Football Tryouts | Teen Ink

Football Tryouts

January 19, 2024
By rudy-alain BRONZE, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
rudy-alain BRONZE, Franklin Lakes, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 0 comments


Once there was a boy, a very happy boy named Johnny, who lived in a mansion with his 2 loving parents and his sister. He was 13 years old and now is going into high school. His school life was also great; he was a very well-known kid. He plays football and loves the sport he has played since he was a kid and his dad is a famous football player. So coming into high school naturally he and his friends wanted to try out for the football team. They practiced all summer together. They know for sure that they are gonna make the team. So the week before tryouts they celebrated, they went out and got drinks from one of their older friends. They drank and had fun all night. The next couple of nights they stayed up all night hanging out. Then the day of tryouts came around and they were so tired they could barely keep their eyes open. 


“We shouldn’t have stayed up all night,” One of John’s friends, Nick, said. 

“Don’t worry, the competition doesn't look that good” Another one of John’s friends said. 

The boys somehow managed to pull through and play better than the other kids there. The coach was impressed with their skills. The boys thought that they could get away with staying up. They stayed up the other nights of tryouts. They were not playing their best on the last day of tryouts John said, “ I know we are way better than everyone but were playing like trash” 

“I thought we were gonna be fine but dang I can barely walk in a straight line” Nick replied. 

“If they tested our pee right now we would all be in a lot of trouble,” Jacob said. 

“Let's just hope they don’t,” John said. 

“I just hope we make the team,” Nick said with a concerned look on his face. 

“Don’t sweat it, we will,” John said. 

“You're one to talk, you can be as bad as you want and still make the team because of your dad” Nick snapped back. 

“You're just mad that your parents are nobodies,” John replied. 

John and Nick started to fight. 

“Guys stop, coach is gonna kick off the team if he sees you,” Jacob said trying to push them apart. 

“Hey!” the coach yelled from across the field, “what are you boys doing!” 

“Sorry coach” they both replied quickly. 

“Don’t say sorry to me, say sorry to each other” Coach demanded. “It's not even the first day of practice and you guys are already fighting” 

They both apologized to each other and continued practice. The next day they all went on their phones to check who made the team and who didn’t. Jacob was the only one that made it. Nick texted John saying that it was his fault for not making the team. They both argued over text and had stopped talking to each other for days. 


When they used to see each other in the hallway they would always walk with each other even though their class wasn’t in that direction they would always meet up after asking to go to the bathroom. Now every time they see each other they would look at each other like they were strangers. The teachers noticed that John wasn’t like he always was. He was usually really energetic and happy, but today he wasn't. He walked into class with his hood on and his head down and didn’t say a word. He was slumped in his chair. 

After the teacher got everyone started with their assignment he walked up to John and asked, “Is everything okay? You look a little down today” Mr. Smith asked. 

“Yea I’m just tired from tryouts” John replied in a low tone. 

“You sure?” 

“Yes,” John said, agitated. 

“Ok if you need anything my door is always open,” Mr. Smith said with a smile, “and come on put a smile on that face it makes me sad to see you sad” 

As John was walking out of class he went to check if the roster of who made the team was up. As he was walking up he saw a bunch of people gathered around it.  As he got closer someone said, “Guess you don’t take after your dad” 

“What are you talking about?” he asked. 

“The final list is out you didn’t make the team” 

He went up to the list and saw that his name wasn’t there. But someone else’s was, Nick’s was. Nick must have spoken to the coach and told him that I was the reason the fight started. I saw Nick standing in the crowd and decided to send a punch his way. A fight broke out between the two boys. Everyone pulled out their cameras to record the fight. John had Nick pinned down on the ground and was throwing punches. A teacher from a nearby classroom came to break up the fight.

“Get off of him!” the teacher yelled, “what is wrong with you guys”

The teacher happened to be Mr.Smith and he said “Both of you to the principal's office now” 

As he was walking us to the Principal's office he said in a gentle voice, “You guys used to be friends, what happened?” 

“We had a fight during football tryouts,” Nick said.

“A fight?” the teacher replied. 

“Yeah he said that the only reason I am gonna make the team is because of my dad,” John said. 

“That's not true,” Mr.Smith said, “Since I have a class to teach let's do this, I'm gonna take you to see the coach instead of the principal so you guys can settle it out with him” 

The two boys nodded their heads and both went to see the coach. He was sitting in his office. When they walked in he said, “What can I do for you guys?” 

“Coach, I have to ask you, why did you pick Nick instead of me?” John asked 

“Because even though you are good you looked like you were on something and I needed to teach you a lesson, just because your dad is Tom Brady doesn't mean you can be high at tryouts.” 

John knew that they were both high but didn’t want to throw him under the bus, so he stayed quiet. Nick felt really about this. They both left his office not saying anything to each other and went back to their classes. Later that day as John was leaving school he saw the coach putting up a new roster. He went to check it out. 

“Hey coach, why are you putting up a new roster?” 

“Nick came back to my office after you guys left and told me that he felt bad that you weren’t on the team and he told me that both of you were on something. So I'm cutting him from the team.” 

Right after school, John went straight to Nick's house. He knocked on the door. Nick opened the door.

“What do you want?” he said in a quiet voice. 

“Coach told me that you told him the truth.”

“So?”

“I just wanted to thank you for telling him the truth” 

“Yea, it just wasn’t right. Are you doing anything today?”

“Nah” 

“You wanna hang out?”

“Yea I loved to” 

The 2 boys went back to being friends and even though they both ended up not making the team they were fine with it because they had each other. 


 



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