The field was very weedy. It looked liked it hasn’t been mowed in like 2-4 weeks. The nets were neatly tucked under the goal posts. The goal itself was very small I could reach up and grab the top of the goal. But they had nicer benches than be did. The metal was cold as dry ice. The goal and out-of-bounds lines were starting to fade but were white as snow still. This was Southern Door’s turf.

This was only our second game. This was our first away game. We were all psyched to play. I was our starting goalie. I reached inside my bag to get my goalie gloves and cleats. I also had to get my shin guards and my long blue socks. We all stepped off the bus and walked over to the field. We set our stuff down. It was a long ride so we all raced to the only porta-potty. I got there first luckily. When I stepped in side flies were buzzing around. It was the worst smell you can ever imagine. It made me want to gag. When I stepped out Erich and Landon shoved me out of the way so they could go next. We had to switch fields because the first field was too rough and you could not see the boundary lines. We did our entire warm ups. Alex, Erich, and I ran to the center of the field to greet two Southern Door players. We shook hands and the ref asked us to pick a side of a coin. I called “Tails!” it landed on heads. They picked which way to go and we got the ball first.
I headed toward the goal when Justin yelled, “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” I replied. Peter and Landon were in the middle by the ball.
The ref yelled to me “Keeper are you ready?” I raised my hand to signal I was ready to play. The ref did the same to the other goalie. The ref blew the whistle and Peter kicked it to Landon. Landon kicked the ball back to Justin. Then he bombed it passed center field to Peter. He did a couple of jukes, takes a shot. The goalie jumped and missed by a foot. GOAL! Peter and a couple of teammates exchange high fives. That quarter we scored 2 points and they were both by Peter. Justin said he would play goalie the 2nd half. I was excited in the 2nd quarter to play mid-fielder in the 3rd. Southern Door started with the ball. The whistle was blown and the Southern Door guy kicked the ball to the person behind him. He bombed the ball and I was ready for anything. The guy jukes and moves to get by my defense. I yelled, “Get back!” He kicked the ball towards me. It was on the ground so it was easy to pick up. I ran to the edge of the goalie box and kicked as hard as I could, it landed a little farther than mid-field. The Southern Door girl kicked it and it hit the same teammate in the back of the head. She went down crying. We all have to knee down to show respect. She got off the field and we started the game. 2nd half ended and we started the 3rd.
I was pumped because I was playing mid-fielder. The ball got kicked off. The ball went flying overhead. Our defenders bombed it back. It went to mid-field. I got control and dribbled it down field. I kicked it to Landon and he went for a shot. The goalie blocked it. He went to the edge of the goalie box and kicked high into the air. I tired to stop it with my foot and it went flying and hit the same girl who got hit in the back of the head, in the face! She went down crying and I apologized. It started again and the ball went by the goalie and he went to pick it up when Landon hit him in the head. These people are dropping like flies! Once again we kneel down. They get the ball and bomb it. I get the ball, this guy charges me. We fight and I trip over his foot, or was it the ball? Anyway I felt like I was going in slow-mo. I put out my hand to break my fall. Instead of breaking my fall I break my wrist! I stare at my hand in shock. It looked like my hand was a piece of jello. My legs felt wobbly. I fell down. I was screaming in pain. My scream was a scream of shock. A billion thoughts were going through my head. Will I be able to play basketball? Will I have to get surgery? While I was thinking my coach, the ref and the other coach run over.
“What’s wrong,” they ask. I told them. There weren’t any parents from Two Rivers. There was no one to take me. Then the other team’s coach runs over. He had his girlfriend get his car and drive me. They lead me to the bench. They gave me an ice pack.
“Wait here,” my coach says quickly.
I thought to myself, “Where was I going to go?” The car comes across the field. They pick me up. We drive as fast as we could to the E.R. We sit in the E.R. for about 45 minutes. Finally the nurse comes out. We both rush to where the doctor was. The nurse says, “Follow me.” We both follow him as fast as we could. We get into the room and he tells me to take a seat. He started asking me questions. I answer them the best I could. He has the x-ray person come in and gives me x-rays. She grabbed my hand. Her hand was ice cold. I shivered. She moved my hand to where a shock of pain went through my wrist. I had to close my eyes in order not to scream. They wheeled the x-ray machine out of there. My mom finally arrived into the room. The lady who took me hoped we were okay and we said thank you about a million times. The doctor comes in.
“Your wrist has a growth plate and it is tilted.”
“I believe it is the worst you could do to your wrist.” He puts me in a splint and we go home. While on the way home I was thinking. That was the most pain I have ever experienced. Also I know how fast my season can end in a flash.