Chapter 6

The next day, I slather on sunscreen and put on a baseball cap.

Calvin laughs at me.

“You look like a tourist.”

“No,” I say. “I’d look like a tourist if I was burnt to a crisp.”

When we get to the beach we see Coach pulling a boat into the dock. We wave and walk over.

“I’ve been out since early this morning,” he calls to us. “Caught a couple of big ones! We’re eating well tonight, boys.”

Calvin and I smile and help Coach unload supplies from the boat. As we carry his fishing gear and a few massive coolers of fish down the beach, we tell Coach about Mr. Henry approaching us in the parking lot.

“He wants you to call him,” I say.

“He called me this morning,” Coach says. “He wanted to know all about you two.”

“What did you say?” I ask.

“That you two are strong and focused athletes. That you’re coachable and natural leaders. That they’d be lucky to get you both.”

“Do you think UCC is really interested?” I ask.

“They see you have talent and potential,” he says. “They don’t invite players to tour their program if they aren’t serious.”

By now some of the other players have shown up on the beach. We look out to the water where a couple of the guys are swimming. Ty grabs Louie from behind and tosses him into the crashing waves. For a second it looks like Louie won’t come up, but then he reappears, spluttering and laughing. They splash water at each other and yell in surprise when another wave comes crashing in on them.

“Watch yourselves out there!” Coach yells as they bob to the surface again. “We need Louie in one piece for next season!”

The guys in the water laugh but come in closer to the beach all the same.

***

A little while later, Coach gathers us around and teaches us to clean the fish he’s caught. After they’re cleaned, we wrap the fish in palm leaves and cook them over hot coals on a grill. When they’re done, we sit around on the sand, looking out over the water as we laugh and eat.

Eventually it gets dark. No one seems to want to leave, but one by one, guys start to head out. Calvin and I stick around and help haul things to Coach’s truck.

“Make sure you follow up with Wallace Henry,” he tells us. “Let him know that you want to play for UCC. Let him know you’re willing to work hard for a place on the team.”

“We want this,” Calvin assures him. “To play Division I football would be incredible.”

“Yeah, and you boys deserve it,” Coach says with a grin. “You’ve worked so hard. But you’ll have to keep working hard if you want to get on that team and stay on it. Understand?”

“Yes, Coach,” Calvin and I say together.

“So you used to play college football?” Calvin says as we put the cooler in the back of Coach’s truck.

Coach is silent for a minute.

“Mr. Henry mentioned it,” I explain.

“I played for a season,” he says. “I wish I would’ve played longer.”

“What happened?” I ask.

“Spent too much time partying and not enough time studying,” he says in a voice that’s supposed to sound casual but doesn’t. “I flunked out my second semester. It was bad. I lost my scholarship and ended my career.”

Calvin and I stand there speechless. Coach has always seemed so focused.

“I made a mess,” Coach says. “But I worked hard to clean it up. I got a job, went to a community college, got my grades up. After two years, the school let me back in, but I didn’t get back on the team. I’m happy now. I moved on, but it would’ve been great to play a few more years.”

He shuts the tailgate and looks at us.

“I’m rooting for you two. I know that you both have what it takes. But you’re going to have to work for it. Training starts tomorrow morning at seven. Meet me on the field.”