Good Game, Layla!
Zane’s team lost, and Zane feels like stomping. But there’s a surprise at the end.
Zane wanted to win more than anything. He practised every day. He even slept with the football beside his pillow. Today the Teal Turtles were playing the Blue Comets.
The game was tough. Zane ran and ran, and Mateo did too. But the Blue Comets were just a little bit better. When the whistle blew, the score was 1-0. The Teal Turtles had lost.
Zane’s face went hot and red. He threw down his gloves and stomped across the grass. ‘It’s not FAIR!’ he said. Stomp, stomp, stomp.
Then he felt a tap on his shoulder. It was Layla from the Blue Comets. Layla held out a hand. ‘Good game,’ she said. ‘You ran so fast. I could hardly keep up.’
Zane looked at the hand. His cross feeling started to fizzle like a bubble. He took a breath and shook it. ‘Good game,’ Zane said quietly. ‘You played really well.’
Afterwards, both teams sat together on the grass eating a banana. Mateo told a silly joke about a football that wanted to be a pumpkin. Everyone laughed.
That night, Zane was still a bit sad. But he also felt proud. He had done his best and been kind. And tomorrow, he would get a new chance to play.
The little lesson
Losing is part of playing, and kind words make any game a good one.
Let’s talk about it
- How do you feel when you lose a game?
- What kind thing could you say to someone who won?
Finish stories to collect Zane as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
More Football stories
Lena’s Woodland Football Match
The forest animals hold a football cup, but nobody can agree on the rules!
Ruby’s First Big Match
Ruby is going to a real stadium for the very first time!
Wren the Goalkeeper
Wren is scared of the ball flying at the goal. Can a brave heart help?
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