SUNSHINE

forty-nine

The team traveled to San Diego for their next game of the tournament against Germany, a team they have not faced in a while. Casey had been kept under close observation, the training staff had her taped up with kinesiology tape and on a tight leash. She did extra stretching to help with the pain and strain on her back.

"How are you feeling today, Casey?" Vlatko asked her just before they got to work. They had just finished stretchin out and she was doing the extra stretching she had been doing all week. It was Thursday and their game was on Sunday. Today was the first day since they started training late afternoon on Monday that she would be able to do anything other than stay loose with stretching out and simple warm ups.

"I'm feeling the best I have all week." She answered honestly.

"Good, glad to hear that. I'm happy to see you acting like yourself again." He told her, and she nodded as she got to her feet. Although the strain on her back would not be better for a few weeks, she could still play. She was cleared, so Vlatko could not say no to playing her. "Have a good training session Casey. Don't push too hard, but I really want you to play against Germany on Sunday."

"As much as I want to play, if I need to sit I have to sit." Casey sighed, and Vlatko patted her back.

"You're my number one, Casey. If I can use you, I'd like to. Maybe not the whole ninety, at least the first half, and we'll go from there." He said, and she chuckled, patting his back as she walked past him to head towards the net with Adrianna and Ashlyn. Alyssa would have been included in the roster, but she had had shoulder surgery over their break and was not cleared just yet.

"Let's take it one training at a time, Vlatko. Then we'll go from there." She said as she jogged away towards the net. When she arrived, she did handshakes with both of them and the three of them got to work. Casey was sore, but she felt alright during the beginning doing basic drills. It was when they started throwing themselves onto the ground she had a little bit of a rough time going through the drills. These were drills she did all the time, yet today she struggled. She probably should not be training, but she wanted to get back out on the field and prove some sort of point on Sunday. She did not know what that point was yet, but she was going to prove a point.

"Alright ladies let's take a break and meet up with the Vlatko and the other girls." Their coach said, and they nodded, heading over to the bench.

"Now how are you feeling?" Ashlyn asked her when they sat down as the rest of the team started coming over.

"Honestly I don't feel that great. I was good when we were you know, just catching the ball and whatnot, but once we started diving, it was over." Casey sighed as she tried to stretch her back out.

"Take it easy, Case." Adrianna said, squeezing her shoulder. She nodded in response, and all of a sudden there was freezing ice on her back.

"Ah shit!" She squealed, instantly sitting up and arching her back. She turned around and saw Alex and Ali with a small empty bucket in their hands.

"Run!" Alex shouted, but Casey did not move, laughing.

"That actually felt amazing. Thanks." She said, laying flat on the turf as Vlatko came over and looked down at her. She stared up at him, shielding her eyes from the sun.

"I'm gonna assume your back is hurting." He commented, and she nodded.

"Very much. I was good until I started diving." She responded.

"Then take the rest of practice to go hang with the trainers." He said, and Alex rolled her over so she could get up. Casey just started laughing as she got to her feet, slowly standing up straight and giving a wave to the team before she went into the locker room and to the back where the training staff were.