Read Online The Ball Hogs by Rich Wallace - Free Book Online Page B

“He was a jerk.”
    “He’s in my class,” Shayna said. “Nobody likes him.”
    “He sure likes himself,” Ben said. “He thinks he’s a big star.”

    “My mom will keep him in line,” Shayna said. “She won’t let him take over the team.”
    “That’s good,” Ben said. “He could ruin everything.”
    The school bell rang, so Ben and Erin waved to Shayna and walked toward their classroom.
    “She’s nice,” Erin said.
    “She’ll be a good teammate,” Ben said. “So we’ll have at least
one
good one.”
    “Think we’ll win any games?” Erin asked.
    “I hope so. I practiced by myself last night.”
    Ben had loved soccer practice. When he got home, he had taken his ball into the yard and kicked it around for nearly an hour longer. He weaved around the swing set with it and pretended he was racing past players from another team. He kicked the ball against the garage door, and he learned to stop it with the inside of his foot.
    After supper, Ben had written down some ofthe things the coach had said at practice. He pinned the list to his bulletin board. He underlined the most important tip:
Always have fun!
    “Coach Patty said we should dribble every day,” Erin said.
    “I wish we had
practice
every day,” Ben said.
    “I know. We only have three practices before our first game. How will we ever learn everything we need to know?”
    Ben shrugged. “I guess we won’t. But most of the kids in the league are new, too. They won’t be any better than us.”
    Ben took his seat in the classroom and looked around. Of all the other kids in the class, only Loop could beat him in a race. And only Tyler could jump as far. So he knew that he was a good athlete. Now he just needed to show that on the soccer field.
    “Take out your spelling books,” said Ben’s teacher, Mrs. Soto.
    Ben kept thinking about dribbling his soccer ball.
    “Ben?” said Mrs. Soto. “Are you with us?”
    So he took out his spelling book and tried to forget about soccer.
    At recess, Ben usually played a game called four square with some kids from his class. He looked forward to it all morning. After reading and math and social studies, he was always ready to run around.
    All four fourth-grade classes had recess at the same time. Other kids played tag or used the swings, and there were usually at least two games of four square going on.
    Ben took his spot in the fourth square, where he’d been the previous day when recess ended. The fourth square was for the server—the place where each player wanted to be.Reaching that square and holding on to it was the goal.
    “Let’s get going!” said Loop from square number three. “I’m ready to move up!”
    “Better get used to that square,” Ben said with a smile. “This one is mine.”
    Loop’s real name was Luis Pineda. Ben bounced the ball in his square and then hit it toward Tyler. Tyler let it bounce once and then knocked it toward Nigel.
    Ben stayed ready, his arms spread slightly and his knees bent, waiting for the ball to return to him. He loved the suspense.
    The ball darted around the squares, with each player hitting it skillfully. Ben knew this group was good—they might keep the ball moving for more than a minute before anyone bobbled it or knocked it out of bounds.
    But Loop fooled Ben by hitting a very soft volley into his square. Ben was ready for afirmer shot and didn’t put much muscle into his return. The ball landed directly on the line, and Ben was out.
    Loop jumped across the line into the fourth square, and the others moved up one space. Ben shook his head and stepped out, waitingon the side as another player moved into the first square.

    “Tough break,” said Ryan, who was next in line.
    “Don’t worry about me,” Ben said. “I’ll have the fourth square back before recess ends.”
    Ben looked around the playground. Kids were running around in the field next to the playground, playing tag or having races. A shout made Ben look back at the