A

fter helping to win their school's first ever state soccer championship against the Cosmos, Peter and Berk are looking forward to another soccer season.

At spring tryouts, both boys are working hard to practice their skills. Peter is a star forward. Berk is the goalkeeper who had saved the day in the state championship. Peter tells Berk that he heard there is a new student at school who will also be trying out for goalkeeper. Berk meets the new boy, Ryan, who is very confident.

Berk is worried and a little apprehensive going into tryouts.

TRYOUTS

It didn't take long for the differences between Berk and

Ryan to become clear during tryouts.

As they worked on various drills, Berk was clearly better at

many of the technical parts of the game.

He made good decisions on when to come out of the goal

to challenge a shooter or to pick up a loose ball. He always seemed to be in right place at the right time.

When shots were taken on him, Berk made solid saves and

controlled the rebounds.

Ryan was a little wilder in the goal. He took unnecessary

chances, coming out of the net to challenge a player when it

would have been smarter to stay back. He often found

himself out of place.

But Ryan was a better athlete than Berk. So he often

covered his own fundamental mistakes by making spectacular

diving saves.

On the second-to-last day of tryouts, Coach Davis broke the Titans into two teams for a scrimmage.

The teams were pretty evenly matched. Berk was in one

goal, Ryan was in the other. Peter was on Berk's team.

Before the scrimmage, Peter ran up to Berk. "Don't worry,

buddy," he said. "I'll score on him and then you'll have the

keeper job."

At first, the scrimmage was going just as the drills had

gone. Berk was always in the right place.

When any shots were taken at him, Berk was ready, so the

saves were pretty easy to make.

Ryan was running all over the field. At one point, he

charged a forward who had the ball in the corner. That left

the whole goal wide open, so the forward lofted a pass

toward Peter.

Peter met the pass in the penalty area. He controlled the

ball with his left foot, then blasted it with his right toward

the open net. But Ryan's quickness allowed him to get back

to the net. He dove across to his right and deflected Peter's

pass toward the right post.

Another forward pulled the rebound in on the right side

of the net.

Again Ryan charged, and the forward put the ball out front.

This time Peter tried to redirect the ball toward the left

post. He didn't aim it perfectly, and Ryan dove back on top

of the loose ball.

Berk's heart sank. He knew that if the same play had

happened to him, neither of those shots would have

been taken.

He would have stopped the first pass, and the play would

have been over. But Ryan's wild style allowed him to make

two spectacular-looking saves. Even Coach Davis was

clapping and yelling.

Neither team scored in the scrimmage. Afterward, Coach

Davis called Berk over to the sideline. "Berk," he said. "I

have an idea."

Idea? Berk wasn't sure what to say.

Then the coach continued: "Have you ever thought about

playing another position?"

NEW POSITION?

Berk decided to be honest with his coach.

"Um, no, Coach," he said. "I've always wanted to be

a goalkeeper."

Coach Davis put his arm around Berk's shoulder.

"Well, you have such great footwork, and you're always in

the right place at the right time," Coach Davis said. "I think

you might make for a great sweeper."

The sweeper plays right in front of the keeper. He is often

the keeper's most trusted teammate.

The sweeper helps protect the goalkeeper and clears away

loose balls in front of the net.

It was a very important position, Berk knew. And since

Michael Swenson, the boy who played it last season, had

moved, the position was open.

Still, Berk wasn't interested in it. "I'd rather play keeper,"

he said.

"I know," Coach Davis said. "But I think I'm going to go

with Ryan in goal."

Berk was shocked.

It had been a long time since he'd cried about anything to

do with sports, but he felt like it now.

"You'll be the backup keeper," Coach Davis continued.

"And you'll still play all the time, because you'll be

the sweeper."

Berk managed to mutter something that sounded like

"Okay," but he was still fighting back tears.

As the players left the field, he ran off ahead of the group.

He changed clothes quickly and got on his bike for the

short ride home.

One more day of tryouts remained, but Berk already knew where he stood.

On the final day of tryouts, he didn't even bring his

goalkeeper gloves to the field. He practiced the entire time with the defenders.

During a break, Peter ran up to Berk.

"What the heck are you doing?" Peter asked. "Why aren't

you fighting for the keeper spot?"

"Coach told me yesterday," Berk said. He couldn't bear to

look at his friend. He kept his eyes fixed on the ground. "I'm

going to be sweeper."

"That stinks," Peter said. "At least you'll be on the field

all the time with me."

Berk smiled a little. Just then, Ryan ran over for a drink of water. He walked right up to the boys. Berk cringed as he

prepared for Ryan to gloat.

"Hey, Berk," Ryan said. "You're a good keeper. I'm sorry

tryouts didn't turn out the way you wanted."

Berk was sure Ryan didn't mean what he said. "Yeah,"

Berk said. "Whatever."

"It was a good competition," Ryan said. He held out his

hand to Berk. "No hard feelings?"

Berk shook Ryan's hand for a quick second. "No hard

feelings," he forced out. Ryan trotted away.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN

After just a few weeks of practice, the Titans were ready

to begin their season.

It would be a long schedule. There were twenty-four

league games, plus four weekend tournaments.

"Well, boys, we're ready for another great season," Coach

Davis began. "Last year, we won the state tournament. I

know some things are different this year, but I think we can

do it again. And we have a new opportunity this year.

Whoever wins the state title this year will be invited to play in

a national tournament!"

Now the players were pumped. They couldn't wait to get

on the field.

When the game began, Berk felt strange. Playing as

sweeper meant moving around the field a lot and doing

things that he wasn't used to doing.

Still, he handled the position well, so Ryan didn't have

much work at the net.

The Titans controlled play for most of the game.

Peter scored a goal late in the first half to give the team a

1-0 lead against their opponents, the Storm.

Midway through the half, the Storm pushed the ball down

into the left corner of the field. Ryan charged out of the net

to challenge the forward. That left the net empty.

"Ryan!" Berk yelled. "Get back in the goal!"

It was too late.

A Storm player hit the ball into the middle of the field.

Berk couldn't get to it, and the Storm's center forward

pounded the ball into the open net. Ryan dived, but couldn't reach the shot.

A LITTLE HELP

The Storm and the Titans ended the game in a 1-1 tie.

The rest of the Titans' season was a lot like that

first game.

Ryan made some great saves, but his poor fundamental

play cost his team several goals.

The Titans were scoring as many goals as they had the

year before, but they were giving up a lot more.

After that first game, when Ryan didn't seem to like Berk's

advice, Berk stopped giving it. He did his best job as sweeper,

trying to protect Ryan. But he didn't offer Ryan any help in

how to play goalkeeper.

The Titans were barely able to make the league playoffs.

After the last game of the regular season, Coach Davis

took Ryan aside for a private talk. Berk couldn't hear what

they were saying.

When the talk was over, Coach Davis called to Berk.

Berk ran up to him.

"Berk, I think we need to make a change," Coach Davis

said. "I'd like to put you back in goal for the playoffs."

Berk wasn't sure what to say.

"Are you sure?" Berk said. "Ryan's been playing there

all year."

"It's not working out," Coach Davis said. "If we want to

go to nationals, we need you in goal."

It was a huge compliment, and Berk knew it.

Still, he felt uneasy. "Um, thanks, Coach," he finally said.

As the coach walked away, Peter approached. "I heard the

great news!" he yelled. "That's awesome!"

"Yeah, awesome," Berk mumbled. "So why don't I

feel better?"

That night at home, Berk pulled out his goalkeeper gloves.

He tried them on. This time, they felt a little funny.

Berk stared at the gloves, and things suddenly

became clear.

That night, Berk phoned Peter and asked if he could meet

at the soccer field.

"Trust me," Berk told his friend. "I have an idea."