A Brighter Tomorrow: My Journey with Julie

I can see how important this game is to Julie, and I don’t want to hold her back from playing, but there is no way she’ll win a game against the boys with me on her team, no matter how good she is with a basketball. I suggest to Julie and Stinger that we play HORSE instead. This way, Julie can still show her skills with the ball, but she won’t be relying on me to help her win. The boys and Julie seem satisfied with this challenge, so Stinger tells Julie to take the first shot. Julie sets up to the free-throw line and bounces the ball a few times. Focusing on the basket, she jumps up and releases the ball in an arc. The ball goes in and cheers erupt from the other side of the court. Julie grins and waves at two teenagers, a boy and a girl who are watching from the sidelines with tennis rackets. Julie tells me that’s her sister, Tracy, and Mike, Stinger’s brother.

Stinger steps up to the free-throw line and Mike calls over that Stinger can’t let a girl beat him. Tracy punches his arm. With his big brother watching, Stinger looks more determined than ever. He bounces the ball, jumps, and the ball grazes through the hoop. Stinger taunts Julie. Julie presses her lips together in a thin line but doesn’t take the bait.

It’s my turn. I’m not very good at free-throws, especially in front of an audience. My feet feel like they’re made of concrete. I jump for the shot and the ball hits the rim. I’m disappointed, but relieved I decided not to play on a team with Julie. Julie tells me not to worry. I can make the next one. We watch T.J. go for the free-throw and miss, too. Now T.J. and I both have an H.

It’s Stinger’s turn to pick the shot. Stinger takes too big steps back from the free-throw line. He holds both hands over his head and lets the ball fly with a nice backspin. It arches and goes through the net. I’ve never even seen this official shot before, but I’m not about to let that on. Julie makes the shot, and I’m impressed. So does T.J. I take a deep breath and raise my arms above my head, trying to imitate the others. I count off and let the ball go, but it doesn’t go anywhere near the net.

Stinger calls out that it’s an airball. He tells Julie that her sidekick is as rusty as the Tin Man. She retorts that at least I have a heart. I’m fuming inside, but I stay quiet as I decide what shot to do for the next round. I dribble straight down the middle of the court, and when I’m almost under the hoop, I spin around and do a fadeaway, jumping away from the net and releasing the ball at the top of my jump. It goes in the net.

Julie asks where I learned the shot, and I blush and say that my dad taught it to me. Chloe, my best friend, calls me Hula Hoop whenever I do it. Julie giggles and says Hula Hoop is a good one. Julie tries to make my Hula Hoop shot, but she spins too far and throws an airball that goes up and over the backboard. She laughs at herself as she goes after the ball, realizing how funny she looks. T.J. is laughing so hard his shot doesn’t even make the backboard. Stinger’s smirking too, but he turns serious as he takes a running start. However, he trips over his own feet and falls on his face. Now he has an H, just like us.

I’m proud that my Hula Hoop shot lost Stinger a letter, and I feel my confidence starting to come back. I make the next several shots in a row. Tracy and Mike continue to cheer us on in the background. T.J. spells HORSE first and is out of the game. After the next round, I’m out, too. But I don’t mind because Julie still has a chance to win. It’s down to her and Stinger, and both have one letter left.

Stinger chooses the shot. He walks up to the free-throw line. With a sly smirk, he turns his back toward the hoop, dips the ball between his legs, and sends the ball over and behind his head. He makes the basket. Julie bites her lip and steps forward to take her turn. She lobs the ball over her head and closes her eyes. The ball bounces off the rim.

Stinger pumps his fists in the air. Julie has spelled HORSE. He says that she should stick to girly stuff. She should go paint her nails or something. T.J. tells him to give it a rest. We had a good game. but Stinger has to take it one step further. He nudges T.J. and says that he told him that girls shouldn’t be Jaguars. Julie’s shoulders slump. I run after her as she shuffles off the court.

Tracy calls out that Julie shouldn’t listen to Stinger. I’m hoping Tracy will come over because I think Julie would appreciate her sister’s support, but she’s distracted by Mike showing off with Stinger’s basketball. It’s up to me to make Julie feel better. I tell Julie that Tracy is right. Julie played a great game and she came so close to winning. Julie waves her hand and says she doesn’t care about losing an old HORSE game. But maybe Stinger is right. Maybe girls, and her, are not good enough to be a Jaguar. I can’t believe what Julie’s saying. I ask her if she really thinks that she doesn’t deserve to be in the basketball team just because she’s a girl. Julie shrugs.

I ask her if Coach Manley calls her tomorrow and said she could try out, would she try out or give up? She stands up a little straighter and says that she wouldn’t waste her chance to prove herself. She narrows her eyes at Stinger, who’s passing drills with T.J. and marches toward him. She squares her shoulders and says that they should play a real game. One-on-one.

Mike calls a time-out. He says that they already had their time on the court. Now it’s his turn with Tracy. Stinger dusts his hands off and picks up the ball and says that Julie had her shot. T.J. and Stinger head off the court. I didn’t have the courage to join Julie for a real game when I had the chance before, the least I can do is help her now. I call out the boys to wait. They all freeze and look at me. I’m not sure what I’m asking them to wait for, but I know I have to do something.