Read Online Sweet Victory by Sheryl Berk - Free Book Online

cancer.”
    Coach nodded. “I saw it on the five o’clock news. Pretty impressive.”
    â€œSo is this.” Herbie gave Sadie a little push. “Show her how much we made.”
    Sadie handed her the check and watched eagerly as her coach’s eyes grew wide. “Sixty-two thousand dollars? Sadie, this is amazing!”
    â€œI know it’s not millions, but it’s something, right?” Sadie said. “It will help.”
    â€œAre you kidding?” Coach replied. “Every dollar counts when it comes to cancer research. I can’t believe you did this.”
    â€œWe did it for you,” Sadie said. “And for everyone who is battling cancer. So many people who donated told us about family and friends who were sick.”
    â€œWell, you know I don’t go down without a fight,” Coach said, winking. “I’ll beat this.”
    Sadie knew that if anyone could, it was Coach Walsh.
    â€¢ • •
    The next two weeks flew by, and before she knew it, Sadie was back in her Blakely Bears basketball uniform, dribbling a ball down the court. Even better, Coach Walsh was back blowing her whistle and running the team ragged.
    â€œ Rebound! Rebound! ” she shouted. “Sadie, when you see the shot, take it. No holding back!”
    â€œYes, Coach!” Sadie called back to her. She tossed the ball but it missed the basket by several inches. She had to admit that she was still a little nervous being back in the game, afraid to injure her foot again. She kept second-guessing herself.
    â€œTime-out!” Coach Walsh blew her whistle and summoned the girls to the bleachers for a pep talk.
    â€œNow, I know you all beat the Coyotes and you think you have nothing to worry about,” she said. “Well, that’s ancient history. The teams you’re going to face at regionals are even tougher. This is a whole new ball game, and there is no tiptoeing around the court or being lazy. Do I make myself clear?”
    â€œ Clear! ” the team shouted in unison.
    Sadie couldn’t help but smile. It felt great to have her old tough-as-nails coach back, pushing them all to be stronger, smarter, better players.
    â€œOkay, hit the locker room,” Coach Walsh said, studying her clipboard. “Sadie, you hang back a few minutes.”
    Sadie gulped. Was Coach Walsh going to scold her for being so nervous on the court? For missing that shot? Was she going to tell her she wasn’t ready to play?
    â€œI have an email for you from Coach Keren,” she said.
    â€œYou do?” This was even worse than being bawled out for a bad practice. The Coyotes’ coach was probably writing to tell her off for being so rude!
    â€œShe heard you had a little cupcake business,” Coach Walsh teased. “And she wants you to bake something for her team to inspire them. I told her you’d be delighted.”
    â€œCupcakes? She wants us to make her cupcakes?”
    â€œAnd given how you treated her, they’d better be pretty darn good ones. You owe her.” Coach handed her the email. “Like I always say, ‘Make me proud.’”
    â€¢ • •
    â€œAre you sure about this?” Kylie asked, reading the email. “You want to bake cupcakes for your archrivals?”
    â€œI guess I do kinda owe it to Coach Keren,” Sadie said. “I was really mean to her. And to you. I’m sorry, Kylie.”
    Kylie smiled. “It’s okay, Sadie. I knew you didn’t mean it.”
    â€œI didn’t. I was just so angry and sad and scared and frustrated… I lost my temper.”
    â€œI do it all the time with my little brothers,” Jenna piped up. “Like the time they colored on my bedroom wall with crayons and I exploded. My madre calls it ‘ la bomba ,’ when I get that way— BOOM ! ”
    â€œThat’s what it felt like,” Sadie admitted. “All these feelings were just bubbling up