The Relay Race with Ruby
Ruby is the last runner in the relay. Her team is behind, and the baton drops!
The Red Rockets were in the final of the big relay. Four runners: Sia, Nico, Moe and, last of all, Ruby. They had a green baton to pass round the track. ‘Let’s do it for the team!’ said Sia.
BANG! Sia shot off like a rocket and handed the baton to Nico. Nico ran smoothly and passed it to Moe. But another team was a little bit ahead. ‘Come on!’ shouted Ruby.
Moe sprinted round the final bend. Ruby held out her hand. But the pass was too fast, and OH NO! The baton dropped to the ground. Everyone gasped. Ruby froze.
‘Pick it up!’ shouted Sia. ‘It’s fine!’ shouted Nico. Their voices were kind, not cross. Ruby grabbed the baton and ran with all her might. She passed one runner, then another.
She didn’t win. The Red Rockets came second. But the whole team ran over and hugged her. ‘We lost together, we won together,’ said Moe. And they had never felt closer.
The little lesson
A team wins and loses together.
Let’s talk about it
- What happens in a relay?
- How did the team react to the dropped baton?
Finish stories to collect Ruby as a sticker in your Sticker Book.
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