Jock Leighton Park: A Short Story

As I arrived at Jock Leighton Park, I started to have second thoughts.

“Do I really have to do this?”, I asked my mom as we pulled into the parking lot. The lot was dim compared to the blinding, white lights on the lacrosse field. There were two giant, green fields that were side-by-side, with metal bleachers intersecting them. I pulled my hand-me-down gear out of my car. As I walked onto the sidelines, I saw how much better my other teammates were than me. They had better, shinier gear that was brand new. Some guys even had the purple and green gear that signified themselves as part of the Stampede team, the Elites of Martin County. After we got dressed, the seasoned players started passing balls at full speed, without missing a beat. It

“Okay, good. Now who here hasn’t?”

A few hands went up, including mine.

“Alright. Now to any of you who just started playing lacrosse, don’t worry. I’m sure you can be good enough by the first game.”

A few of the voices in the purple- green helmets snickered.

“Oh, so you think that’s funny, huh? You just earned yourself a lap. And that goes for the rest of you, too! One bad apple spoils the bunch!”

Those who had laughed were given dirty looks from their fellow teammates. Jogging around third corner of the field, I started to regret having dinner right before practice.

When we finished jogging around the entirety of both fields, Coach was waiting for us with a bucket of lacrosse balls.

“Alright! Today, we are starting out with something basic. Two partners will simply pass the ball back and forth. Now, go!”

The seasoned players immediately paired up with the friends they had played with earlier seasons. Most of the new kids had started with a friend, so they got together as well. Meanwhile, I just sort of… sat there.

Then, the crowd of boys divided as if the Red Sea had been parted . There, in the middle of the boys, stood another new boy who had not yet chosen a partner. He came up to me and said. “Do you want to pass the ball with me,