CHAPTER 1
Alexis Fletcher rolled the tennis ball around in her fingers. She bounced it three times on the court. Then she tossed the ball into the sky.
Whoosh!
Her arm came forward. Her wrist snapped like a whip.
Alexis hit the ball hard. It bounced inside the four straight lines of the service box, just across the net.
The ball quickly sailed past the arm of her opponent. Then it crashed loudly into the fence behind the court.
“Wow! Do that again,” Coach Taylor shouted, walking next to the court.
Alexis tossed another ball up. Whoosh! Again, the ball landed in the service box before bouncing sharply to the left. The other player didn’t have a chance.
As the coach watched, Alexis hit over several more serves. It seemed like her plan to impress Coach Taylor was working.
Coach Taylor was the head coach of the Fairfield Tigers. Today was tryout day for the Tigers high school tennis team.
Alexis was only in seventh grade. She’d thought long and hard about even coming to tryouts.
She had worried that trying out for the high school team while she was in middle school was a mistake. What if the older girls made her look bad?
After several more killer serves, Alexis looked around. Many of the other players were crowded around, watching her.
“Hey Coach. Mind if I step in?” Olivia Hamilton asked, walking over to Coach Taylor. Alexis knew that Olivia was the best player on the team.
“Sure, Olivia,” said Coach Taylor. “Go ahead.”
The tall senior girl trotted onto the court. “Let me see what you’ve got,” Olivia shouted at Alexis.
Alexis took a deep breath. Olivia seemed really tough.
Alexis served the ball toward Olivia, who pulled her racquet back, preparing for a forehand shot.
Olivia made one quick step to her right. She smashed the ball back across the net.
Alexis jerked to her left, but it was too late. She missed.
“Hey, Middle School,” shouted Morgan Gunderson, another senior girl. “No more tricks up your sleeve now that you’ve got some real competition, huh?”
Alexis tried to ignore her new nickname. She took a deep breath and got ready for another serve.
“Same as before, Olivia,” Morgan shouted.
Smash! Alexis served the ball high above her head.
Olivia took a giant step to her right, but the ball whizzed by her racquet and into the fence. The other players hooted and hollered.
“Okay, players,” shouted Coach Taylor. “Bring it in.”
Alexis heard Morgan say, “You’ll get her next time, Olivia.” She patted Olivia on the back and narrowed her eyes at Alexis.
“Good job today, all of you,” said Coach Taylor. “I think this season is going to be great.” She looked at each girl before continuing. “You all should be proud of yourselves,” she said. “I hate to cut anyone, but I have to. So, check the locker room door tomorrow morning for the list of players who made the team. If you didn’t make it this year, I hope to see you back next year.”
The girls jogged off the court. Another player ran up alongside Alexis. “Hi. You’re Alexis, right? I’m Erin. You were amazing out there today.”
“Thanks,” said Alexis.
“No, really, you were great,” Erin said. “Everyone said they’d never seen anything like it.”
Alexis was shocked, and proud. “Really?” she asked shyly.
Erin nodded. “You’re going to make varsity for sure, and you’re only in seventh grade!” she said. “That’s wild. I’ll be happy just to make the ninth-grade team. But varsity? Wow.”
“We’ll see,” said Alexis, smiling.