Halfway There // Liam O'donovan

21

_MATCH_
•••
EVIE'S POV
•••

I wouldn't usually be so excited for a netball match but Liam was coming to watch today so I was a little more gassed than usual. I got to the courts early with Liam and Tracy. They went to sit in the stands while I warmed up with my team. I played goal defence so I had to keep good stamina.

The weather was chilly and it didn't help that I was in a little netball dress. I knew once the match started I'd be fine though. Before the match started, I went over to Liam.

"So, what exactly are you meant to be doing?" Liam asked me, "I don't understand netball."

I chuckled, "See the first two halves?" he nodded, "As goal defence, I have to stop the other team's GS but I'm only allowed in the first two halves."

"Huh." Liam nodded, "And what's a GS?"

"The GS is the goal shooter." I said, "She's only allowed in the first half. The GK, which is Shelley, is the goal keeper and has to stop the GS from shooting."

"This makes no sense to me." Liam said. I laughed again.

"Alright, you'll catch on, the match is gonna start in 5." I said, nodding at the other team that were arriving. They wore red uniform whilst ours was blue. I examined the other team, "You see her? The GA?" I asked Liam.

He nodded.

"That's the goal attack, I have to mark her and basically make sure she doesn't get the ball. If she does, then I have to try get it off her."

"Hm." Liam said, "So, your marking the GA and stopping the GS from shooting? And what is C and the other positions?"

"C is centre, she's allowed everywhere on the court except for in the D around the hoop." I explained, "The WA, wing attack, has to get the ball and get it to our shooter who's Elizabeth. Then the wing D, wing defence, has to be on defence the whole match." I said, "She has to mark the other team's WA and make sure they don't get the ball."

"Right." Liam said, "This is complicated as hell but I'll catch on soon enough."

"On sight, girls!" Coach Withers yelled. My coach wasn't that bad but she was very strict.

"Alright, in a bit." I said, he pecked my cheek.

"Good luck." he called, Tracy nudged him, "Shut up." he told her.

I jogged onto the court and took my position beside the GA. I shook her hand. There was a coin toss and my centre won. I waited for her to step in and readied myself. Her name was Rachel and she was really good.

Once the whistle blew Rachel stepped in and passed the ball to the WA, who's name was Madison, who then passed it to me. I chucked it to Elizabeth. The other team's GK stood in front of her and she passed it back to me. I passed it to my GA, Lisa, and she shot.

We cheered and went back to our positions.

Liam and Tracy gave me a thumbs up.

•••

It was the third quarter when things started to get heated. The other team kept kissing their teeth and mumbling under their breathes. The score was tied 7-7. Once the game started again, the other team's centre passed it to the GA. I jumped in front of her and caught the ball. She kissed her teeth when I passed it over too Rachel.