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SwEEPER V “ESTRANGEMENT” 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 WOW - CAN YOU BELIEVE HOW HARD THOSE TESTS WERE AT EAGLEVIEW TODAY ?

DEMI YES - I COULDN’T STUDY - I WAS SO STRESSED BY WHAT HAS HAPPENED. I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY MY PARENTS ARE SO STRICT REGARDING YOU. SWEEPER I FULLY UNDERSTAND. HECK HAVING THE FBI AND CIA AT YOUR HOUSE IS A BIG BIG DEAL. DEMI IF MY PARENTS KNEW WE WERE EVEN TALKING THEY WOULD KILL ME. SWEEPER WELL THAT’S LIFE - MAYBE THIS WHOLE SITUATION WILL WORK ITSELF OUT. WHO KNOWS - BUT THEN AGAIN I MAY 2

NEVER SEE MY MOM AGAIN - THAT IS LIFE AND WE MUST ALL DEAL WITH IT - THOSE ARE MY MOM’S WORDS. DEMI I COULD CRY AND THEN CRY SOME MORE - MAYBE WE SHOULD COOL IT FOR A BIT BECAUSE MY MOM KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT IS GOING ON WITH ME CONSTANTLY - SHE HAS SENSORS THAT ARE INDESCRIBABLE. SWEEPER I DON’T LIKE THIS - BUT I’LL HANDLE IT OK. IF WE’RE MEANT TO BE - THEN THINGS WILL WORK OUT. I’LL BE AROUND I HOPE. YES NOW THAT IS SETTLED.

DEMI

SWEEPER IS ANYTHING EVER SETTLED ?

DEMI I DON’T KNOW. I’M JUST DOING THE BEST I CAN. I HAVE TO FOLLOW WHAT MY PARENTS EXPECT. SWEEPER AGAIN I UNDERSTAND FULLY. DEMI WELL SO LONG - I’LL SEE YOU AROUND. SWEEPER I’LL WALK YOU TO THE CORNER. DEMI YOU PROBABLY SHOULDN’T. MY MOM HAS HER SENSORS ON AND SHE’LL JUST KNOW. SWEEPER OK - SEE YOU TOMORROW. HERE COMES COACH. DEMI I’M CRYING BUT I’LL GET THROUGH THIS. BYE. SWEEPER HEY COACH - NICE TO SEE YOU. HEARD ANYTHING ABOUT THE EUROPEAN TRIP ?

COACH YES IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS A GO. WE HAVE A BUNCH OF MONEY TO RAISE.

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SWEEPER WELL I’M GAME - THIS WILL BE A GREAT EXPERIENCE FINISHING UP MIDDLE SCHOOL. COACH WELL WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING. SURE GO AHEAD.

SWEEPER

COACH WELL I WAS QUESTIONED TODAY BY SOME FBI AND CIA FOLKS - I TOLD THEM I WOULD TELL YOU SINCE I THINK YOU ALREADY KNOW ABOUT SOME OF THIS. SWEEPER EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR MOM AND SINCE I AM STAYING WITH GENERAL MITCHELL AND HIS WIFE - THEY ARE USING ALL POSSIBLE WAYS TO FIND MY MOM WHO APPARENTLY HAS DISAPPEARED AND MAYBE ABANDONED ME. COACH WELL - IF THIS DOESN’T GET SETTLED, I DON’T KNOW IF YOU CAN GO TO EUROPE BECAUSE OF THE SECURITY CONCERNS. SWEEPER NO WAY COACH - I’VE WORKED FAR TOO HARD. COACH I UNDERSTAND - BUT THIS IS SOMETHING VERY DIFFERENT. SWEEPER EVERYONE IS WAY OVER REACTING. THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAT CAN BE DONE. I MUST CONTINUE TO LIVE MY LIFE. COACH WELL IT IS NOT ME - IT IS OTHER PARENTS WHO MAY NOT ALLOW YOUR TEAMMATES TO GO IF YOU GO BECAUSE THEY ARE CONCERNED THAT SOMETHING IS UP WITH YOUR MOM - DRUGS, ESPIONAGE, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT ELSE. UNTIL THIS GETS SETTLED - WE MAY NOT BE ABLE TO ALLOW YOU TO GO. SWEEPER WOW - THIS REALLY HURTS COACH. BUT I’LL KEEP PRAYING THAT THIS WILL GET SOLVED AND I’LL BE ON THE TRIP. JUST LET THE OTHER PARENTS KNOW THAT I’LL HELP RAISE MONEY EVEN IF I DON’T GO.

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COACH AND IF WE GET THIS SETTLED, YOU WILL DEFINITELY BE THE FIRST ON THE PLANE. SWEEPER WOW - I’VE NEVER BEEN ON AN AIRPLANE BEFORE - SHOULD BE PRETTY AMAZING TO FLY TO GERMANY. COACH YES - IT WILL BE AMAZING. SWEEPER I’LL KEEP WORKING ON MY FUNDAMENTALS THAT YOU KEEP EMPHASIZING. COACH RIGHT - ESPECIALLY TOUCHES - GOOD TOUCHES - GETTING THE BALL TO GO WHERE YOU WANT IT TO GO. FOUR OF FIVE TOUCHES ARE PASSING SHOTS SO WE MUST PERFECT LOFT, ANGLES OF PASSES AND RUNS, BOUNCING THE BALL WITH CORRECT DRIBBLING TECHNIQUE. SWEEPER I KNOW COACH 500 TOUCHES OR MORE PER PRACTICE SESSION - THAT IS A TON BUT IT PAYS OFF. COACH WE WILL BE AS A TEAM WORKING ON ALL FUNDAMENTAL SKILLS INCLUDING GOALKEEEPING. SWEEPER BUT WE ALREADY HAVE TWO GOOD GOALIES - WE NEED MORE ?

COACH WELL I WANT ALL OF OUR KIDS TO LEARN ALL THE POSITIONS - BESIDES I’VE COACHED ENOUGH AND SEEN WHEN ONE OF OUR GOALIES HAS BEEN INJURED AND THE OTHER IS HOME IN BED WITH A VIRUS. SWEEPER I GET IT - WE ALL MUST PRACTICE ALL POSITIONS AS YOU JUST NEVER KNOW WHAT MAY HAPPEN. COACH RIGHT SWEEPER - IN FACT MANY OF THE GOALIE SKILLS WITH FOOTWORK AND KICK PASSING ARE LEARNED WELL IN GOALIE DRILLS.

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SWEEPER I STILL HAVE A TON TO LEARN THEN SINCE I HAVEN’T PLAYED MUCH GOALIE. COACH WELL IT IS QUITE IMPORTANT TO REALIZE THAT THE GOALKEEPER INITIATES THE OFFENSIVE ATTACK MUCH OF THE TIME. SWEEPER HE CAN VISUALIZE THE ENTIRE SOCCER FIELD BETTER THAN ANYONE. HE IS IN THE IDEAL POSITION. COACH ADDITIONALLY THE GOALIE HAS THE HUGE RESPONSIBILITY OF SETTING THE DEFENSE WHETHER IT IS ZONE OR MAN MARK. HE CAN FIND DEFENSIVE WEAKNESSES - ESPECIALLY GAPS THAT CAN OCCUR WITH RED HOT PLAYERS ON THE OPPOSING TEAM. SWEEPER MAKES SENSE - WE AREN’T PLAYING CREAM PUFFS. COACH THE GOALIE SKILLS INCLUDE AGILITY, JUMPING, SPEED, STRENGTH, BALANCE, POSITIONING, THINKING, AND....

SWEEPER BE IN A READY POSITION ALWAYS. COACH YES TO PREVENT CROSSES, HIGH OR LOW PASSES OR SHOTS WELL HE MUST BE......

SWEEPER CRAZY AND BRAVE AS WELL AS THE MOST ATHLETIC GUY ON THE TEAM. COACH THE ABILITY TO DIVE FOR BALLS, RESCUE ERRANT SHOTS, DEFLECT EVERYTHING THAT COMES NEAR HIM, ANTICIPATE, AND HANDLE PRESSURE. THAT IS A GOALIE. SWEEPER AND DON’T FORGET GETTING THE BALL TO A WING OR STRIKER. COACH CORRECT - THE GOALIE MUST NOT ALLOW THE BALL TO BE STOLEN ON OUR SIDE OF THE FIELD - NEVER - SINCE AN ABRUPT SCORE MAY RESULT WITH OUR DEFENSE MALALIGNED. 6

SWEEPER OUR COACHES ALWAYS TALK ABOUT READY TO GO STANCES LIKE THE TRIPLE THREAT POSITION IN BASKETBALL. COACH RIGHT - THE GOALIE CAN KNEEL FOR LOW SHOTS AT HIM TO PREVENT THE BALL FROM GETTING THROUGH HIS LEGS, STAND AND EXTENDS HIS ARMS AND LEGS FOR A HARD LONG SHOT, FORWARD VAULT INTO THE BALL TO DEFLECT OR CATCH IT TO PREVENT A SCORE, OR HE MAY DIVE TO BLOCK A POTENTIAL WINNING SCORE BY THE OPPOSING TEAM. AND HE CAN DO A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THESE TO BLOCK THE SHOT AND RESET OUR OFFENSE. SWEEPER MAYBE I SHOULD BE THE GOALIE ?

COACH NO, THE COACHES, PLAYERS, AND PARENTS ALL WANT YOU IN FRONT OF THE GOAL TO SWEEP UP ANYTHING THAT COMES NEAR YOU. THAT IS YOUR JOB. NOTHING MORE. SWEEPER WELL AT TIMES I CAN GET INTO THE OFFENSE AS A TRAILER - OR WITH A LONG KICK ON A GOALIE WHO IS ABNORMALLY POSITIONED. COACH RIGHT - BUT YOUR MAIN FOCUS IS DEFENSE AND IF YOU GO TO EUROPE - THAT WILL BE YOUR GOAL THERE ALSO AS THESE EUROPEAN TEAMS CAN ABSOLUTELY KILL AMERICAN KIDS IF WE’RE NOT WELL PREPARED - REMEMBER THESE KIDS PLAY ALL DAY AFTER BIRTH AND THEY ARE QUITE GOOD. SWEEPER YES I KNOW FROM RECRUITERS THAT SOME OF THESE KIDS ARE ACTUALLY WATCHED CLOSELY AT AGES NINE AND TEN. I’D BE AN OLD PRO PROSPECT IN EUROPE. COACH THAT IS THE SOCCER CULTURE WE WILL FACE THIS SPRING IN BERLIN. I NEED TO HAVE ALL OUR PLAYERS ON BOARD TO NOT FALL BEHIND AND BE COMPETITIVE. SWEEPER THAT IS A KEY - COMPETITIVENESS - ABILITY TO WITHSTAND, REGROUP, CONQUER WHEN GIVEN THE CHANCE. THAT WILL BE OUR COLORADO GOLD I TEAM - WE WILL DO ALL OF THAT.

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COACH WELL THE SOCCER FEDERATION WANTED TO SPECIFICALLY MAKE A US JUNIOR ALL STAR TEAM - MOSTLY OF PLAYERS WHO PLAYED IN THE TOURNAMENT AT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY WHERE WE WON THE NATIONAL TITLE. THAT IS COOL.

SWEEPER

COACH WELL I OPPOSED IT BECAUSE I WANTED TEAM UNITY - EVEN IF I COACHED - AND I FELT STRONGLY THAT WE HAVE NO BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS ON OUR TEAM, WE ARE UNITED, AND I FELT WE COULD PLAY AS WELL AS AN ALL STAR TEAM. SWEEPER HOW WOULD THIS ALL STAR TEAM EVEN PRACTICE TOGETHER ?

COACH WELL WE WOULD PROBABLY HAVE THE PRACTICES HERE IN COLORADO SPRINGS SINCE WE WON THE US JUNIOR SOCCER CHAMPIONSHIP - BUT NOT GUARANTEED. SWEEPER AND KIDS WOULD MISS SCHOOL ?

COACH WELL THEY WOULD DO SPORT HOME SCHOOL - OR EVEN ATTEND HERE AT EAGLEVIEW IF A DEAL COULD BE WORKED WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT AS AN EXCHANGE DEAL. SWEEPER WOW - THAT WOULD BE INCREDIBLE FOR A KID TO GO TO SCHOOL ACROSS THE COUNTRY. COACH WELL IT IS BEING DONE - BUT IT IS A SIGNIFICANT FAMILY DISRUPTION AND ALL FOR YOUTH SOCCER - REMEMBER WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO BEFORE THE MULTIMILLION DOLLAR SOCCER CONTRACTS COME FILTERING DOWN FROM THE MLS WHERE EVERYONE SUPPORTS OUR SPORT. SWEEPER YES - I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THIS AGENT IN SPAIN WHO WANTED ME TO FLY THERE, PLAY ON HIS TEAM YEAR ROUND, AND ACTUALLY GO TO SCHOOL THERE. WHAT ABOUT SPANISH ?

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COACH

SWEEPER WELL I’M LEARNING - AND THE COACH SAID HE’D TEACH ME HE WANTED TO PROVIDE FOR MOM AND..........

COACH I’M SURE SHE SAID NO. RIGHT ?

SWEEPER WELL MOM THOUGHT ABOUT IT SINCE LIVING IN A TRAILER WITH NO MONEY AND HAVING VERY LITTLE - IT MADE HER THINK ABOUT IT FOR A WHILE. I WOULD HAVE GONE IN A MINUTE - SOCCER YEAR ROUND IN EUROPE - WOW - COULDN’T GET ANY BETTER IF YOU LOVE THE SPORT LIKE I DO. COACH WELL HERE COMES SALLY - YOUR NEW TEMPORARY MOM. HI SALLY -

SWEEPER

SALLY MITCHELL HELLO SWEEPER AND COACH. HOW ARE THINGS ?

COACH GREAT - WE ARE JUST IN THE PROCESS OF PLANNING OUR EUROPEAN TRIP TO BERLIN. SALLY MITCHELL SOUNDS VERY EXCITING - WHEN ARE YOU PLANNING ON LEAVING ?

COACH SPRING BREAK - WE’LL BE JUST GETTING THE SPRING SEASON GOING HERE AND WE’LL BE BACK FOR SCHOOL IN TWO AND A HALF WEEKS - ONLY MISSING A LITTLE OVER A WEEK OF SCHOOL. SALLY MITCHELL NOT BAD FOR A BIG EUROPEAN SOCCER TRIP. COACH YES IT WILL BE GREAT. THIS WILL BE A DREAM FULFILLED FOR MYSELF HAVING COACHED SOCCER FOR OVER 30 YEARS. SWEEPER SALLY - WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT PUZZLED LOOK ON YOUR FACE ?

SALLY MITCHELL WELL I HAVE SOME BAD NEWS TO TELL YOU BOTH - REALLY BAD NEWS. 9

SWEEPER WHAT IS IT ? DID THEY FIND MOM OR EVEN DAD ?

SALLY MITCHELL NO WORSE - WE FOUND CADET SMITH - YOU KNOW THE RUNNER - MY SON WHO I ESSENTIALLY ADOPTED - NEARLY DEAD THIS MORNING IN THE BACK WOODS OF THE ACADEMY OUT BY STANLEY CANYON. COACH WHAT HAPPENED - WHO IS CADET SMITH ? IS HE THE WORLD CLASS RUNNER WHO NO ONE CAN BEAT ?

SWEEPER

YES HE JUST WON THE NCAA 200 AND 400 METERS. HE WAS OLYMPIC MATERIAL. AND......

SALLY MITCHELL THE VERY VERY BEST PERSON IN THE WORLD - MY FAVORITE adopted SON WHO HAD IT SO ROUGH AS A KID - NO ONE CAN HAVE IT ANY ROUGHER. HE OVERCAME ALL OF THIS TO SUCCEED HERE AT THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY BOTH ACADEMICALLY AND ATHLETICALLY. HE WAS CLEARLY THE VERY BEST PERSON HE COULD POSSIBLY BE - AND IN HIS ELEMENT. COACH WELL WHAT HAPPENED ? WAS THERE FOUL PLAY ?

SALLY MITCHELL WE DON’T KNOW - IT APPEARS THAT THIS MUST BE THE CASE. CADET SMITH HAD NO ENEMIES. SWEEPER WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME ? I KNEW HIM AND HE HAS VISITED ME AT SCHOOL, SOCCER, AND AT THE COMMANDANT’S AND YOUR HOUSE. SALLY MITCHELL WELL THE COMMANDANT SUSPECTS THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN YOU AND CADET SMITH THAT SOMEHOW TIES INTO YOUR MOM’S DISAPPEARANCE. WE DON’T KNOW - THIS WHOLE THING WITH YOUR MOM’S DISAPPEARANCE IS WEIRD AND DESPITE ALL THE HOT SHOT INVESTIGATORY AGENCIES ALL OVER THIS - WELL THEY CANNOT BREAK THIS CASE. COACH WELL CAN I HELP ? MAY I TAKE SWEEPER IN ? WE HAVE AN EXTRA ROOM ?

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SALLY MITCHELL WELL I DON’T WANT THIS PRECIOUS YOUNG MAN TO LEAVE ME - BUT THE COMMANDANT’S ORDERS MUST BE FOLLOWED. SWEEPER WILL NOT BE ABLE TO STAY ON BASE. I’LL BRING HIS PERSONAL CLOTHES AND ITEMS OVER TONIGHT.

WHAT - I CANNOT DO THIS.

SWEEPER

SALLY MITCHELL NO - YOU ARE NOT PRESENTLY ALLOWED ON BASE UNTIL THIS MYSTERY SURROUNDING YOUR MOM IS RESOLVED. SWEEPER SALLY - WE HAD BECOME SO CLOSE. SALLY MITCHELL WELL I WILL COME VISIT WITH THE COMMANDANT PERIODICALLY. WE MUST FIND YOUR MOM. SWEEPER AND CADET SMITH - HOW IS HE ?

SALLY MITCHELL WELL CADET SMITH IS UNCONSCIOUS WITH A MAJOR BRAIN INJURY AND IS ON A VENTILATOR AT PENROSE HOSPITAL DOWNTOWN. HE MAY GET A BLOOD CLOT REMOVED FROM THE OUTSIDE OF HIS BRAIN LATER TODAY - CALLED A SUBDURAL HEMATOMA EVACUATION. IN FACT HE MAY BE HAVING IT DONE NOW. COACH WELL WE BETTER GET ON HOME AS YOU HAVE PLENTY TO DO SALLY. SWEEPER

GOOD BYE SALLY.

SALLY MITCHELL GOOD BYE - I AM SO SORRY YOU CAN’T CONTINUE TO STAY WITH US. BUT I HOPE TO SEE YOU LATER. HEY DEMI - GUESS WHAT ?

SWEEPER

DEMI I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ON MY CELL AS MY MOM HAS THE ACCESS TO ALL THE NUMBERS DIALED AND RECEIVED. SO ANYWAY NO MORE CALLS - WHAT HAPPENED ?

END - SWEEPER V 11

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