TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER ONE Always Take the Shot 4 CHAPTER TWO Monday Madness 14 CHAPTER THREE If it's True It's True 26 CHAPTER FOUR it's only a game 36 CHAPTER FIVE A Final Set 48 CHAPTER SIX Pressure to Perform 58 CHAPTER SEVEN Just a Nap 68 CHAPTER EIGHT The Dark Night 78 CHAPTER NINE Home Room 88 CHAPTER TEN Perfect Match 102
CHAPTER ONE Always Take the Shot Start the day right and end the day right Everything in the middle will fall into place Enzo’s pappa pours boiling water from a kettle into a thermos and to mix his maté Argentinian tea Yeah You have a match today asks Pappa You know when I grew up in Argentina everyone knew what soccer was about If you have the shot you take the shot Nowadays they spend too much time passing You’ve got to be fast and you’ve got to be a shooter Enzo Nobody remembers the passer I know Pappa Are you a shooter Enzo Yeah I’m a shooter Enzo rolls his eyes 4
Coach’s sprinting drills pay off but not as much as Enzo’s private training routine He starts every morning at 5 30 a m just after his pappa leaves for work They meet in the kitchen at 5 15 while his mamma and sisters are still asleep Pappa sips maté and Enzo drinks a protein shake Are you fast Enzo Yeah I’m fast Pappa Argentinian fast Pappa jerks his arms in a quick jab making him look more like a lightweight boxer than a soccer player I’m going downstairs says Enzo When the match starts later that morning Enzo thinks Pappa doesn’t really believe I’ll make it but there’s no question in my mind He makes a run down the right side Aiden anticipates the move and makes a perfect pass Enzo doesn’t miss a step The defender backpedals but it’s too late 5
