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MD - Chapter 114: Training and coach decision
🕑 Added 2025-05-06 17:21:40 +0000 UTCAndrew stood stretching on the Palisades field alongside Archie, Kevin, and the rest of his teammates.
“Going to Liam’s party?” Archie said, more of a statement than a question.
Andrew stared at him without responding, 'How does he know?' he thought, confused. Just ten minutes earlier, he had told Regina he’d be going.
“How do you know that?” Andrew finally asked, not fully hiding his surprise.
“Regina posted it on her Messenger status a few minutes ago,” Archie replied, and Andrew remembered seeing him on his phone before they started stretching.
“And you know how this goes,” Archie added, patting him on the back. “If you’re going to a party, the whole of Palisades is gonna find out. Rumors travel fast.”
“Whoa, all that pressure just for going to a party,” Andrew said, sighing and shaking his head slightly.
“Did Pippa approve of this?” Kevin asked from behind with a half-smile.
“Of course. We’re both going to the party,” Andrew replied, “And just to be clear, it’s not like I need her permission, or she needs mine. We decided to go to one party a month. It’s our minimum commitment to society,” he added with a smile.
“Whoa, you guys are professional antisocials,” Reggie said, joining the conversation with a smile.
“Thanks,” Andrew replied with a slight theatrical bow, “We work hard at it. Just enough to not be complete hermits.”
Everyone laughed.
The conversation carried on as they stretched under the sunlight, wrapped in the confidence that surrounds winning teams… until a rough, deep voice abruptly cut through the air.
“You call that being on time, Steve?” Coach David growled from a few yards away.
The group instantly turned.
David stood with his arms crossed, staring directly at Steve, one of the starting offensive receivers. His voice was low and cold, not yelling, but clearly angry, his patience wearing thin.
Steve stood there holding his helmet, a poker face on, as if he couldn’t understand what the big deal was about being ten minutes late.
Steve was the only one who didn’t get it. Everyone else, even the most clueless, like Reggie, knew he was on thin ice.
Last year, Steve had earned his starting spot through hard work and talent, beating out senior receivers. He was Andrew’s best partner and had a great season.
But since then… he’d gotten comfortable. The blowout wins, the undefeated record, the growing fame of the team. It all went to his head.
Late arrivals. Less focus. An attitude that, for Andrew and the coach, was becoming unbearable, or rather, already was.
“This is the third practice you’re late to, and we’ve only had six! That’s fifty percent!” David said in a chilling tone, frowning at him.
If he had another talented, experienced receiver, Steve would’ve been benched already. But David already had a solution.
Steve raised an eyebrow and sighed. No real guilt, no shame.
“Five laps around the field. Now.”
Steve grimaced in resignation and began walking toward the track. He noticed Andrew and the others watching him.
Unbothered by the coach’s scolding, Steve raised his hand and waved like it was no big deal, “Hey guys! Today’s game is gonna be a piece of cake! Opponent’s record is 1–4. Easy win, bro,” he said with a half-smile.
“Ten laps instead of five!” David roared upon hearing that. “And stop underestimating your opponents, you hear me?”
The vein on Coach David’s forehead was throbbing.
Steve gulped and said nothing else. He just put on his helmet and started running fast, not looking back.
The group fell silent for a few seconds. Even Reggie, the jokester and laid-back one, kept his mouth shut. He might have an ego, but he wasn’t as arrogant as Steve, and he always took games seriously.
“At this rate, he’s gonna warm the bench,” Kevin said, arms crossed, watching Steve run laps like a punished athlete.
Archie and Reggie nodded almost in unison.
“That’d be a hard hit to his ego,” Archie murmured. “But hey… you reap what you sow.”
Andrew stayed silent for a moment, eyes fixed on his friend running laps. Then he slowly shook his head and said, “No.”
“No?” Reggie asked, turning toward him, “What do you mean?”
“Steve is going to warm the bench. Tonight,” Andrew said bluntly.
The three of them looked at him in surprise.
“What?” Kevin blurted out, “How do you know?”
“We’ve been practicing a secondary formation for two weeks now, remember?” Andrew said, and the others slowly nodded, recalling the recent tactical practices.
“Yeah, the one with just two receivers…” Kevin confirmed.
“Exactly. That formation changes the passing game. Only two wide receivers are used. And the coach confirmed it to me this morning: that’s our base formation for tonight’s game,” Andrew said.
There was a pause.
“So… do we know who the starting receivers are gonna be?” Archie asked, a mix of curiosity and tension in his voice.
“Jack and Nico,” Andrew answered directly.
Jack was the ninth-grade rookie who had caught several passes from Andrew in the last game. And Nico was a tenth-grader, a transfer student who had joined Palisades this year.
“The coaches really benched Steve? They’re putting a freshman in over him?” Reggie asked, raising both eyebrows in disbelief.
“Yeah. Jack’s getting the start because I suggested it,” Andrew said calmly.
The three stared at him, surprised.
“You?” Kevin repeated.
“Yes. I talked to the coach about it a week ago. He was already considering it. Maybe he would’ve given Steve one more chance to see if he stepped up. But I gave him my reasons,” Andrew explained.
Reggie clicked his tongue, not sarcastically this time, “And he listened to you?” he asked, though he already knew the answer.
“Yeah. I’m the quarterback, and it’s my job to make sure the offense works. I don’t play favorites. And well… having 72 touchdowns last season helps a bit too,” Andrew added.
The boys laughed, but there was a note of respect in their laughter.
Andrew looked up, raising one eyebrow and flashing a mischievous smile, “So the three of you better not start slacking… or any one of you could be the next to warm the bench.”
Kevin, Archie, and Reggie glanced at each other with mock-alarmed expressions.
“I’m scared now,” Reggie said, half-joking, half-serious.
“It’s good to know there’s no favoritism. We don’t want to end up like Jason and those typical seniors on most teams,” Kevin added, more earnestly.
“Yeah, it’s reassuring… and a little terrifying,” Archie agreed.
“Relax. As long as you do your job, you’re the best at your positions. But if anyone starts playing lazy, I’ll send them off to water the plants with Steve,” Andrew said, and the laughter returned.
Practice continued without major issues.
At this point, it wasn’t about physical intensity, but fine-tuning the details: reviewing routes, syncing timing, and sharpening the strategy.
With practice nearly over, the team gathered near the bleachers in a circle for the final tactical talk of the day before the game.
“Base formation: Pro Set. Two wide receivers, two running backs on the field, one tight end, and the usual offensive line,” the coach announced firmly, then began reading out the names for each position in this new offensive setup.
Of course, Andrew was the starting quarterback. Kevin and Archie were the two running backs. Kevin was also one of the five offensive linemen, alongside the tight end and, finally, the two wide receivers.
Steve, who had no doubt his name would be called, raised an eyebrow when the first name out of the coach’s mouth was Jack: the ninth-grader. And when he heard the second name: Nico, he froze in place.
He thought he’d misheard. But no. The coach repeated the lineup once more to make things clear.
Both Jack and Nico looked surprised to be starting over Steve. Especially Jack.
Andrew glanced sideways at Steve. He wasn’t the only one looking at him.
His expression was a perfect mix of confusion, disbelief, and bruised ego.
As if he couldn’t process being left out. As if no one had warned him, even though, deep down, he knew they had. Andrew had told him many times to take things seriously and wake up.
Andrew thought that face deserved to be framed and hung on a wall so everyone could see it, and remember that no one’s position is guaranteed.
Despite bearing some responsibility for Steve being benched, since, without his input, Steve might’ve gotten one more game, Andrew felt no guilt.
They’d been childhood friends, yes. But Andrew aspired for his team to be perfect.
And perfection had no room for laziness.
Comments
Guido
I haven't seen the series, so it would be difficult for me to integrate it properly. And I saw that it has seven seasons. I know the main character goes to play football at a school in Beverly Hills. I could watch it, although I have to do it before Andrew transfers high school or not; time is running out. lol
Joshua David
Will we potentially get an all american crossover in the future?
Matt Holmes
Thanks for the chapter
