to the next week of tryouts. I am  glad that my friends made the tryouts with me.  I am hoping all of us will make the team.   I might be in pain but it is worth it.  

Aja was ready for the Juggling competition on Saturday. She had practiced 2 hours each day after tryouts. Her friends practiced with her. It was the day of the juggling competition. 10 teams were divided into groups of 10 and there were 100 competitors. One group at a time would try to juggle a soccer ball as long as they could. The top 2 from each group would move on to the semifinals. Aja’s group was first.  Aja lasted 2:25 and Jessica lasted 2:23 so Aja won her group and moved on to the semifinals. Jessica came in second so off to the semifinals for her as well. Carly and Morgan also made the semi-finals. Maggie missed the semifinals by a whole second. In the semifinals, there were 20 players competing for 10 spots in the final.  

It was time for the semifinals to begin. The 20 finalists were divided 2 groups of 10.  The top 5 from each group would be in the final.  Aja was in the same group as Morgan and Jessica.  Aja was happy to be in the same group as her friends.  Aja’s group was first up.  Aja was first up for her team. Aja juggled for a time of 5:56. She missed the national record by just 10 seconds. She would definitely be in the final.  The top 10 were Aja, Morgan, Jessica,  Emily, Elise, Carly, and 4 other girls.    

The finals were after a scrimmage. The scrimmage would put the top 10 against the other 10 finalists. Maggie was on the other team.  The scrimmage would 2 10-minutes halves with a 5-minute water break.  The scrimmage would be 7-on-7. One goalie per team which makes it 8-on-8.  The goalie of Aja’s team was Taylor.  Taylor was a star goalkeeper on her team. There were 8 goalies trying out but only 3 will make the team.  The scrimmage was over in half an hour. It was time for the finals.   In a hour, the finals were over.

The top 5 were Morgan(2:45), Aja(2:46), Emily(2:55),Carly(3:02) and Jessica(3:10).  Taylor and Alex rounded out the top 7.  Their times were 3:55 and 4.05, respectively.  Aja was really happy that she finished in 2nd place out of 100 competitors.   In a hour, it was time for the announcement.  

Chapter 1(Part 2): The Announcement

The U-16 team head coach would announce the cut players first. Aja’s team would be last.  Aja couldn’t wait to find out if she was cut or not.  She wrote in her diary.

Dear Diary,  

I am anxiously waiting for the announcement. I hope I am not cut.  I deserve to be on the team. I finished  in 2nd place in the juggling competition. I am now qualified for the regional competition.   I find out that in order to compete in the regional , I have to compete a sheet.  One of the questions is about my past.  My mom has to fill out a survey about me.  I heard that I am going to  not be cut. I am nervous for my friends. I know they are good but I hope they are good enough.  It is now time to find out who is cut.  

It was now time for the announcement for the U-10’s.  The people who were called first were the girls that weren’t cut.  Maggie, Morgan and Elise weren’t cut. The next group of three included Jessica and Emily. There were only 15 names left to call. Aja’s name was not called yet. She was nervous. Carly and Taylor were not cut. Aja’s name was called.  The players that were cut included Sophia, Makayla,  and Ella.  There were two Sophias.  One was cut and the other was still in the running.  They didn’t have practice on Sunday.

Chapter 2(Part 2): Scrimmages

On Monday, Megan separated the remaining girls into 2 teams of 11.  There were many  girls remaining.   Aja was on the same team as Morgan and Maggie.  Maggie and Aja were the starting forwards. Morgan and Elise were forwards for the other team.  Maggie dribbled the ball then passed it to Aja. Aja shot the ball and it went right over the crossbar.  Jessica took a goal kick and Aja got the ball. Aja’s shot went in the goal this time. The score for the scrimmage was 1-0.   Aja and Maggie each got a goal in the first half.  The score was 3-0 at halftime and Aja had 2 goals.   5 more girls were cut during halftime. Abby and Jamie were 2 of the girls cut at halftime.  Aja and her friends were not cut.  The final score was 5-0 and Aja had 3 goals.  The tryouts were over after another scrimmage. The girls went home after the tryouts were over. Aja wrote in her diary when she got home.

Dear Diary,

I am so glad that I am still in the running to be on the team. My friends were not cut either. I guess that I am good enough. Still there is a week left of tryouts left. I heard that each day, until  the tryouts are over, there will  be two to three scrimmages after warm-ups. The scrimmages are preparing us for tournaments.  The first tournament is only  3 weeks away.  The tournament will be  in the town of Ballston Lake. I am nervous  for the tournament. I will need to prove that I belong on the team. I need rest so I am ready for tomorrow.

The next 3 days were all scrimmages or shooting drills. The first  day there were 3 scrimmages ½ hour apart.  Between each scrimmage, there would be a water and snack break. Aja would start each scrimmage that day. In the 3 scrimmages combined, she had 9 goals. She had a hat-trick in each scrimmage.  The second day there were only 2 scrimmages.   Aja started  both of them and finished with 5 goals.  Through 5 scrimmages, she had 14 goals.

The next day there was one scrimmage and a shootout.  In the scrimmage, she had 2 goals. For the shootout , there were 6 group of 5 players. Aja’s group included Maggie, Casey, Morgan, and Carly.  The order for Aja’s group would be Maggie, Casey, Morgan, Aja, then finally Carly.  Aja’s shootout was against  Jessica’s group. Aja’s shootout was tied at 2 after 2 rounds. It was now Morgan’s turn for Aja’s team to take a lead. Morgan scored so it was now 3-2.  Aja shot the ball and it went in. It was 4-3 now. Jessica’s  group  4th and 5th shots were saved. Carly scored to make it 5-3.  In 3 shootouts,  Aja’s group outscored the opponents 15-9 and was 3-0.  

On Friday, there were 5 fitness and soccer tests. The final decision would be based on how Aja performed. The first test was a sprint test.  It was a 40-meter dash. The top 30 times would be the first ones to be considered. Aja’s time was 6.45 seconds. Her time was the 5th  fastest.  The fastest time was 6.29  seconds. Jessica had the top time.   The second test was a long jump test. The top 20 distances would be considered first.  Aja was right after Maggie. Maggie got 12’ 3” and Aja got 12’ 5”.   Jessica also had the top distance with  13’ 4”.   The third test was a 100-meter dash.  Aja got the top time with a time of 16.34 seconds.  Jessica had the second fastest time.   The next 2 tests were soccer-based. The first one was a dribbling  drill.  The dribbling test would be a series of races between 5 players at a time.  There would be 6 races. Aja was in the second race along with Maggie  and Casey.

more will be added.