A/N – Rachel has decided that she wants to play soccer. I started writing this the day of the gold medal soccer match between the USA and Japan the other day. I was given the idea of little Rachel playing soccer ages and ages ago by Lcrazemag. I'm so sorry it took me forever to actually write it up. But I do love soccer and loved seeing it in the Olympics and was inspired to write this up. I hope you like it.
Disclaimer – I don't own Glee.
Rachel sighed dramatically and stuck her head out into the aisle to glare at driver at the front of the bus. Could they possibly be going any slower? The ride home from school should never take this long; especially on a Friday and especially when Rachel had an important announcement to make to her parents. The seven-year-old had been thinking about this since the morning and she was practically bursting at the seams to share her news.
The bus finally turned onto her street and Rachel started to bounce excitedly. She strained to get a good angle to look out the window and beamed when she saw her daddy standing at the corner waiting and waving to her. Rachel waved back and then grabbed her bag and got up when the bus stopped.
"Daddy!" Rachel yelled as she jumped from the bottom step of the bus into his waiting arms.
"Rachel!" Leroy greeted just as enthusiastically as he caught her. He waved to the bus driver as she was closing the door and then hoisted Rachel up higher into a more comfortable position for him to hold her. "How was your day?"
"I have wonderful news," Rachel said completely ignoring his question.
"Oh?" Hiram laughed. "Awesome. What's your wonderful news?"
"I can't tell you yet," Rachel said. "I want Dad and Mommy to be there too."
"Oh, then it must be something really good," Leroy said.
"It is," Rachel nodded seriously.
"Ok," Leroy smiled for her. "Then we better get home so you can prepare to tell us. How about you help me make up a nice dinner for everyone so it's ready when your mom and dad get here?"
"Ok," Rachel said. She squirmed down from his arms, handing off her book bag as she did so, and took off running towards the house. "I'm going to win!" she called over her shoulder to her dad.
Shelby was going to the Berry's house to pick up Rachel that evening so the girl could spend the weekend with her. Normally Shelby just picked her up, but she'd easily accepted the invitation to stay for dinner when Leroy called and told her that they would be receiving wonderful news that night. Now she was upstairs with Rachel in her room while the men put the finishing touches on the meal.
"Great job on this test," Shelby said as she looked over Rachel's folder of school work for the week.
"Spelling is easy, Mommy," Rachel said with a 'duh' tone. Like there would be anything but a 100% mark on her test.
"Of course," Shelby said. "Do you have any homework that needs to be done by Monday?"
"It's Friday," Rachel answered. "There's no homework over the weekend." Rachel shook her head a little bit at her mother. Who ever heard of homework over the weekend?
Shelby smiled at Rachel's reaction. She was sure many of her high school students wished that Rachel's philosophy on school work was still true. Shelby had assigned an essay that very afternoon that had to be handed in on Monday.
"So… do you want to give me a hint as to what your big news is?" Shelby asked.
"Mom!" Rachel stood with her hands on her hips as she admonished her mother. "It's no fair you trying to get information out before I can tell Dad and Daddy."
"Yeah, Shelby," Hiram said from the doorway to the bedroom. "It's no fair!" He put his hands on his hips as well.
Shelby put her hands up in surrender and said, "Fine, fine. I'm sorry, Rachel."
"Dinner's ready," Hiram said.
"Come on!" Rachel said. She picked up her school bag and then grabbed Shelby's hand and pulled her along. She really wasn't sure she was going to be able to wait much longer.
Once the family of four was settled around the table and eating, Rachel declared the time had come to make her announcement. Rachel reached in her bag that was sitting by her chair and carefully pulled out a magazine that she hid in her lap. She then maneuvered so that she was sitting on her knees in her chair and looked to her parents who were all looking at her expectantly.
"Everyone, I have an announcement," Rachel said.
"We're all ready to hear it," Leroy said.
"We had a special visitor come and talk to us today during gym class and she told us about this activity that we could be involved in," Rachel said. "And I've decided that I want to join it."
"What is it?" Hiram asked.
"Soccer!" Rachel said. "I'm going to play soccer!"
That was about the last thing the three parents expected to hear. Rachel was a good dancer, but she wasn't exactly the soccer type. She'd never been interested in any type of sports and her P.E. teachers had always told them how Rachel usually likes to play by herself. Whether or not that was always Rachel's choosing was another story entirely.
Rachel kept her wide smile as she watched her parents look at each other with expressions she couldn't read. "Isn't that wonderful?"
"Oh yeah, Rach," Hiram said. "If you want to play, that's great. But why soccer?"
"The lady that came to talk today at gym said it was so much fun and that you got to be part of a team," Rachel said. "And look," she finally put the magazine on the table. It was a soccer magazine and she had a page marked with a piece of paper. "There are so many pretty outfits you can wear." She opened it up and showed them a page when girls playing in an all pink uniform, right down the hair ties in their ponytails.
Hiram and Leroy shot an accusing look at Shelby and she shook her head. "Don't blame me for that. You guys are usually better dressed than I am."
"And I would have to get new shoes," Rachel said. "They have special shoes you have to wear when you're playing soccer. Kind of like having to get dance shoes."
"Honey, did you think about how playing soccer would affect your dance classes?" Shelby asked. It wasn't that they were against her playing soccer; it was just that it was coming completely out of left field.
"Yep," Rachel said. "I talked to the lady who spoke to my class and she said that soccer could help with dance because it would help to grow the muscles in my legs and she said that sometimes when you've got to get the soccer ball around someone it can be like dancing."
"It sounds like you really want to do this," Leroy said.
"I do," Rachel was emphatic. "I'll get to be on a team and the lady said that everyone gets to play and she said that it's a lot of fun. I have the permission slip right here." Rachel pulled the piece of paper from the magazine and handed it to Hiram. "You just need to fill it out and then we take it to them next week and they put me on a team," Rachel said with her eyes shut as she concentrated on remembering all of the instructions she was given.
The adults all looked at each other and shrugged. If Rachel really wanted to, there was no harm in letting her try soccer.
"I'll fill it out after dinner," Hiram told her.
"Yay!" Rachel tried to throw her hands up and hit the table in the process which shook everyone's drinks.
"Rachel," Leroy warned. "Settle down a bit."
Rachel nodded. She didn't want to get into any trouble right now and she sat back down in her chair properly. She took another bite of her meal and then looked up at her mom.
"Can we go and get a soccer ball tomorrow so that I can start to practice?" Rachel asked. "The lady said practice was important. And I know that's true because Miss Leslie at dance always says that and you say that about singing. But I can't practice without a soccer ball."
"Sure, sweetheart," Shelby said.
"And the new shoes and outfits?" Rachel asked. "I love the long socks."
Shelby picked up the permission slip scanned it quickly. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. It says here that every player wears black shorts but that jerseys and socks are provided as part of the participation fee. So we'll get shorts and cleats and shin guards for you tomorrow."
"And a ball," Rachel added.
"And a ball," Shelby confirmed. "And we'll get the shirt and socks when we sign you up."
"Thanks, Mom," Rachel said.
"No problem, sweetheart," Shelby said. She looked over at Hiram and Leroy who were doing their best to keep the smirks off their face because she was the one who would be going shopping with Rachel. Somehow she knew this was going to cost an arm and a leg.
Rachel did not disappoint at the sporting goods store the following day. It not only took her close to forty minutes to pick out a soccer ball (they had to go back and look at them again and again), she wanted every single item that could possibly have anything to do with soccer. There were water bottles and small goals and jerseys in every color imaginable with socks to match. There were about a hundred different pairs of cleats and none of them were cheap. Shelby had no idea what type of shin guards to buy and Rachel declared that the most expensive ones were probably the best and so those were the ones she wanted.
Shelby had determined that they had everything they needed and she was ready to get out of there. She was about at her wits end of shopping with the girl. Rachel, however, wasn't quite finished shopping.
"Rachel, you are not getting that shirt," Shelby said. "Put it back, please."
"But what am I supposed to practice in?" Rachel whined.
Shelby took a deep breath and shut her eyes. They'd been in this stupid store far too long. But she should have known. It was like this every time Rachel needed anything for dance as well.
"You can wear a regular shirt to practice in and you'll wear the jerseys they give you to the games," Shelby said. "Put it back."
"But I like it," Rachel said. "I need it."
"Rachel," Shelby said. "I'm not arguing with you. Put it back."
"Mommy," Rachel whined as she brought up some tears to help her cause.
"I said no."
"You won't let me get anything!" Rachel declared angrily and she threw the jersey, hanger and all, to the floor.
Shelby turned her steely gaze from the cart full of things Rachel wanted down to her little girl who was mid tantrum. Rachel tried to walk away, but Shelby caught her arm and held her in place as she leaned down to whisper in her ear.
"I think it's time you and I went into the bathroom and had a talk," Shelby said quietly to Rachel.
"Nooo," Rachel whined and she suddenly started to regret her decision to throw the shirt. She knew what having a talk in the bathroom meant.
"Then I suggest you pick up that shirt and put it back where it belongs before I decide to put everything in the cart back as well," Shelby made herself perfectly clear. "Once your finished hanging up the shirt, we're leaving. I want my good little girl back while we wait in line. You are not getting anything else, so don't ask. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Mommy," Rachel pouted.
Rachel's happy demeanor returned that afternoon when she woke up from the nap she'd been having on the couch. She had fallen asleep on the car ride home and Shelby had deposited her there after carrying her into the house.
"Mom, can I go outside and kick my ball around?" Rachel asked.
"Sure, sweetheart," Shelby said. She had already taken the cardboard container off the ball in anticipation of this moment.
"Can I wear my new shoes and socks?" Rachel asked.
"Sure," Shelby smiled. Shelby had bought a pair of black socks because otherwise how would she hold her shin guards up, Rachel had asked.
"And my shorts?"
"Not this time," Shelby said. "Let's keep those clean for games."
Shelby helped her get her new shoes and socks on after making sure the shin guards were snug and in place.
"Don't kick the ball at the house," Shelby instructed before Rachel went outside. She had a decent sized back yard and there should be no reason why the ball should hit her house.
It didn't even take ten minutes for Shelby to hear the thump of a soccer ball hitting her wall. She gave it a few minutes after that to make sure that it hadn't been an accident, but the steady rhythm told her it wasn't.
"Rachel," Shelby said when she went out onto the back porch. Her daughter gave her a look of pure innocence. "You're trying really hard to get in trouble today, aren't you?"
"I didn't do anything," Rachel said.
"Stop kicking the ball at my house," Shelby said. "Because if it goes through a window, you won't be playing soccer at all."
"But it's the only place I can kick it and the ball comes back to me," Rachel said. "Otherwise I have to chase it. I still have to chase it some even now."
"I'll come out and kick it with you," Shelby said. "I'll go put on some old sneakers and be right out. Why don't you try and run with it? You've got to be able to run and keep the ball at your feet."
"Really?" Rachel asked.
"Yeah," Shelby laughed. "It's not all about just kicking it."
"Oh," Rachel said. "I'll try that."
"Good girl. I'll be right back."
As it turned out, Shelby didn't have to worry about Rachel kicking the soccer ball through a window because she didn't kick it hard enough. And she didn't have any aim. And she had tripped and fallen at least five times while trying to dribble the ball at her feet. For as graceful a dancer and singer as Rachel was, she was an equally clumsy soccer player.
But Rachel didn't let it deter her though and she continued to try hard. She figured that she was pretty much perfect at everything else so logically there had to be something she wasn't quite good at yet. However, by the time the next weekend arrived and it was time to sign her up, she hadn't improved at all. All of her parents had tried working with her to help her kick the ball straight or to remind her that she couldn't use her hands. They'd get there… eventually. Right?
But now that it was the day to sign up and be put on a team all Rachel really cared about was what color jersey she would get. She tried to be as patient as possible while Hiram paid the dues and turned in the paperwork. The woman behind the desk scanned the lists of teams and found the right one for Rachel's age and district.
"Let me just get the jersey and socks," the woman said and Rachel started to bounce on her toes. This was it; her beautiful new outfit!
"Congrats, honey. You're on the Orange Crush!" the woman said as she held up a decidedly ugly orange shirt and pair of socks. Rachel's face fell immediately.
"Thank you," Hiram said as he took them from the woman. "Come on, Rach."
"Why did it have to be orange?" Rachel said as she held up what she consider do be a hideous jersey during their ride home.
"Orange is a perfectly good color," Hiram said. "You'll look great in it."
"But I wanted pink," Rachel said. "Or green."
"Sorry," Hiram smiled at her through the rearview mirror. "You gotta go with what they give you."
"I'm going to look like a pumpkin," Rachel lamented.
"You'll be the prettiest pumpkin on the entire field," Hiram said.
Rachel sighed dramatically and dropped the jersey onto the seat beside her. Dads just didn't understand.
She was at Shelby's house the morning on her first game. They'd only had a couple practices during that week and Rachel thought she was doing ok now. She could kick the ball better and sometimes it even went towards her teammates. They'd tried her as goalie one time, but realized that wasn't going to work out because Rachel either ducked or got out of the way of the balls that were kicked directly at her. She didn't have a save to her name. The coach was very diplomatic when he told Rachel that she was just too small for the goal and that she'd do a lot better on the field where she could run around. Rachel agreed.
"You almost ready?" Shelby asked when she walked into the living room and found Rachel sitting on the couch holding her socks. "What's wrong?"
"These socks are a lot longer than the ones you got me," Rachel said. "They go all the way up my leg!"
"I know how to fix that," Shelby said as she knelt down in front of her daughter. Rachel wasn't exaggerating and the socks went up to the middle of her thigh. Shelby simply folded the top half back down so that Rachel had double sock protection on her legs. Shelby assured her it was a good thing. "Ok, come on. I've got your water bottle all ready."
Rachel was so excited when the game started. She joined into the swarm of kids that ran after the ball while Leroy, Hiram, and Shelby joined in with the rest of the parents in cheering them on. Leroy also took a ton of pictures. He was certain they'd need photographic proof of this one day.
Rachel found herself on the ground more often than not. She would get run over by a bigger kid or she would try and kick the ball and miss and lose her balance. It didn't help that she ran like her fingernails were wet, but she was trying. The parents all knew that Rachel, like any kid, ended up dirty from time to time during their play and that never really bothered the girl, but none of them could remember a time when they'd seen more grass stains on Rachel at one time. It's like she had decided she needed to meet a fall-down quota or something during the game.
The first game ended with an Orange Crush loss. As did the second. And the third. Rachel was getting pretty despondent about the losing streak of her team. She wasn't very good at the game, but that didn't take away from the fact that she wanted to win. They only had one game left out of their eight game season and Rachel was thinking very hard about it the night before.
"Mom," Rachel said as she joined Shelby on the couch. She'd been outside half-heartedly kicking her soccer ball around while Shelby watched the news.
"Yeah, baby?" She turned the TV off and looked over at her little girl.
"I don't think I'm very good at soccer," Rachel said sadly.
"Oh honey," Shelby cooed as she gathered Rachel in her arms, "you've been getting better."
"But not really," Rachel said.
"Sure you have," Shelby told her. "Your whole team has." What Shelby didn't tell her was that while Rachel may have been the worst player on the team, none of the other kids were very good either. They were like the Bad News Bears of soccer except that it didn't look like they would get their big win at the end. The team they played tomorrow had won every game so far.
"But we never win any games," Rachel said.
"Sometimes it's just like that," Shelby says. "Your team tried really hard and has a lot of fun and that is just as important as winning."
"It's not always fun," Rachel said.
"Why not?" Shelby asked. This was the first time Rachel had mentioned anything about not enjoying playing soccer.
"People laugh at me sometimes when I fall down," Rachel said. "The other teams do. And my own team. I don't think I should have listened to that lady when she said that I would love soccer."
"Oh Rach," Shelby said as she hugged her closer. "Why didn't you tell us you weren't having any fun?"
"I do have fun sometimes and I couldn't just stop playing halfway through the season," Rachel said.
"Good girl," Shelby murmured.
"And I have a lot of fun when you and Dad and Daddy play with me," Rachel said. "Can we still do that even though the last game is tomorrow?"
"Of course," Shelby said. "I loved that too."
Shelby thought back to a couple Sunday afternoons ago when the three of them had taken Rachel to the park and they played a scrimmage against each other. It was Rachel and Leroy vs. Shelby and Hiram.
"You're going to lose, Mommy," Rachel goaded Shelby. "Me and Daddy have got this in the bag."
Shelby stopped for a second and looked at the fathers. Where had Rachel learned that phrase? She narrowed her eyes at the men. Were they teaching her sweet baby girl how to trash talk?
"That's right, Rach," Leroy agreed. "Remember, no mercy."
"No mercy," Rachel repeated with a little growl towards her mother and Hiram. They weren't sure if that was supposed to be intimidating or what.
Hiram and Shelby lingered around talking about dinner plans for that evening while Leroy and Rachel huddled together to discuss their winning strategy. Leroy was on his knees while he talked to Rachel.
"Ok, Rach, we want to score in that goal down there," Leroy pointed to the proper goal. "And we want to make sure that your mom and dad don't score in that goal over there. We need to block that goal." This was a problem Rachel had been having on the field. She would forget which way her team was going.
"I got it, Daddy," Rachel said.
"Ok, let's get 'em." Leroy put his hand out and Rachel placed her tiny one on top of his. "Gooooooo Barbras!" they yelled together. Leroy still shook his head a little bit. He should have known that's what would happen when he let Rachel name their team.
The game went as expected with each adult helping Rachel out as best they could. Her fall-down quota was still in effect even though there weren't any other kids around to bump into her. Still Rachel had yet to score a goal. She usually left that to her daddy so she wouldn't mess it up. It was winding down and getting close to the time they should leave when Rachel was able to get the ball away from Shelby.
"Next goal wins!" Leroy yelled. "Go, Rachel!"
Shelby started to go after her, but Leroy grabbed her around the waist and pulled her down to the ground. "Run, Rachel! Score!"
Rachel looked back to see the two of them had fallen and that her dad was now in pursuit. She could do this. Just concentrate. And don't fall. And don't miss the goal. She slowed a bit as she thought about it.
"Go, Rachel!" Leroy shouted again.
Right. Rachel picked up her speed as Hiram started to close the gap. He wasn't actually trying to catch her, of course, but she didn't need to know that.
"Leroy," Shelby whined. "Get off." He still had her pinned to the ground.
"Keep going, Rachel!" Leroy yelled.
Rachel got close to the goal and decided not to kick it. That was too risky because she knew it could go anywhere. No, she would just run right into the goal with the ball. She almost made it too before she tripped and slid a few feet on her stomach. But the ball had enough momentum that it carried it forward over the goal line. She did it! She had scored!
"Yay! Rachel! Woo!" Leroy yelled.
Shelby was beaming as she looked over her shoulder and up at Leroy. "She just scored in your own goal."
Leroy's celebration was cut off for a second as he realized what goal Rachel was at and let out a sigh and hung his head for a second. Shelby laughed.
"Doesn't matter," Leroy retorted. "She scored! My baby scored! Good job, Rachel!" he was yelling again.
Rachel stood up and raised her hands above her head and let out a high pitched squeal. Hiram doubled over and put his hands on his knees like he was too out of breath from having to chase her. Leroy was up on his feet and running towards Rachel while Shelby slowly got up as well.
"You did it!" Leroy said as he picked Rachel up and swung her up to sit on his shoulders.
I did it!" Rachel yelled.
Shelby and Hiram soon joined in the celebration and Rachel was given multiple high fives and hugs. Nobody once told her it was in the wrong goal.
"Mommy," Rachel said bringing Shelby out of her memory, "I don't think I'll play soccer again after tomorrow. At least not on a team."
"You don't have to," Shelby said. "But I'm proud of you for trying something different and sticking with I for the whole season. You never gave up."
"I didn't want to give up," Rachel said. "But it's not as fun as dancing."
"Whatever you want to do, Rachel," Shelby said. "You can try out any sport or club you want. And you can keep dancing. Just remember that it's good to try new things even if you decide you don't like them."
Rachel nodded and then rested her head on her mother's shoulder. They shared the sweet moment in silence until Shelby noticed that something wasn't right.
"What's the smell?" Shelby asked.
"I slipped and fell in the mud," Rachel answered.
"Rachel," Shelby groaned as she held her child away from her. Sure enough there was mud all over Rachel's black shorts and socks and shoes. And now also on the couch and Shelby herself. She picked Rachel up and carried her upstairs and put her down in the bathtub. "How much mud did you track in the house?"
"Only a little bit. I tried to leave some of it outside," Rachel said with a cheeky grin. Her mother was always telling her to leave the dirt outside.
Shelby shook her head and turned away so Rachel wouldn't see her smiling. That kid!
"Stay put and get undressed," Shelby said as she left the room. "I'll be right back to give you a bath."
The game was being held the following morning and there was to be a pizza party afterwards to celebrate the season. The coach encouraged them to go out there and have fun and try their best. Rachel was determined to do just that.
It didn't take anyone long to realize that the team they were playing was much bigger and faster than the kids on the Orange Crush. Shelby wasn't even sure how any of those other kids fit into the seven to nine years old age range. By half time it was already 6-0.
"I wish we could at least score a goal," Ali, a girl on her team said as they ate their orange slices provided by one of the parents.
There was a general agreement amongst the kids. Even just one goal would be awesome.
As the second half started to wind down, the Orange Crush still had not scored a goal. But it was starting to look promising because even with just about a minute left, Rachel's team were all crowded around the opposing team's goal. Maybe they could just get the ball in the net. They were right here, after all.
One of the giant nine-year-olds from the other team kicked the ball to the left hand side of the field to try and get it away from his goal. Alex, a boy on Rachel's team ran after it. He stopped it and turned back towards the goal and kicked it as hard as he could. Rachel, along with all the others, stood and watched it as it sailed towards them.
It took Rachel a second to realize that the ball was coming right at her. It took her a second too long to realize that she wanted to move out of the way so she wouldn't get it. But get hit she did. The ball hit her in the head knocking her to the ground which caused a gasp to go up among the parents. But Rachel's head did the trick and the ball changed direction and sailed into the back of the net. The Orange Crush had done it! They had scored just as time expired!
The Orange Crush started to cheer loudly and the kids jumped around because they had scored. The other team just high fived each other for their win as they walked off the field. Shelby, Hiram, and Leroy were watching with concerned expressions as the orange jerseys surrounded Rachel on the field.
Rachel was a bit stunned as she sat on the ground. She knew they had scored, but she hadn't quite put it together that it was her who had done it. She put a hand to her head which was still stinging from where the ball had hit it. Was she allowed to use her head?
"Rachel, you did it!" Ali shouted. "You scored!"
"I scored?" Rachel said as she let some of her teammates pull her to her feet.
"Yeah," Alex said. "You hit the ball with your head and it went in goal. It was so awesome!"
Rachel looked at her smiling teammates and then at the ball in the net and let it hit her. "I scored!" she squealed as she started to jump up and down with her team. No one was laughing at her now and Rachel loved being part of the team. The stinging on her head and the red mark that accompanied it didn't even really matter right now.
Rachel high fived her coach as she ran into the arms of Hiram who lifted her up and gave her a big hug. "Good job, peanut!"
"I scored!" Rachel exclaimed again.
"You were great," Shelby said. She took Rachel from Hiram and gave her a hug.
She was passed to Leroy next who offered the same praise and then put her down so she could join her team in their celebration. You would never know that they had actually lost that game.
The team was given the back room at the pizza parlor in The Square and the kids happily ate their pizza while the parents talked. Alex's father approached Leroy and told him he had recorded the game and he'd be happy to make a copy of it for them so they could watch Rachel's goal again. Leroy agreed quickly and they exchanged information.
The coach got up to say a few words and then to hand out the trophies. There were two different designs, one with a boy player and one with a girl. One each other play was running with their leg back ready to kick the ball. The little gold player was standing in front of a larger gold star. Rachel didn't even have one in her hands yet, but he loved it immediately. Each trophy had the player's name and the year the 'Orange Crush' written on it. After the name, but before the year the words 'Soccer Star' were written.
Rachel beamed with pride when her name was called and she was given her trophy. Hiram took a picture. He also took a picture when they got back to Shelby's. Rachel stood proudly in her grass-stained and dirt-splotched uniform on the front porch steps and held her trophy in one hand with her soccer ball tucked under her other arm. The picture became a favorite of the parents.
Rachel put her soccer trophy with her dance trophies and couldn't help but smile at it every time she saw it. Because after all, she was Rachel Berry: Soccer Star.
A/N – I hope you enjoyed this one. Please leave me a review and let me know. I appreciate your feedback so much. You guys are awesome.
Also, if you've never been shopping with a 7 year old girl who wants everything in the store, you're missing out. Truly.
And watching little kids try and play soccer is just about the best thing ever.