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SwEEPER VII “foreboding” TIME: late winter 2009 SETTING: RICKY WELCH, A 13-YEAR-OLD GIFTED SOCCER PLAYER FROM COLORADO SPRINGS THEY CALL “ SWEEPER “ - plays with THE BEST COLORADO YOUTH GOLD I TEAM. having won the national youth championship, the team is about to travel to germany for an all-star youth soccer tournament.

Quite by accident, ricky has been taken under the wing of sally mitchell, wife of the air force academy commandant following his mother’s disappearance.

To date, sweeper’s mom remains missing and while his father is believed to be alive, neither have yet been found. ricky, however, has been cleared to go to berlin with colorado gold I. SWEEPER HEY DEMI - GOT SOME GREAT NEWS - but YOU SEEM DOWN - SOMETHING HAPPEN ?

DEMI YES - AND I’LL BE HONEST - WE JUST CANNOT SPEAK ANYMORE PER MY PARENTS. THAT SIMPLE. SORRY. SO JUST TELL ME AND WE’LL MOVE ON. WELL........

SWEEPER

DEMI LET ME GUESS. YOU TOOK THE POSITION WITH THE SPAIN PROFESSIONAL TEAM - NOT THE NATIONAL TEAM - THE NATIONAL TEAM WOULD NEVER TAKE AN AMERICAN SOCCER PLAYER UNLESS HE DEFECTED. SWEEPER NO THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SOCCER. ZERO. DEMI OK I’LL GUESS AGAIN - YOU GOT AN A ON YOUR HISTORY PAPER WHICH I ESSENTIALLY DID FOR YOU ?

SWEEPER WELL YES I DID GET THAT A - BUT THIS IS MORE IMPORTANT.

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DEMI YOU’RE GOING TO PLAY IN BERLIN WITH COLORADO GOLD I ?

SWEEPER WELL YES - I GUESS THAT NEWS HAS SPILLED AT SCHOOL BUT THAT IS NOT THE REAL REASON I’M EXCITED. DEMI NO - THEY FOUND YOUR MOM ? IS THAT SO ? TELL ME IT IS TRUE. SWEEPER NO BUT THEY DID FIND SOME REASONS TO THINK MY DAD IS STILL ALIVE AND IN THE AREA. DEMI NO WAY - YOU ARE KIDDING. I CANNOT BELIEVE IT. AMAZING. SWEEPER YES IT IS AMAZING. I CANNOT WAIT TO SEE HIM - I WOULDN’T REALLY KNOW WHAT HE LOOKS LIKE. DEMI WOW - SO WHEN will you FIND OUT for sure ?

SWEEPER I REALLY DON’T KNOW - I’VE BEEN WARNED - WE MAY NEVER FIND ANYTHING OUT. DEMI HMMMM.....SO WHAT ABOUT THE SPANISH PROFESSIONAL TEAM ?

SWEEPER I REALLY DON’T KNOW - THEY APPARENTLY WANT A TRY OUT - MAYBE NOW THAT I’M GOING TO BERLIN FOR THE YOUTH WORLD TOURNAMENT - WELL THEY CAN SEE ME THERE. DEMI SO YOU ARE REALLY GOING TO BERLIN ? I THOUGHT THIS WAS BLOCKED ?

SWEEPER WELL SALLY REALLY MADE IT ALL POSSIBLE - SHE HAS CLEARED A BUNCH OF HASSLES AND CONVINCED THE OTHER PARENTS TO ALLOW ME TO GO. EVERYONE IS ON BOARD. DEMI WOW - THAT IS REALLY PRETTY NEAT - AMAZING ! I CANNOT WAIT - I BET COLORADO GOLD I WILL DO WELL.

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SWEEPER I CERTAINLY HOPE SO - WE WILL BE COMPETING AGAINST THE VERY BEST YOUTH soccer IN EUROPE - TEAMS FROM BOTH EASTERN AND WESTERN EUROPE, SCANDINAVIA, NORTH AFRICA, AND even SOME FROM ASIA. DEMI WELL THE COMPETITION WILL BE ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC AND YOU MAY GET SOME EXPOSURE. SWEEPER SOCCER IS SO VERY DIFFERENT IN EUROPE - I MEAN SOCCER PLAYERS THAT ARE TRULY TOP NOTCH ARE REAL HEROES LIKE BASKETBALL SUPERSTARS ARE HERE. DEMI THAT IS COOL - HERE SOME PEOPLE GO TO THE GAMES - BUT WE HAVE MANY QUALITY PLAYERS THAT GIVE UP THE GAME AND REALLY NEVER PLAY AGAIN. SWEEPER SAD WHEN ONE CONSIDERS THE MAGNITUDE OF THE GAME AND THOUSANDS OF PLAYERS AND TEAMS RIGHT HERE IN AMERICA. SOCCER IS FAIRLY BIG IN HIGH SCHOOL AND THEN IT ENDS. COLLEGE AND PRO SOCCER OCCUR - BUT THEY DON’T GET THE CROWDS THAT AMERICAN FOOTBALL, BASKETBALL, AND BASEBALL DO. DEMI MAYBE YOU’LL CHANGE THAT - WHO KNOWS ?

SWEEPER I’D SURE LIKE TO - COME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES AND PLAY FOR A PRO TEAM WITH BIG CROWDS. DEMI KEEP PLUGGING AWAY AND IT MAY HAPPEN. SWEEPER WELL MOM REALLY WANTED MYSELF TO CONCENTRATE ON SCHOOL AND LET THE SOCCER TAKE A BACK SEAT. DEMI MY DAD ALWAYS SAYS YOU CANNOT HIDE TALENT EVENTUALLY IT WILL SURFACE. SWEEPER YES - I AGREE. I’M QUITE HAPPY WITH COLORADO GOLD I THEY HAVE REALLY MADE ME EXCITED ABOUT PLAYING AND IMPROVING - DESPITE THE LONG DAYS OF DRILLS. 4

DEMI WELL I’VE HEARD THAT EUROPEAN SOCCER LEAGUE IS ABSOLUTELY OVERWHELMING. SWEEPER WELL CHELSEA SENT ME AN EMAIL INSTRUCTING THAT THEY WOULD BE HAVING TRYOUTS AT THE END OF THE SEASON - NO CONTRACT - BUT THEY SELL THEIR STADIUM OUT EVERY WEEK. RABID FANS. DEMI THAT IS COOL - VERY COOL. BUT BARCELONA AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TRYOUT WANTS TO OFFER YOU A PRO CONTRACT TO PLAY IN THE EUROPEAN FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION - RIGHT ?

SWEEPER SOUNDS LIKE YOU KNOW A BIT ABOUT EUROPEAN SOCCER. DEMI YES - I’VE CHECKED IT OUT ON THE INTERNET - SOUNDS PRETTY AMAZING TO ME - PRETTY MUCH THE NFL OF EUROPE. SWEEPER YES - THE CROWDS AND FANS ARE AMAZING - TOTALLY ANOTHER LEVEL - PRETTY NEAT. DEMI WELL WOULD you STAY HERE AND GO TO AIR ACADEMY HIGH SCHOOL OR PLAY PROFESSIONAL SOCCER IN EUROPE ?

THERE WOULD BE NO CHOICE - YOU HAVE TO GO - IT IS THAT SIMPLE SWEEPER. SWEEPER BUT WHAT IF THEY FIND MY PARENTS ?

DEMI THEY CAN GO TO EUROPE - YOU NEVER KNOW - YOU AS WELL AS I KNOW THAT THEY BOTH COULD BE DEAD.

SWEEPER DON’T EVEN MENTION THAT. DEMI WELL MY PARENTS believe THAT YOUR PARENTS MAY BE DEAD - I DON’T KNOW WHY - THEY JUST DO - AND THEY DON’T WANT ME TO HANG AROUND YOU BECAUSE IF THEY ARE

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NOT ALIVE THEY FEEL THEY MIGHT BE INVOLVED IN DRUG TRAFFICKING AND THAT.........

SWEEPER KILLS EVERYONE WITHOUT REGARD TO FEELINGS - JUST LIKE THE DARE DRUG OFFICER EXPRESSED. ABSOLUTELY.

DEMI

SWEEPER SO DEMI DO YOU FEEL THAT WAY ?

DEMI WELL - LET’S BE HONEST - LIKE THE POLICEMAN INSTRUCTED US - ANYONE GETTING INVOLVED WITH DRUGS AT ANY LEVEL RISKS INNOCENT PEOPLE AROUND THEM, CLASSMATES, TEACHERS, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS. IN OTHER WORDS I COULD BE SHOT JUST STANDING HERE. SWEEPER YES I KNOW DRUG PEOPLE KILL EVERYONE AROUND THEM WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION - WHAT ARE WE TALKING ABOUT THIS FOR ?

DEMI WELL I’M JUST STATING THE UNDERNEATH TALK - I MEAN WE ARE CONFRONTING SOMETHING WE DON’T UNDERSTAND - BOTH YOUR PARENTS MYSTERIOUSLY LEAVE AND ARE NOT REALLY FOUND ? DOESN’T THAT SOUND LIKE DRUGS THAT THE POLICE DISCUSSED ?

SWEEPER I GUESS SO - BUT I AM INNOCENT. DEMI WE ALL KNOW THAT - BUT MY PARENTS FEEL WE MUST ALL PROTECT OURSELVES. NOW DOESN’T THAT SOUND WEIRD ?

SWEEPER ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT MY MOM iS A REALLY GOOD PERSON - THE VERY BEST - SHE JUST RAN INTO SOME MEDICAL ISSUES OF DEPRESSION AND HAD A TOUGH TIME KEEPING A JOB BECAUSE SHE NEVER WENT TO COLLEGE. DEMI I FULLY AGREE - SHE WAS ALWAYS VERY NICE TO ME - THE BEST - I DON’T GET IT ?

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SWEEPER WELL SHE NEVER REALLY DIVORCED MY DAD. DEMI WELL THAT IS ALSO WEIRD - BEING NOT FOUND AFTER SEVEN YEARS PER MY PARENTS IS CONSIDERED DEAD IN MOST STATES. SWEEPER I KNOW - MOM TOLD ME THAT - SHE KEPT HOLDING OUT THAT DAD WOULD RETURN - BUT I GUESS THAT IS A REAL STRETCH - EVEN THOUGH SOME OF THE RECENT NEWS SUGGESTS THAT DAD IS AROUND AND MOM ISN’T. DEMI WELL IT WOULD CERTAINLY HELP US IF YOUR FAMILY COULD GET IT TOGETHER. SWEEPER WE WILL - TRUST ME - WE WILL OVERCOME ALL THIS - IN FACT I BELIEVE I COULD HELP IF I ONLY KNEW WHERE AND WHY MY PARENTS ARE GONE. DEMI GOT TO GO - SEE YOU LATER THIS WEEK - I KEEP MY PRAYERS GOING - OH HERE COMES YOUR COACH. SWEEPER HEY COACH - I KNOW PRACTICE TONIGHT AT 5 PM. RIGHT ?

COACH NO 1630 - WE NEED MORE WORK - I’VE SEEN VIDEOS OF THE TEAMS WE WILL BE FACING IN BERLIN IN A COUPLE WEEKS - WE WILL GET SMASHED WITHOUT MORE FUNDAMENTAL DRILL WORK. AND CONDITIONING.

SWEEPER

COACH RIGHT. ONE SHOULD ABSOLUTELY VISUALIZE THE TALENT AT EVERY POSITION THESE EUROPEAN KIDS POSSESS. UNBELIEVABLE. SWEEPER I CAN IMAGINE - SHOULD BE INTERESTING. COACH WELL I WANT US TO BE COMPETITIVE - VERY COMPETITIVE. I UNDERSTAND ONLY ONE TEAM CAN WIN - BUT JUST PLACING

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IN AN EVENT LIKE THIS GOES A LONG WAY TOWARDS FURTHERING AMERICAN SOCCER. SWEEPER DON’T YOU THINK WE’LL PLACE COACH ?

COACH WELL THERE IS A WINNER’S AND LOSER’S BRACKET. I WANT TO HEAD INTO THE WINNER’S BRACKET FROM THE START OF THE TOURNAMENT. SWEEPER SO WHERE ARE THE TEAMS FROM - ALL OVER ?

COACH ALL CONTINENTS - EXCEPTING ANTARCTICA. TONS FROM EUROPE - BUT ASIA, AFRICA, SOUTH AMERICA, AUSTRALIA - YOU NAME IT - AND I’VE SEEN THE RECORDS AND VIDEOS OF MANY OF THE TEAMS WHICH THEY PLACED ON THE INTERNET. SWEEPER ARE WE ON THE INTERNET - OUR GAME AGAINST LA IS THERE FROM LAST FALL. COACH MANY TEAMS WANT TO PLAY US - WE ARE RATED THE TOP TEAM IN THE UNITED STATES IN OUR AGE GROUP. SWEEPER BUT SHOULD WE HAVE GONE WITH ALL STARS COACH ?

COACH I DEBATED THIS FOR MONTHS AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION BECAUSE OF THE LOGISTICS AND HASSLES INVOLVED WITH FAMILIES THAT THERE WOULD BE LITTLE TO GAIN AND MUCH TO LOSE BECAUSE OF TEAM.........

CHEMISTRY - RIGHT ?

ABSOLUTELY !

SWEEPER COACH

SWEEPER WELL I’M HAPPY - I DON’T FEEL WE ARE UNDER ACHIEVERS OR WEAK IN ANY AREA. COACH MANY OF OUR PARENTS AND ASSISTANT COACHES FELT OUR MIDFIELDERS WERE NOT AS GOOD AS OTHER TEAMS - BUT 8

I’VE WATCHED TONS OF VIDEO AND THEY REALLY DO STEP UP WHEN IT COUNTS. SWEEPER I CAN ATTEST TO THAT - MANY OF MY INTERCEPTIONS AND CLEARING THE BALL HAVE GONE TO THOSE MIDFIELDER GUYS, AND THEY REALLY HAVE REMOVED MANY OFFENSIVE THREATS AGAINST US. COACH WELL CONDITIONING IS A MUST - ACCELERATION AND SPEED ARE CRITICAL. SWEEPER CAN YOU REALLY IMPROVE SOMEONE’S SPEED - IN FACT IN COUPLE WEEKS ?

COACH YES - AGILITY AND SPEED DRILLS REALLY DO HELP LONG AND SHORT TERM SPEED AS WELL AS INITIAL ACCELERATION. SWEEPER SO DOESN’T THAT MEAN WE ARE BACK TO CONDITIONING COACH – LIKE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON KILLER DRILLS ?

COACH ABSOLUTELY - ONE ONLY HAS TO VIEW THE VIDEOS AND SEE HOW FAR MANY OF THESE TEAMS HAVE COME - AMAZING. SWEEPER BUT WE’LL BE ALL PUNCHED OUT BEFORE BERLIN. COACH YOU CAN REST ON THE PLANE - TRUST ME - I WANT EVERY COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE I CAN GET FOR OUR TEAM ?

SWEEPER AND POWER DRILLS ALSO ?

COACH DOUBLE - ESPECIALLY PUSHUPS WITH THE SOCCER BALL. DOUBLE REPS !

SWEEPER WELL IT WILL BE AMAZINGLY WORTH IT - AND THANKS AGAIN FOR SALLY AND YOURSELF WORKING IT OUT SO I CAN GO TO THE BERLIN WORLD YOUTH SOCCER TOURNAMENT. COACH I’M ONLY DOING MY JOB AS I LOVE TO DO. 9

SWEEPER WELL IF IT WASN’T FOR YOU - I WOULDN’T HAVE A SOCCER CLUB OR MAYBE A CAREER. COACH NO IT IS YOU SWEEPER - I’M JUST HELPING YOU ALONG. DOING THE VERY BEST I CAN BECAUSE I TAKE GREAT PRIDE IN KNOWING THAT I INFLUENCED MANY OF MY SOCCER KIDS AT A CRITICAL TIME IN THEIR LIFE. SWEEPER YES YOU HAVE - MOST OF US WANT TO BE A COACH OF SOCCER WHEN WE GROW UP BECAUSE OF YOU. COACH WELL THANKS - BUT I’M JUST TRYING TO FURTHER ALONG THE PROCESS OF GROWING UP AND BEING A RESPONSIBLE ADULT THROUGH SPORT. SWEEPER YES I KNOW - YOU COULD RUN FOR PRESIDENT AND GET ALL THE VOTES IN ROCKRIMMON. COACH AND I ALSO WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE BARCELONA FOOTBALL CLUB WILL HAVE YOUR TRYOUT WHILE YOU ARE IN BERLIN. BUT COACH....

SWEEPER

COACH YES - I KNOW YOUR MOM SAID TAKE CARE OF SCHOOL AND THE REST WILL TAKE CARE OF ITSELF - WE WILL HONOR THAT - BUT THIS IS A FREE WAY FOR A EUROPEAN TRYOUT

BY TRAVELING TO EUROPE AND GETTING EXPOSURE - AND AMAZINGLY MAYBE A SPOT ON THE BARCELONA FOOTBALL CLUB. SWEEPER WAIT UNTIL SALLY HEARS THIS. SHE ALREADY KNOWS.

COACH

SWEEPER BUT SHE WANTS ME TO GO THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY. COACH SALLY WANTS WHAT IS BEST FOR YOU - THE COMMANDANT AND SALLY REALLY FEEL YOU FIT INTO THE ACADEMY 10

AND WELL - IT IS NOT OFTEN THAT SOMEONE GETS A CHANCE TO TRYOUT FOR THE EUROPEAN LEAGUE - AMAZING ACCOMPLISHMENT AND INVITE. SWEEPER WELL THANKS TO YOU COACH. COACH WELL YOU WILL NOT LIKE ME THE NEXT TWO WEEKS - I GUARANTEE THAT. OH HERE COMES SALLY RUNNING TOWARDS US. SWEEPER HEY SALLY - WHAT IS THE RUSH ?

COACH DO YOU HAVE SOME NEWS SALLY ? sally mitchell YES I DO - I’LL MEET YOU AT YOUR HOUSE COACH. COACH BUT WE HAVE PRACTICE IN 45 MINUTES ! sally mitchell WELL I’LL MEET YOU THERE WITH THE COMMANDANT EVERYONE NEEDS TO HEAR THIS. SWEEPER CAN I RIDE WITH YOU SALLY ? sally mitchell HOP IN - WE’RE ON OUR WAY - DON’T WANT TO DISRUPT PRACTICE - YOU KNOW I NOW GET THE TEXT MESSAGES SINCE I’M ON THE EMAIL LIST. SWEEPER COOL - YOU’VE RELAY BEEN A MOM TO ME - INCREDIBLE. sally mitchell WELL THANKS - I’M JUST CONTINUING MY LIFE’S MISSION.

END - SWEEPER VII

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