Page 52 - Highlights for Children (December 2017)
P. 52
SOCCER
By Kristin Wolden Nitz in Any Language
Art by Gary Undercuffler
Number 54 dribbled the At Milan’s international “Bravo, Tomas!” Luigi
soccer ball down the sidelines school, where everyone spoke repeated as we jogged to
on a breakaway, and I was the English, I was Tom or Thomas. the bench. Then he added
last player between him and Here, I answered to Tomas in English, “We will learn you
my goalkeeper. I had to stop or Tommaso. to play soccer well.”
the forward or at least I finally remembered that “Teach,” I said. Luigi and
slow him down fuori means outside. Luckily, I had agreed to correct each
so that my I panicked. the coach had wanted me other’s language mistakes.
teammates to kick the ball out of “Teach,” Luigi repeated. Like
could catch up. bounds. most of my teammates, he had
“Die, Tomas, What did the Number 54 quickly been studying English since first
die!” my coach coach want scooped up the ball for grade. Whenever I looked lost
shouted at me. a throw-in, but it was during practice, Luigi would tell
Or at least that’s me to do? too late; my teammates me what to do.
what it sounded like. were in position. Twenty We arrived at the sidelines
“Die” was really dai, Italian seconds later, a whistle blast as our coach began his lecture.
for come on. I’d learned that ended the first half. I recognized a few words
much on my first day of practice popping out of the torrent of
with the soccer club in Milan, Italian: is, the, was, you, ball.
Italy. Today was our first game. But the coach’s tone made it
I matched speeds clear: he wasn’t happy with
with number 54, staying how we were playing.
between him and the goal. To be honest, I wasn’t happy
“Fuori! Mettilo fuori, with how I was playing. What
Tomas!” my coach roared. if I had tripped number 54 and
Fuori—the word caused the referee to award
sounded familiar, but I him a free kick? The other team
couldn’t remember what it might have scored. I had known
meant. I panicked. What the safest thing to do. Why had
did the coach want me to I hesitated?
do? Steal the ball? Try When the coach finished, I
a sliding tackle? Every asked Luigi in my best Italian,
stride brought us closer “Che cosa ha detto?” (What did
to the goal. I had to do he say?)
something. I couldn’t let Luigi answered in English,
my usual confusion hurt “We must play better. We must
the team. I went with the run more fast.”
safest choice: tapping the “Faster,” I said.
ball out of bounds. “Ah, yes—faster,” Luigi said.
“Bravo!” my coach “We must “And we must play—how do you
exclaimed. say it?—istintivamente.”
“Bravo, Tomas!” my play—how do you “Uh, instinctively?”
friend Luigi echoed. say it?—istintivamente.” “Sì, sì,” Luigi said, nodding.
