“This here is Amy Wu,” Coach Acevedo said at the start of Thursday’s practice after school at RJE. Clifton United had circled up under the basket by the water fountains. “She’ll be taking Headband’s spot on the roster.”
“Headband’s not on the team anymore?” I said.
“No, he’s not,” Coach Acevedo said.
I clasped my hands and pressed my thumbs and knuckles to my lips. Coach Acevedo had said to expect changes, but I had no idea that meant kids might be replaced.
“That’s five girls now.” Maya folded her arms and nodded. “Ballin’.”
“Everyone needs to be on point today.” Coach Acevedo looked around the huddle and made eye contact with a few kids. “We come committed to excellence.”
“Committed to excellence.” Diego jumped in place and shook out his arms.
I sized up Amy. She played in a different league, but I’d seen her run ball a couple times. She had real good hands and a pretty good shot, and, like Maya, she’d gotten a lot taller.
“Decisions are being made.” Coach Acevedo looked around the huddle again. This time, he made eye contact with me. “Dazzle me. I like to be dazzled.” He soccer-style rainbow-flicked the basketball to Red. “Shoot your free throw.”
Red took his free throw.
Red made his free throw.
Tweet! Tweet!
“Rip, put everyone in pairs,” Coach Acevedo said, pointing downcourt. “Make two lines under the basket facing this way.”
“A-Wu’s with me,” I said. That’s what other kids were already calling Amy. I started walking to the hoop. “Elbows, you’re with Mehdi.”
“I’m with Red,” Maya called.
“Oh, yeah.” Red hopped. “I’m with Maya Wade.”
“I’m with Super-Size.” Diego leaped onto his back.
I lined up first under the hoop. “Hudson, you’re with Zoe. Mimi, you’re with Speedy.” I clapped three times. “We will rise to the occasion, which is life.”
“Yo, where’d you learn that?” Diego stepped to me and laughed in my face. Literally laughed in my face. “That was mad corny.”
Everyone else laughed, too.
I cringed.
“Where’d you learn it?” Diego asked again.
“A fortune cookie?” Elbows said.
Everyone laughed more.
“Coach Acevedo,” I said.
“Seriously?” Diego stopped laughing.
I nodded. “He wants it to be our team saying, our mantra.”
“That’s tight,” Diego said. “Mad corny, but tight.”
I checked Coach Acevedo. He was adjusting the mini cones at the far end of the court and hearing all of this.
I cringed again.
“We will rise to the occasion!” Diego began jumping in circles. “We will rise to the occasion! We will rise to the occasion!” He chest-bumped Elbows and then ran along the baseline until he reached Red. “We will rise to the occasion!” He double-high-fived him. “We will rise to the occasion, which is life!”
“We will rise to the occasion, which is life!” Red said, and hopped.
Everyone laughed harder.
I checked Coach Acevedo again. He was laughing, too.