Lacrosse Face-Off Read Free Page A

the signs look great?” he called. “It was Todd's idea to do them on black poster paper and outline the neon green paint
     with glitter, so the words would stand out more. You can see them a mile away!”
    Garry had to admit that the signs lookedgood, and he told his brother as much. Then the car wash began.
    Mr. Hasbrouck had organized the perfect washing system. Cars drove to a spot where a boy waited with a hose. When the car
     was completely wet, two other boys slopped sudsy water onto every inch of the vehicle. Another scrubbed the tires, and a fifth
     polished the mirrors and fenders. Then the first boy hosed it clean, and it was the next car's turn.
    Garry, Jeff, Todd, and two other boys worked as one team, while the other boys broke into three more groups of five. By noontime,
     the four car-washing squads had cleaned nearly fifty cars and earned enough money for the league dues.
    “I'm starving!” Jeff announced, throwing his worn-out sponge into an empty bucket. “Dad, didn't you bring a bunch of sandwiches
     and chips?”
    “Sure did.” He gestured to a large cooler resting on the grass. “There should be enough sandwiches for everyone to get one.
     Drinks too.”
    The boys cheered, and Jeff and Todd set about distributing the food. Garry had just popped the last bite of his peanut-butter-and-jelly
     into his mouth when a blast of cold water struck him in the back.
    “Hey!” he cried. He turned to find Michael grinning and pointing a hose at him. Garry grinned back, jumped to his feet, and
     tackled the older boy. They wrestled for a minute, then Garry freed the hose from Michael's grasp. “Now you're going to get
     it!” he bellowed.
    He cranked the nozzle on. Nothing happened. Puzzled, he turned the nozzle toward himself, trying to see what was wrong. Suddenly,
     water shot out and hit him directly inthe face. With a yelp, he dropped the hose. When his vision cleared he saw Evan bent over laughing, one hand on the spigot.
    He also saw Todd and Jeff sneaking up behind Evan with a bucket of sudsy water. Two seconds later, the bucket was empty, Evan
     was soaking wet, and Todd, Jeff, and everyone else on the team were the ones doubled over with laughter.
    “Hey, that's not funny!” Evan's face was purple with anger.
    Coach Hasbrouck handed him a dry towel. “Oh, come on now, Evan, it's just a little soap and water,” he chided. “You know,
     good
clean
fun!”
    Evan gave Todd and Jeff one last dirty look, then stalked away to sulk.
    The rest of the boys gathered up the sponges, towels, soap, and buckets. Then the coach called them together. “Okay, boys,
     good work today. I hope to see the samekind of teamwork next week. I've arranged for us to play a scrimmage on Friday against the Panthers.” The team buzzed with
     excitement. “Practices will focus on game situations for most of next week. That means plenty of running, boys, so be sure
     to get your rest this weekend.”

5
    M onday afternoon, Coach Hasbrouck put the team through ten minutes of warm-ups. After the laps were done, he worked on stick
     skills, then moved on to checking drills.
    “Those of you new to the Junior Division will face body checking for the first time this season,” he reminded them. “The referees
     will be watching you carefully to be sure you're doing this move correctly and legally.”
    He motioned for Jeff to step forward. “Body checking is legal only when done to the ball carrier or to an opponent who is
     within five yards of the ball. Contact is madebelow the shoulder and above the knees, to the front or side of the body.” He indicated the legal checking areas on Jeff's
     body. “Like a tackle in football, you run at your opponent and drive into him with your shoulder and upper body.” He demonstrated
     the move on Jeff in slow motion.
    “Use your heads when bodychecking. Or rather,” he corrected with a grin,
“don't
use your heads. Helmets or no, checking with your head will hurt.”
    Everyone