CHAPTER 7
A Sudden Realization
The next day, Raisa texted Coach Garcia to see if she could stop by. Then she asked Nona to drive her to the coach’s house.
When Raisa arrived, Coach Garcia was in her garage, rummaging through the shelves.
“Hi, Raisa,” she said. “I have an old playbook in here somewhere. I wish I knew where I’d hidden it!”
Raisa wasn’t sure how to tell Coach Garcia about her frustrations. Instead she said, “Can I help you look for it?”
“Thank you!” Coach Garcia replied. “It’s a blue binder. It might be in one of these boxes.” The coach pointed to a set of boxes high on the shelf. “What did you want to talk about?”
I don’t want Coach to think I’m not up for helping Annie, Raisa thought. And I don’t want to get Annie in trouble for not being a team player. . . .
“I think Annie’s having a hard time,” she said. “She’s trying, but her pitches aren’t as fast or powerful as mine. I think she’s frustrated.”
“I don’t blame her,” Coach Garcia said.
Raisa glanced at her coach in surprise. That wasn’t the answer she’d been expecting.
“You don’t?” Raisa asked. She took a box off the shelf and handed it to her coach.
Coach Garcia shook her head and said, “Annie is much shorter than you. You’re tall, so your arms and legs are longer. It’s easier for you to throw the ball hard and get real power in your pitches. I noticed Annie tries to stand and pitch just like you. That has to be hard, given the height difference.”
The coach paused for a moment. “She must really look up to you. In practice, she pitches the way I coach her, but at the games, it’s all Raisa-style. No matter how much we talk about it, she won’t stop imitating you.”
Raisa groaned. “What’s wrong?” the coach asked.
Raisa knew she needed to come clean about why she’d come to the coach’s house. But what if Coach is upset with me? she worried. What if everyone is?
“I came to talk to you about Annie not listening to me,” Raisa said. “I told her to pitch like me, because my way helped win the championship. I wanted us to win it again. Everyone does.”
Coach Garcia sighed. “I wondered what the problem was,” she said.
Raisa looked down. I have to be honest, she thought. I have to tell Coach everything.
“I’m the problem,” Raisa confessed. “Annie kept telling me my way wasn’t working, but I ignored her. I didn’t think about how our height difference could affect how Annie pitched. I feel terrible. No wonder she’s mad at me.”
Coach Garcia put her hand on Raisa’s shoulder. “No,” she said, “you’ve been human. It’s OK to make mistakes. The important thing is that you realized it.”
Coach’s smile made Raisa feel a little better. “I need to apologize to her,” Raisa said. “Then see if she’ll give me a chance to keep helping her.”
Coach Garcia smiled. “That’s a great idea,” she agreed. “Why don’t you text Annie and see if she wants to come here and talk?”
Raisa took out her phone and texted Annie: Hey, it’s me . . . can we talk? I’m at Coach Garcia’s house. She says you can come over here.
Annie wrote back right away: I was hoping you would text! I was just going to text you too! I’ll get my dad to drive me over right now.
Raisa put her phone back in her pocket and blew out an anxious breath. She hoped Annie would give her another chance to be teammates and friends.
* * *
“I’m sorry,” Raisa blurted out as soon as Annie arrived. “I was talking to Coach Garcia, and I realized what a jerk I’ve been.” She held her breath and waited to see if Annie would forgive her.
“No,” Annie said. “I was the one who was wrong. You were trying to help. I was frustrated, and I took it out on you. Please don’t give up on me. I’ll do what you say, I promise.”
Raisa grabbed her friend’s hand. “No! I mean, yes,” she corrected. “Of course, I’ll help you. But I’m part of the reason you were frustrated. Coach explained that because you’re smaller than me, it’s harder for you to get the kind of speed and power I get in my pitches. It’s probably also why it feels better when you hold the ball with a four-finger grip instead of three fingers.”
“Really?” Annie said.
Raisa nodded. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen when you tried to tell me that. If you let me, I promise this time I’ll coach you in a way that actually helps you.”
Annie grinned. “Let’s get started!”
Coach Garcia, Raisa, and Annie collected gloves, a bat, and a few balls, then headed to the field behind the coach’s house.
Annie adjusted her stance so her legs were closer together and switched her grip to four fingers instead of three.
“Go ahead,” Raisa crouched down. “Send one to me.”
Annie spun her arm and sent the fastball Raisa’s way. The ball smacked into her mitt.
“Wow! That was awesome!” Raisa stood.
“It’s easier to push off hard when my legs are closer together. And it’s easier to spin my arm because I have better balance,” Annie said.
“It shows! The pitch had a lot more power and speed. Great job, girls!” Coach Garcia said.
Annie grinned. “Wait until the Jets get a load of us!” she cheered.