We begin outside the big gym where we have all been,
where a girl with faded blonde hair grins.
She stands fairly tall with her ponytail high
“Let’s go stars, let’s go!” She cries.
This is the first year for her anyway,
just like the navy blue polo everyday
that she wears for the first time.
Now that she has no downtime.
Starting high school is never easy,
and the next four years seem anything but breezy.
Monday morning practice has passed
and now it’s game day and the possibilities are vast.
Waking up later and pulling her game clothes together,
just class practice today and a little nervous as ever.
Team lunch after English to build morale
followed by the preaching of geometric rationales.
The end of school follows without a bell
just waving goodbye, chorusing, “Au revoir mademoiselle!”
Volleyball clothes and nervous stomachs signal the start of a new game,
they walked out downtrodden with no one to blame.
Thursday is a new day
with new games to play.
Waking up early, to get to school before eight,
because no one will wait.
Warming up and practicing serves
to get her young team the recognition they deserve.
She jumps and blocks
the numerous points bring shock,
to the two teams that they crush, making them quiver
at the last two winning serves she delivers.
No recognition on Friday of their achievement,
leaves the freshman with some bereavement.
They go through classes to lose again,
cheer for the others, and walk out once more in rain.
Their tournament the next day goes quite the same,
no recognition postgame.
She leaves the game in disrepair
driving to change her hair.
She builds up her courage
in two ways and decides on a change.
Her hair is darker now and
she is ready to demand
that things take a revision,
to create a new vision.
Where teams aren’t looked down upon
and every team gets their time in the sun.
She takes this new ideal
into their next tournament with the utmost zeal.
So they begin
their coming games with thicker skin.
Four games later
the the tournament is theirs.
This is announced in assembly
and they have their small shining moment,
for a moment at least,
they feel at peace.
This is how they will face all of their opponents:
without trembly
and unawares,
but with determination to not be ignored anymore and to be recognized greater.
Ann Richards
12
