Churchill Would Be Proud

“How can something so simple be this hard?” Cal muttered to himself.

He rested his elbows on the desk, stared at the computer screen, and shook his head. He had entered the Reedsy Short Story competition, thinking that writing a short story would be easy. But after days of racking his mind for an idea, his computer screen stared back at him with a blank expression, mocking his frustration with a blinking cursor. He’d have more success getting through to his telco and asking if they’d assist him move to another provider!

His wife, Maggie, called from downstairs and reminded him it was time to take her and their five-year-old son, Lachie, to his last soccer match of the season. Cal switched off the computer and headed downstairs, determined to put the idea he could turn his hand at writing, behind him, once and for all.

At the soccer ground, Cal wrapped his scarf around his neck and shoved his gloved hands deep in his coat pockets as he and Maggie joined the families of Lachie’s soccer team. The five-year-old players seemed oblivious to the cold as they paraded around in simple soccer gear.

Close to kick off, Cal and the other parents helped the coach gather his young team for last-minute instructions, which were a brief reminder of what they covered at training - dribbling, trapping, passing, shooting, concluding with do your best and above all, have fun.

The referee’s whistle called the players to the field where they took their positions as directed by the coaches.

The game started, and the coach’s pregame instructions flew out the window. Except for the two goalkeepers, the remaining players scrambled to the centre of the field like bees drawn to a honey pot. Somewhere inside that swarm was a soccer ball. Spectators on both sides laughed as the swarm buzzed around the middle of the field, and some parents assisted the coaches by encouraging the young players to spread out - all to no avail.

As the swarm crept around the field, the ball occasionally escaped through a gap, only to disappear inside again. Being anywhere near the ball was enough to entice a player to attempt a kick. Some missed the ball altogether, some collected an opposing player, and others somehow managed to collect themselves. Occasionally a foot, a shin, a knee or sometimes all three struck the ball.

“Josh,” the opposing coach called out from the other sideline, “next time you kick the ball, make sure you face the right direction.”

The comment drew laughter from both sides.

At one point, Lachie’s coach directed his attention to a corner of the field, some distance from the action. Cal followed his gaze. The smallest member of the team had befriended an opposing player. Both seemed disinterested in the match as they played games in the dirt. When the coach pleaded with the young player to get back into the game, Cal chuckled when the lad returned a look of reluctance.

And so, it continued. The players ran, ran, and kept running. They kicked at the ball, kicked at each other, and kicked at nothing. The coaches called out instructions and parents encouraged. Everyone seemed to be having an enjoyable morning.

At one point, the swarm made its way to the opposing goal line. Lachie broke away with the ball and headed toward the goal posts. Players from the opposing side gave chase, but he was too far ahead. Only the goalkeeper stood between Lachie and a goal.

Cal froze, his feet riveted to the sideline. “Go Lachie,” he yelled.

The buildup of tension coincided with each step Lachie took.

“Come on Lachie. You can do it!” Maggie screamed and grabbed Cal’s arm.

Cal chuckled when Lachie somehow ran over the ball, which had stopped dead. Opposing players caught Lachie, and two of them attempted to kick the ball. They somehow collected each other and fell on their seats. Lachie jumped over the two players and dribbled the ball between the remaining players.

“Great work, son,” Cal called out.

The opposing coach yelled out an instruction, and his goalkeeper reacted with a dash toward Lachie.

“Now Lachie,” his coach yelled.

Lachie positioned himself and kicked with all his might. The ball managed a graceful roll past the goalkeeper and time stood still as unimpeded, the ball continued until it rolled over the goal line and into the back of the net. The referee’s whistle signaled the goal had been scored and the parents and spectators erupted. Cal punched the air. Lachie’s players surrounded him and lauded him with praise. Moments later, the referee signaled the end of the first half.

Lachie’s coach gathered his players and passed on instructions, but his young charges seemed more interested in the bowl of cut oranges. Cal and Maggie proudly listened as Lachie told them about his goal, which included a slight exaggeration of the details.

The second half began, and another swarm immediately formed. The parents and spectators now seemed happy to leave the imparting of instructions up to the coaches. Cal smiled as Lachie seemed to be having the time of his life. Oh, to have the energy of a five-year-old. An opposing player broke free of the swarm and with the ball at his feet, headed toward the goals. Lachie was the only player who gave chase. The opposing player seemed to struggle controlling the ball, which allowed Lachie to close in for a tackle. Cal grimaced when Lachie missed and fell. The opposing player dribbled the ball around Lachie and continued toward the goals. Lachie sprung to his feet. The attacking player seemed too far ahead, but Lachie pursued him, nonetheless. Spectators on the opposite sideline screamed as the attacking player approached the goals.

“Come on Lachie, you can catch him,” Cal yelled.

The attacking player turned and saw Lachie. He dribbled the ball away from Lachie and headed diagonally away from the goals. Lachie continued straight and stood between the player and his goals. The attacking player kicked the ball to Lachie’s side, but Lachie seemed to have anticipated the move. He raced to the ball and kicked it over the sideline. His coach and those who stood near Cal sighed with relief. Cal clapped, proud of his son’s determination and skill.

Cal glanced at his watch. Ten minutes left in the game and still time for the opposing team to even up the score.

Maggie screamed. “Cal, look!”

Lachie had broken away from the opposition defense and dribbled the ball toward the opposing goals, with only the goalkeeper ahead. An opposing player, the biggest on the field, gave chase and was gaining. The excitement on both sidelines grew, and Cal tried to propel Lachie forward with his cheering. The goalkeeper ran toward Lachie as the opposing player approached from behind and to his right. With skill wonderful to see, Lachie turned forty-five degrees to his right and dribbled the ball across and in front of the opposing player, which forced him to slow down. By performing this maneuver, Lachie dribbled the ball past the goalkeeper’s left and with nothing in front of him but an open goal, struck the ball . . . and scored.

Spectators cheered as the referee’s whistle confirmed the goal had been scored. Lachie’s teammates covered him with praise.

At the game’s conclusion, the parents and spectators cheered and applauded as the players ran from the field, and Cal led the players in three cheers for the coach. A two to nil win was a great way to finish the season.

As they walked to the car, Lachie gave a detailed account of his goals, his words sometimes lost in his excitement. Cal couldn’t stop smiling. Not only did he share in Lachie’s excitement, but his son’s soccer game did more than Lachie realised.

Once the family arrived home, Cal raced to his computer. He recalled the determination on Lachie’s face when he ran down the opposing player and prevented him from scoring the equalizer. He smiled at Lachie’s skill when he beat both a defender and the opposing goalkeeper to score his second goal.

When the odds were against him, Lachie simply did not give up.

Cal drew inspiration from his son and typed. After a couple of false starts, the words flowed, and he wrote a story about his son’s soccer match. The excitement of the players, the support of the parents, the skill of his son, and how proud he felt when Lachie scored his goals. Above all, Cal highlighted the determination of the youngsters, especially Lachie.

They did not give up.

From start to finish, they gave it all they had.

Cal wrote that he would continue to instill this quality in his son, something to take with him for the rest of his life.

No matter the odds - never, never, give up.