Soccer #1

When you registered for your classes, you discovered that you had to take one sport as part of your curriculum.

Sport? In college? Well, yeah, to keep you into shape!

Now, you spoke to your councillor and discovered you don't get any actual credits for that sport... but you get a pass/fail grade and if you fail, you need to keep taking a sport class until you pass one.

High school was horrible for sports! Physical education was where the jock got the confidence they used to bully the rest of the school. It's where the sexy girls found out who looked the best in leotard and who wore baggy gym shorts.

It was basically a way for the sexy but superficial to show up, and you hated it, because you didn't find yourself sexy and you hated superficiality.

You wouldn't be in chastity otherwise...

So you asked and most classes are competitive. In badminton for example, you pass if you manage to score at least 8 points in solo in your exam match so if you get matched with a pro who floors you, you fail and do it again on the next semester. For Tennis, you need to win at least 1 set in the last 3 matches, but at least, you get some wiggle room.

For soccer, there are 2 ways to pass. If you are in front, you win by scoring or assisting on at least 2 goals in your last 3 matches. For defense, you win by not letting the other team score more than 3 goals in any of your last 3 matches.

Those two seem completely contradictory until you read on the Facebook group about the "passing pact" that students tend to make: each defense lets exactly 3 goals in, so the defense passes the course, while the attack makes a lot of passes before scoring so that almost everyone makes an assist.

It sounded fair enough so you signed up!

The teacher, Mr Stark "No relations to Tony or Aria, because you ask", explains the rules for passing and the rules of soccer.He also says that two teams will be made today but no exchanges will be allowed.

"If you get 3 red cards during the session, it's an automatic fail but at least, you don't have to show up here anymore"

You quickly realize a problem however: there are a little too many students so getting them all to score might be tricky.

"That means", he explains, "that the rule about the minimum number of players on the field is never enforced but please, guys.... behave. Oh, and one last thing. I had a guy 2 years ago fail on purpose to continue playing soccer. You don't have to do that. If you love it, you can take it again without costs or risks. Amanda over there is on her second round.", he says, pointing to a very cute girl with a school soccer uniform, including soccer shoes with those kinds of spikes under them.

"So, we need two goalkeepers who will be our captains. I know that Amanda is a very good goal keeper, so I need another volunteer"

A boy raises his hand.

"What's your name son?"

"Gregory"

"Perfect, so to make this fair, you and Amanda will each pick one person, but the rule is simple. Amanda makes her first choice. If it's a girl, you have to pick a girl. If it's a boy, you have to pick a boy. But then, you make your second choice and Amanda picks the same gender as you. You go back and forth until only 6 players remain and then you each make a single choice, regardless of gender"

"But we haven't seen anyone play?", Gregory complains

"And here we are! Go Amanda!"

She looks at the crowd and picks a tall girl on your left wearing soccer shoes. Good choice... she seems like a pro.

Gregory picks a stocky muscular girl, but realize she seems short: in soccer, there is a lot of running and you need long legs which might favor you.

He then picks a jock by name: visibly one of his friends. Amanda returns by picking the only other player with soccer shoes.

She picks another girl, again, with tall legs and appropriate gym clothes. You shuffle forward and a little closer to Amanda: you have an appropriate breathable shirt and sensible shorts, and rise your socks like Amanda wears them.

Gregory picks his second girl but you quickly realize he picked her on looks: she seems passive and bored.

His second pick is yet another jock he knows. You guess that perhaps he chooses his friends to be part of his team.

Amanda asks one of the jocks "Are you with him?". The guy nods but the coach reprimands her. "No interview".

"I don't want one of his macho friends to ruin my team. I pick him instead...", she says, pointing at... YOU!

You were chosen as Amanda's 4th choice!

You go behind her with the others, and she just says to you, "Don't let me down".

The rounds continue but you don't pay that much attention. You are in heaven of not having been picked last!

Instead, you do small talk with your team members and soon enough, the coach splits the teams across the field to talk.

"Ok, so this stupid coach counts the midfielders as defense, so here my plan. We'll do a 5-3-2 formation, that means 2 center forward: two people on assault, 3 center fields who count as defense and 5 defenders. This is not what usually occurs in this class, but it means we have 8 players being counted for defense who will get a pass easily, but we can still push forward to get our two fronts to score 2 goals: one each, with the other in assist"

You listen intendly. confidence is oozing from her tone and your cage is all up in attention.

"So I am hoping that your two", she says, pointing to those with soccer shoes, "are good enough to score."

"I am", says Angie. "I was player of the year at my high school and we made it to the states championship."

"Awesome!, and you?", she asks Kevin.

"I am not at great but I played for years. I was a left forward"

"great! You two are offense. Our next five best will be center and the rest will be defense"

"I thought it was 3 centers?", you find yourself the courage to ask.

"Yeah, our two best will do the three matches, and the other 3 will each do one and serve as replacement in case of injury. Don't worry, even on the bench you pass if you play at least one match. We will mainly play defense and our center's role will be so that the ball is always kicked on their side so that they have to run all match. We'll be better organized, less exhausted, and we will crush them"

Wow, such confidence!

The coach left a few soccer balls out and you begin practicing with a few of your teammates.

You utterly suck at hitting the goal with Amanda in it, but make great passes and show you have a lot of control over the ball. It even surprises you!

Near the end of the practice, Amanda gave to each player a role: Defense or center. You stand back. Many of the players are actually relieved to be in defense while one of the girls, the tall one, is overwhelmed to be 1st center! Congrats to her!

When Amanda get to you, you lost track of assignment. "And you, are 2nd center.". Shocked, you realize that you might actually be one of the best players in the group?

Where did that come from?