As the crowd sat silently, the players slowly huddled around. This is the moment that the team had dreaded all season long, and it has happened only two plays into the match. An aerial view would show the circle of players gathered around a fallen man, number nine. This would be a long match if this superstar did not return to the game, he had worked himself into becoming the heart and soul of this team, in that he was main driving force of inspiration each match. Just by watching him you could see that everyday he was giving 110% and nothing less. He was a prime exa

It seemed like an eternity for him to be sitting on that sideline as his team continued play, in what would probably be the most important match of their lives. See, there was way more riding on this match than just another state championship. There was also a great deal of pride too. The volleyball program had never ever lost to the same opponent twice in the same season. And when the team had lost to this western school earlier in April, Minnachaug didn't accept the win graciously. All they did was talk smack and degrade the defending state champions. All number nine could think about was getting back in there and continuing his performance. He sat there for what seemed like an eternity icing his ankle to control the swelling. But the pain momentarily stopped, the crowd erupted suddenly and it startled him. He looked up and he saw his team euphoric, they had just won the first game so that meant that they were only thirty points away from the three-peat and revenge.

He slowly began to stand up, so he could go down to the other side. After every game the two teams switch sides just as a measure of equality, so no team can complain about the side they were given. But when he first put his wait on he right ankle, it gave out and he fell to the ground in pain. It was as if he were a newborn learning how to walk for the first time, or someone who had been in a horrible accident and they had to start all over from scratch. He slowly made his way back up and with the help of the trainer he slowly hobbled over to the other side. He knew the only chance he would have to get back into the game was in the third or fourth game if there was one. He wanted to play so badly; he was willing to do anything. After icing for another twenty minutes, he looked up at the scoreboard and saw it was only 7-4, his team leading. He still had some time to recuperate. Using his persuasive manner he began to badger the trainer trying to convince him that he was ready to go back in, even though he really wasn't. The trainer was won over by the charismatic youth. He said that the only way he would allow the player to return to the match was if he passed a series of strength and mobility tests. Number nine knew this would be a problem because he could barely walk, but he was determined to get back in their, just so he could say he contributed to his team's win or loss in this match. The trainer taped up his ankle and he was ready to begin. The tests were extremely difficult and number nine did all he could to conceal the pain that he was in so he would get the trainers ok to return. First he had to start off just by balancing on his right foot. This seems easy enough but the pain was so excruciating that he couldn't even put any weight on it to begin with. Then he had to hop on it and show that he could flex it by swaying side to side on it the tests went on for about five minutes and after a lot a suffering and pain the player could only sit and wait for the trainer to analyze the results. But, much to his satisfaction, he was given the thumbs up to play just as his team had finished winning the second game.

As number nine was sitting on the sideline performing some mobility and flexibility tests, his mind began to wander. At first all he could think about is why me, because for the first time he was that "somebody else". He was asking himself questions that had no answers, such as "why did this happen now?" and will I be a

Some common words found in the essay are:
April Minnachaug, , Regional School, Volleyball Championship, opposing team, season team lost, remote control, prior season, season team, championship match, team lost, slow motion, brought team, sitting sideline, game play,
Approximate Word count = 2330
Approximate Pages = 9 (250 words per page double spaced)