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SWEEPER III “fundamentals” TIME: FALL 2008 SETTING: RICKY WELCH, A 13-YEAR-OLD GIFTED SOCCER PLAYER FROM COLORADO SPRINGS THEY CALL “ SWEEPER “, LEADS THE BEST COLORADO YOUTH GOLD I TEAM INTO THE NATIONAL FINALS AT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY. RICKY IS FROM A POOR SINGLE PARENT HOME - LIVING WITH HIS MOM IN A RENTED TRAILER. RICKY PLAYS SWEEPER - A POSITION IN FRONT OF THE GOALIE - AND VIRTUALLY NO GOALS HAVE BEEN SCORED AGAINST THIS COMPETITIVE, GIFTED, AND MOTIVATED YOUTH COLORADO TEAM THIS YEAR. COLLEGE AND PROFESSIONAL TEAMS ARE ALREADY FOCUSING ON RICKY, HOWEVER HIS MOTHER WANTS RICKY TO JUST CONCENTRATE ON SCHOOL - AND LET THE REST TAKE CARE OF ITSELF. FOLLOW ALONG AS COLORADO GOLD I PREPARES AND PLAYS THE FINAL GAME OF THE YEAR. WHAT HAPPENS IS AN EXTREMELY UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCE IN OUR SOCIETY. THE AMAZING EVENTS THAT FOLLOW TRULY DIG DEEP INTO HUMAN EMOTION AND COMPASSION. “ SWEEPER “ ADDITIONALLY ENCOMPASSES SOCCER FUNDAMENTALS, COLORADO CULTURE, MIDDLE SCHOOL YOUTH, AND THE COMPETITIVE SPORTS ENVIRONMENT OF TODAYS’ YOUTH.

SWEEPER I CAN’T EXPLAIN IT DEMI - JUST CANNOT !

DEMI I DON’T GET IT - YOUR MOM JUST UP AND LEFT - DOESN’T MAKE SENSE - NOT AT ALL - AND YOU DIDN’T EVEN TEXT, EMAIL, OR CALL ME WITH THIS. SWEEPER WELL WE ARE NOT MARRIED. DEMI OK SO WE’RE NOT GOING TOGETHER ?

SWEEPER NOW YOU’RE ACTING LIKE A REAL GIRL - YOU KNOW I DON’T LIKE THAT - NOT AT ALL. 2

DEMI OK - I DON’T WANT TO FIGHT OVER THIS - I JUST WANT SOME ANSWERS. SWEEPER OK - I’LL GET YOU SOME ANSWERS - IT’S NOT EASY I DON’T KNOW WHERE MY MOM IS. DEMI I DON’T GET IT. SHE JUST LEFT ?

SWEEPER YES - AT THE END OF THE TOURNAMENT WHEN EVERYONE WAS CELEBRATING - WELL SHE WAS GONE - I GOT IN ALL THE TEAM PICTURES AND........

DEMI MVP TROPHY SHOTS - I ALREADY SAW THOSE ON FACE BOOK. RIGHT - BUT NO MOM. SO WHAT DID YOU DO ?

SWEEPER DEMI

SWEEPER I LIED TO COACH - I FAKED THAT MOM WAS UP BY THE CADET FIELD HOUSE, WAIVED HIM OFF, AND THEN WAS ALL ALONE WITH MY BAG, TROPHY, AND WATER BOTTLE. SURVIVAL GEAR.

DEMI

SWEEPER YES - THEN I MET UP WITH A GREAT CADET GUY - CADET......

YOU KNOW I NEVER GOT HIS NAME - HE’S GOING TO ATLANTA IN THE NCAA FINALS THIS WEEKEND. DEMI THAT’S CADET SMITH - HE TALKED TO OUR PE CLASS - HE’S THE LONE RUNNING SUPERSTAR UP THERE - YES HE CAME FROM A BROKEN HOME - A GREAT INSPIRATIONAL TALKER. SWEEPER YES THAT’S HIM - HE IS DYNAMITE FAST, A GREAT PERSON WHO GOT ME SOME FOOD AND A PLACE TO STAY. DEMI SO WHERE ARE YOU STAYING ?

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SWEEPER AT SALLY MITCHELL’S HOUSE. WHO IS THAT ?

DEMI

SWEEPER she’S THE COMMANDANT’S WIFE - WELL I’M STAYING AT THEIR HOUSE - NEAR AIR ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL. DEMI OH - THEY’VE GOT KIDS AT AIR ACADEMY - ONE’s A BOY DEVIN WHO IS REALLY HOT STUFF AND A GOOD STUDENT AND ATHLETE. SWEEPER AND THE OTHER IS WHO.....

DEMI MARLA - SHE IS A REAL SNOB. MOST OF US CANNOT STAND HER - SHE WAS A COACH ON OUR SUMMER VOLLEYBALL TEAM. SWEEPER ALL GIRLS ARE PRETTY SENSITIVE ABOUT OTHER GIRLS ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE BEING THREATENED. DEMI I’M SORRY - A REAL B IS A REAL B - THAT SIMPLE. SWEEPER OK I GET IT - BUT I DIDN’T SEE ANY OF THEM LAST NIGHT - I GUESS I WENT TO THE GUEST QUARTERS AND SLEPT AFTER EATING dinner AT THE CADET MESS HALL. DEMI WELL YOU WILL SEE THEM AND MARLA IS A REAL PIECE OF WORK - TRUST ME - YOU’LL LIKE DEVIN BECAUSE HE’S LIKE YOU - QUIET, DOES HIS HOMEWORK, AND IS CUTE AS CAN BE. SWEEPER I’LL CHECK THEM OUT ON FACE BOOK. DEMI SO WHAT ABOUT YOUR MOM ? WHAT IS HAPPENING ?

SWEEPER I DON’T KNOW - I GUESS SALLY MITCHELL IS INVESTIGATING THE WHOLE THING. WHAT AM I TO DO ?

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DEMI WELL MY MOM SAYS YOU CAN STAY WITH US - YOU KNOW SHE IS FINALLY WARMING UP TO YOU - SHE DOESN’T UNDERSTAND YOUNG LOVE - SHE NEVER HAD A DATE UNTIL HER LAST YEAR OF COLLEGE - MY DAD - HOW BORING IS THAT !

SWEEPER WELL FOLKS JUST ACTED DIFFERENTLY BACK THEN I GUESS. DEMI I GUESS - BUT MY PARENTS ARE REALLY OLD FASHIONED YOU SHOULD SEE SOME OF THE STUFF IN THEIR CLOSETS. IT’S RIDICULOUS. LIKE WHAT ?

SWEEPER

DEMI WELL MY DAD STILL HAS OLD BASEBALL CARDS OF GUYS LIKE WILLIE STARGELL, REGGIE JACKSON, PETE ROSE......

GUYS ALMOST ALL DEAD. BOOKS LIKE 1984, SOYLENT GREEN - WEIRD STUFF - AND MOM HAS PICTURES OF ALL THINGS - WOODSTOCK, CARPENTERS, JESSE JACKSON AS A YOUTH, JIMMY CARTER WHEN HE WAS A GOVERNOR. THEY NEVER THROW ANYTHING AWAY. SWEEPER THEY’D MAKE A FORTUNE ON E BAY. I’LL TELL THEM THAT.

DEMI

SWEEPER I GUESS WE’LL HAVE TO SNEAK INTO THEIR CLOSETS SOME NIGHT. DEMI NO - MY PARENTS WILL GLADLY SHOW YOU THIS JUNK - AND ARE PROUD OF IT. THEY FEEL THE WORLD HAS CHANGED MUCH FOR THE WORSE - BAD ELECTIONS, PRESIDENTS, TIMES, ETC..

SWEEPER SO WHAT DOES YOUR DAD EXACTLY DO ?

DEMI HE’S A FREE LANCE JOURNALIST. HE SOMETIMES WRITES IN THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE, WOODMAN EDITION - STUFF LIKE THAT - HE’S FUNNY AND FAIRLY RADICAL QUESTIONS EVERYTHING. 5

AND YOUR MOM ?

SWEEPER

DEMI SHE WORKS AS A NURSE AT PENROSE - BIRTHING CENTER LOVES HER WORK - LOVES TAKING CARE OF SINGLE MOMS. BUT SHE’S ALWAYS TIRED WORKING MANY LONG NIGHT SHIFTS. SWEEPER WELL THEY WEREN’T REALLY WARM TO ME. DEMI LIKE I SAID - IT TAKES THEM A WHILE TO WARM UP TO FOLKS - BUT THEY ARE REALLY GOOD PEOPLE - I THINK BOTH OF THEM WERE 70S TYPE HIPPIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF IOWA. SWEEPER INTERESTING - HOW DID THEY END UP HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS ?

DEMI IT’S A LONG STORY - BUT MOM GOT A JOB HERE DUE TO THE NURSING SHORTAGE AND HIGH OB RATES, DAD KIND OF TAGGED ALONG - KEPT WRITING - HE WORKED FOR SOME LOCAL PAPERS BUT THEY WERE ALL SO RELIGIOUS RIGHT AND REPUBLICAN - WELL HE DIDN’T FIT IN. SWEEPER WELL MY CELL IS GOING OFF. I’D WALK YOU HOME - BUT I’VE GOT A TEAM MEETING WITH COLORADO GOLD I - AND THEN PRACTICE AFTER THAT. THEN WHAT ?

DEMI

SWEEPER SALLY MITCHELL WILL PICK ME UP. DEMI SO SHE IS YOUR NEW MOM - I GUESS YOU ARE ABANDONED - THAT WAS THE TALK IN THE HALLWAYS AT EAGLE VIEW TODAY. I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT - I DON’T KNOW HOW YOU ARE SURVIVING WITH ALL OF THIS - I WOULD BE SUCH A MESS - I MEAN I DON’T AGREE WITH MUCH OF MY PARENTS STUFF - BUT I STILL LOVE AND DEPEND ON THEM - LOSING THEM WOULD BE AWFUL.

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SWEEPER WELL I ALWAYS HOPED AND PRAYED THAT MY DAD WOULD RETURN. NOW THAT I’VE LOST MOM - WELL I’M NO DIFFERENT THAN CADET SMITH WHO FOUND ME. I’M NOW WHAT THEY CALL A FOSTER CHILD - A ward OF THE STATE. I’M CERTAIN THE COACH WILL BE UPSET ABOUT HIM LEAVING YESTERDAY AND ME LYING TO HIM - BUT I WAS AND STILL AM SO EMBARRASSED. DEMI I UNDERSTAND - BUT WE ALL GO THROUGH TOUGH TIMES - AND THIS IS YOUR TIME. WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP ? MOM WANTS YOU TO COME OVER FOR SUPPER WITH US THIS WEEK - WILL THAT WORK ?

SWEEPER I DON’T KNOW - I’VE GOT A GEOMETRY TEST TOMORROW - AND LANGUAGE ARTS THE NEXT DAY - FOLLOWED BY COLORADO HISTORY QUIZ. ON TOP OF PRACTICE, I DON’T HAVE TIME TO DO ANYTHING ELSE. DEMI WELL - I’LL SEE YOU TOMORROW - CALL OR TEXT IF YOU NEED ANYTHING. OK - GOOD BYE. BYE.

SWEEPER DEMI

SWEEPER HEY COACH - HOW ARE YOU ?

COACH NO THE QUESTION IS HOW ARE YOU ?

SWEEPER I’M FINE - WHAT IS THE MEETING ABOUT ? HOW LONG IS PRACTICE ? WHAT ABOUT NEXT YEAR ?

COACH HOLD ON - ONE QUESTION AT A TIME - I KNOW YOU MUST BE SEVERELY STRESSED - DOES ANYONE KNOW WHERE MOM IS ? DID SHE REALLY ABANDON YOU ? I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS !

SWEEPER WE HAVEN’T FOUND HER YET. COACH WOW - DO YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED ?

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SWEEPER NO - SAME AS DAD - HE JUST LEFT WHEN MOM WAS PREGNANT WITH ME. COACH WELL I’ve NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. sally mitcheLl WELL MOST PEOPLE DO NOT HEAR OF PARENT ABANDONMENT COACH - BUT IT IS MUCH MORE COMMON THAN YOU REALIZE. COACH OH - sorry - I DIDN’T SEE YOU BACK THERE - YOU ARE UNFAMILIAR - WHO ARE YOU ? sally mitcheLl I’M SALLY MITCHELL - SWEEPER’S stand-in MOM UNTIL his REAL MOM IS FOUND - AND WE WILL FIND HER - MY HUSBAND HAS STRICT ORDERS FROM ME TO USE ALL MILITARY PERSONNEL - FBI, CIA, SPECIAL FORCES - YOU NAME IT TO FIND SWEEPER’S MOM. COACH RIGHT ! I’M SUPPOSED TO BELIEVE THAT !

SWEEPER SALLY IS THE COMMANDANT’S WIFE AT THE ACADEMY SHE’S A BIG SHOT - AND HER HUSBAND IS AN EVEN BIGGER BIG SHOT. COACH WELL - THAT IS GREAT BECAUSE WE NEED TO FIND MRS. SWEEPER - AND SOON. sally mitcheLl WE WILL - IT’S OK IF I ATTEND THE COLORADO GOLD I MEETING ISN’T IT ?

COACH YES BUT THERE IS A PRACTICE ON FUNDAMENTALS FOLLOWING - YOU ARE WELCOME TO STAY AND WATCH SALLY. SWEEPER SO WE ARE GOING TO GET TOLD EVERYTHING WE DID WRONG COACH ?

COACH NO - WE’LL HARP ON THE POSITIVES AND GET RID OF ALL THE NEGATIVES - WE STILL COULD HAVE PLAYED BETTER ON OFFENSE, DEFENSE, AND IN TRANSITION AGAINST LA - ALL 8

OUR COACHES STRONGLY FELT SO - WE WERE TOO TIMID ON OFFENSE - ESPECIALLY AFTER WE SCORED THAT FIRST GOAL - NO ONE EVEN THOUGHT ABOUT GETTING AN INSURANCE GOAL - WE WERE SOMEWHAT FORTUNATE. SWEEPER WELL I KNOW FUNDAMENTALS IS REALLY WHERE IT’S AT EVEN ON A TEAM LEVEL. COACH WELL COLORADO GOLD I TODAY is DEMONSTRATING AND PRACTICING SOCCER DRIBBLING. I’VE GOT NUMEROUS CONES SETUP WHERE WE’LL PRACTICE THE SIMPLE DRIBBLE WITH THE SOLE - BOTH INSIDE AND OUTSIDE - AS WELL AS THE BACK HEEL. SWEEPER MAY I DEMONSTRATE COACH ?

COACH NO - I WILL SINCE THERE ARE SOME ADDED THINGS WE NEED TO GET THROUGH. THE PURPOSE OF THE DRIBBLE IS TO SCAN THE FIELD, ADVANCE THE BALL BY KEEPING YOUR HEAD UP, CREATE OPPORTUNITIES WITH YOUR HEAD AND BODY MOVEMENT. SWEEPER NOT FANCY, GET THE JOB DONE - RIGHT COACH ?

COACH YOU DON’T NEED A RAINBOW BACK HEEL KICK, A DOUBLE SPIN, OR A FLIP OVER. WE WANT TO CREATE GOOD SHOT AND PASSING ANGLES. DRIBBLING IS EASIEST WHEN WE ARE PARALLEL TO GOAL LINES. DO OUR PLAYERS KNOW WHY ?

SWEEPER YOUR TACTICAL ADVANTAGE WITH A ZONE OR MARK TO MAN DEFENSE IS MUCH EASIER - THE OPPONENT IS SUDDENLY OUT OF POSITION AND THIS GIVES US A QUICK BREAK TO SCORE OR PASS TO SCORE. ALWAYS KEEP THE DEFENSE OFF BALANCE. COACH RIGHT - WE WILL GO OVER THE FUNDAMENTALS AT THE STATIONS OF THE SCISSORS, FAKE KICK, LUNGE, AND 360 DEGREE DRIBBLE. REMEMBER THESE ARE DRILLS FOR HOME MAINLY. PRACTICE IS FOR TEAM STRATEGY, WORK OUTS, AND MAINTAINING SHAPE. INDIVIDUAL DRILLS ARE BEST PRACTICED AT HOME BY YOURSELF OR IN SMALL GROUPS.

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SWEEPER COACH - YOU DIDN’T TALK ABOUT ACCELERATE DECELERATE. COACH YES - WITH ALL THESE TECHNIQUES ONE NEEDS TO THINK OF DIRECTIONAL AND SPEED CHANGES - REMEMBER YOU ARE ATTACKING AND CLEARING AN OPPONENT. USE CREATIVITY. IF HE IS WEAK TO HIS LEFT - THAT IS WHERE YOU ARE GOING - FOR INSTANCE IF THE DEFENDER SEES YOU GOING RIGHT, HE IS SALIVATING AND JUST LIKE THIS WITH A LUNGE DRIBBLE - PLACING YOUR SHOULDERS AND BODY ON THE SUSTAINING FOOT AS YOU JUMP AROUND THE BALL SIDEWAYS, YOUR OTHER FOOT CUTS THE BALL WITH A GENTLE CONTROLLED ROLL THE OPPOSITE WAY AS YOU THEN ACCELERATE. SWEEPER WE NEED TO DO MORE OF THIS AS A TEAM. WE HAVE BEEN REALLY LAX ON THESE FUNDAMENTAL DRIBBLING SKILLS. COACH THAT IS WHY WE DON’T SCORE - NO FUNDAMENTALS MEANS NO SCORES - WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE OUR DEFENSE HAS HELD UP - BUT LACK OF OFFENSE WILL COME BACK TO BURN US AGAINST BETTER COMPETITION. SWEEPER ARE WE REALLY GOING TO EUROPE COACH ?

COACH I’LL GET TO THAT SWEEPER - YES WE’VE BEEN INVITED TO PLAY THIS SPRING DURING OUR BREAK AT A TOURNAMENT IN ROME - WEATHER SHOULD BE DECENT. WE’LL NEED A BIG FUND RAISER. I HAVEN’T SAID YES YET BECAUSE THIS INVOLVES A TON OF FOLKS, MONEY, AND I GUESS THESE DAYS WITH TERRORISM - SOME RISK. SWEEPER WE’RE GOING TO GO COACH - I KNOW IT - IT’S NOT LIKE WE DESERVE IT - BUT HECK WE BEAT LA - AND THEY WERE THE BEST. COACH YES I KNOW - BUT I WANT 100% OF OUR TEAM GOING, ONE PARENT OF EACH CHILD, AND A WELL PREPARED TEAM WITH COMPLETED HOMEWORK, RESTED BUT IN SHAPE. THE COMPETITION WILL BE BRUTAL FROM ALL OVER EUROPE PLAYING AGAINST KIDS WHO WILL BE PROFESSIONALS IN THE ENGLISH AND OTHER EUROPEAN SOCCER LEAGUES. BRUTAL COMPETITION - AND I WANT TO COMPETE. THAT SIMPLE. 10

SWEEPER GOT IT - BUT I DON’T HAVE A PARENT TO GO OVER TO ITALY WITH ME! sally mitcheLl YES YOU DO - I’LL GO IF MOM ISN’T BACK YET - PROMISE !

SWEEPER THANKS SALLY - BUT I WANT MY REAL MOM - ANY NEWS ? sally mitcheLl NO - BUT WE ARE REALLY LOOKING HARD - WE’LL FIND MOM TRUST ME. COACH WORK ON THESE SKILLS AT HOME. PRACTICE IS ADJOURNED. SEE YOU TOMORROW. HOMEWORK DONE. sally mitcheLl THANKS COACH - I’LL BE HERE TOMORROW. SO SALLY - NOTHING ?

SWEEPER

sally mitcheLl WAS THERE ANYONE STRANGE THERE AT THE GAME SUNDAY - SOMEONE YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE OR SOMEONE YOU HAVE SEEN BEFORE BUT NEVER REALLY KNEW - ANYTHING UNUSUAL ?

SWEEPER WELL LET ME SEE - THERE IS THIS GUY WHO KIND OF HANGS OUT IN THE CORNER - AND WHEN I GET THE CHANCE TO CORNER KICK, HE LOOKS AT ME KIND OF FUNNY. HE’S THE ONLY ONE. NEVER THOUGHT MUCH ABOUT HIM - BUT I’M PRETTY SURE HE’S NOT A DAD OF ANY COLORADO GOLD I KID. sally mitcheLl WELL THAT MAN MAY BE YOUR DAD! END - SWEEPER III

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