Abuelita’s Wisdom

“Flora, you will be goalie, and my sweeper will be Lylia,” Coach Michelle said, as she began directing Adelita’s soccer team to where they would play.

But Adelita wasn’t paying attention. She already knew that she would be playing center defense. It was her favorite position, and Coach Michelle had put her there every game. Besides, her abuelita, or grandma, was here, so it was a very special game. She didn’t want to play a position that she had never played before. Not today, anyway.

“Adelita, you will be playing left forward.”

Adelita’s head snapped up.

“Oh, Coach!” she exclaimed, panicking. “Please don’t put me there!”

“Pheobe is going to play center defense today,” she said.

Adelita sighed as she walked onto the field. Then she remembered what her abuelita had told her a few days before. “No tengas miedo de probar cosas nuevas. Don’t be afraid to try new things.” Adelita wondered if it was true. But she had no time to think. TWEET! The whistle blew, and before she knew it, the ball was at her feet. She dribbled it up the field, around two defenders, took a shot, and scored!

“Ándale, Adela!” cheered Abuelita, from the sidelines.

At halftime, Coach Michelle asked if she wanted to switch positions.

“No thanks,” she said. And at the end of the game, when she had scored two more goals, she realized that what Abuelita had said was true.