Chapter 7

A Tale of Two Locker Rooms

The next afternoon Brother and Freddy met with the team in the boys’ locker room before practice.

“You see,” said Brother to the team, “this problem with Bertha Broom is wrecking the whole season for everyone. Why don’t we just let her try out, and be done with it?”

The room was silent. Most of the players looked over at Coach Grizzmeyer. They waited to see what he would say.

But it was not Coach Grizzmeyer who spoke first. It was Too-Tall. “I think it’s a great idea,” he said. “There’s no downside to it. That’s because we all know that Bertha doesn’t stand a chance of making the team. But there is a definite upside to it. We can teach that uppity, trouble-making girl a real lesson.” He winked at Skuzz, his right-hand man in the gang. “We’ll give her teeth such a rattling, she won’t be able to spell football, much less play it!”

The truth was that the position Bertha wanted to try out for was fullback. That was Too-Tall’s position, so he really had it in for her.

Too-Tall sat down. All eyes turned to Coach Grizzmeyer. He stood leaning against the locker-room wall with his arms folded across his chest. With his brow knitted in thought, he stood that way for quite a while.

“All right,” he said at last. “We’ll give the Broom kid a tryout tomorrow afternoon. Then maybe we’ll get some peace and quiet around here. Freddy, you run out there right now and tell those so-called ‘Jeerleaders’ to pack up their pompoms and go home.”

“Right, Coach!” Freddy said, and dashed out the door.

Now Coach Grizzmeyer lowered his voice. “And as for rattling teeth and any other rough stuff,” he said, “I don’t want to see any blood or broken bones. But I wouldn’t object to a few well-placed bruises. Somebody’s got to teach these girls who think they want to play football that it’s not hopscotch, jacks, or tiddlywinks. And what I just said is between me and you and the locker-room walls. Understand? Okay, let’s go. It’s practice time!”

The news that Coach Grizzmeyer would let Bertha try out spread quickly. The cheerleaders called off their strike that very afternoon and scheduled a practice right away.

While the team was out on the playing field, the cheerleaders gathered in their locker room to change into their outfits. The mood in the locker room was joyous. Queenie McBear was especially excited. She believed that the coach’s decision was partly due to her women’s rights campaign for president.

“Listen up, girls,” Queenie said as she zipped up her skirt. “We can’t stop now just because we won a tryout for Bertha. When Bertha makes the team, we have to fill the grandstand with girls.”

“Don’t you mean if she makes the team?” said Lizzy.

“No, I don’t,” said Queenie. “Bertha has to make the team. She has to do it for the cause of women’s rights!”

“We should make up some brand-new cheers for Bertha,” suggested Sister.

“And you should lead every cheer tomorrow, Queenie,” added Lizzy Bruin. “You’ll pick up some extra votes that way.”

Suddenly the girls noticed someone standing at the locker-room door. It was Bertha Broom. She was dressed in blue jeans and a green football jersey.

“Hey, Bertha!” shouted Queenie. She jumped to her feet. “Congratulations!” All the cheerleaders joined in: “Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray! Hip, hip, hooray!”

Bertha blushed and looked down at the ground. “Speech!” called Sister. “Speech!” yelled the other girls.

Still blushing, Bertha looked up. “I really appreciate your support,” she said softly. She turned to Queenie. “And I know how badly you want to be president. But I wish you wouldn’t make such a fuss. I just want a chance to play football. That’s all.”

“We know you do,” said Queenie. She looked around at her fellow cheerleaders. “And as a candidate for president of the student body, I’m making it my job to see you get that chance!”

“Right on!” shouted the cubs.

“Now come on, girls!” Queenie said. “Let’s get to work on our Bertha Broom cheers!”

The cheerleaders swept through the locker-room door. They left Bertha standing alone, staring after them. “Awful nice of them,” she said to herself. “But I don’t really need any help making the team.”