USWNT Oneshots

"Good Luck, Striker"

I fidgeted with my hands as Tobin drove me to the field. "What's wrong, babe?" Tobin asked. "Nothing." I said. "Yeah right." Tobin said. "What's wrong?" "It's my first cap." I said. "Ah, I see." Tobin said. "No, you don't!" I said. "It's my first cap, and we're playing against the best team in the league! And I'm starting as forward! A freshman! An the varsity team! In the state finals!" "And you're gonna do great, striker." Tobin said, smiling. "I know you are. you're one of the best players I've ever seen." we pulled up to the field, and I grabbed my stuff and jogged over to the team. "Good luck, Striker!" Tobin called after me. "Nervous, kid?" Elizabeth, my fellow forward and a senior, asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Yeah." I admitted. "That's natural." Elizabeth said. "Before my first cap, I nearly pissed myself. You'll do great. You're one of the best players on the team. I'm surprised coach hasn't started you already." "That's what Tobin said." I said. "Tobin?" Elizabeth asked. "Oh, yes. Your girlfriend. She's something else, isn't she?" I laughed a little. "She's absolutely right, though." Elizabeth said. "You're gonna do great. I just know it." the coach called us over, and we started warmups. Before I knew it, I was standing in the center circle next to Elizabeth. "Good luck, kiddo." Elizabeth said. "Not that you need it." the game started, and Elizabeth kicked the ball back to Faith in midfield. Faith kicked it to me, and I started dribbling up the field. I dodged around a defender, then passed the ball to Elizabeth, who dribbled a little farther, then passed it back to me. "It's all you, kid!" she called. I looked up and saw that it was just me and the goalie. I took a deep breath and shot the ball. It flew in between the goalie's legs and into the goal. the team and the stands erupted in cheers. Tobin gave me a grin and a thumbs up as we reset. The other team put up a fight, but we easily overpowered them. By halftime, we were leading two to one. "Good job, kid." Elizabeth said, clapping me on the shoulder as we walked over to get snack. "Thanks." I said, picking up a water bottle and taking a drink. The second half started, and the other team had the ball. As one of their forwards dribbled down the field, I stole the ball, and passed it through her legs to Elizabeth, who grinned at me and started dribbling down the field. I ran and caught up with her. "You wanna do the honors?" I asked, nodding towards the goal. "Nah." Elizabeth said. "You made the play, you make the goal." she passed the ball to me, and I shot it. It soared into the upper left hand corner of the goal, just out of the goalie's reach. Elizabeth high fived me, and we reset again. The ref added three minutes of stoppage time to the game, and in the second minute of stoppage time, I got the ball again. "Go!" Elizabeth yelled. "Go to the goal!" I ran with the ball to the goal. The goalie tried to stop me, but I maneuvered around her and shot the ball into the empty net. Elizabeth hugged me, and the rest of the team followed. "That's what I'm talking about!" she yelled. "We're going to nationals, baby!" we were presented with our medals and our plaque, then I ran over to Tobin, who grabbed my face and kissed me passionately. "Get a room, you two!" one of my teammates called. I flipped them off without breaking the kiss, and there was laughter from behind us. Tobin slowly pulled away, smiling. "I'm proud of you, Striker." she said.