On that Saturday morning, mr. Broflovski's car stopped in front of the South Park Elementary: "Good luck, champions" greeted Kyle's dad while we were getting of the vehicle "I'm gonna look for a parking place"

"Thank you, dad!" answered Kyle

"Yeah, thank you" I repeated, going to the entrance of the school, where all the other players were already waiting for us "Hi, guys!"

"Hi, coach!" everybody answered

It was the day of the first soccer match of the year, and we were facing North Park Elementary after only two trainings.

"You're late" pointed out Cartman "Surely it's the Jew's fault..."

"Godda..." started Kyle, before he found my hand on his mouth "Let's go to the locker room" I cut

While the kids were going to the locker room I remained on the back of the queue and told Kyle: "Do you understand that he does that only to disturb you?"

"I know, but I couldn't help it" answered Kyle "It hate when my people are insulted!"

"Ignore him and your anger on the pitch" I concluded "I told you that as a coach and also as a brother..."

"Are you ready, guys?" I asked some minutes later, in the locker room

"Yes, coach" the answer was unanimous

"Ok, let's sit on that bench" I ordered

The team, dressed in their green shirts, obeyed and I sat down in front of them: "Guys, this is your first match of the season: it's a friendly one, but it'll be your first and only test before the start of the championship, so I'm gonna watch you and I'll try to understand what things could we improve in the following week, is it all clear?"

Everybody nodded: "Perfect, let's talk about the positions: Kenny it's our immovable goalkeeper" I looked at him and he smiled under his hat with visor (it was the first time that I saw him without his orange coat) "Who's normally a defender?"

Stan, Kyle and Token raised their hands: I was pretty surprised of the fact that the three best players were confined in the defense, but I continued: "Midfielders?"

Clyde, Craig and Tweek: well, that seemed slightly more sensate: "Attackers?"

Cartman, Bradley and Butters: "This is not possible" I thought between myself "Is the team overturned?"

I recovered from that shock in a few instants: "Ok, I sincerely don't agree at all with this division, but there will be time to correct them" I declared "The following seven are starting: Kenny; Stan and Kyle; Clyde, Craig and Tweek; Cartman. The others will play later, ok?"

"Oh god, I'll start for the beginning" said Tweek, shaking "I'm so in anxiety, aaah"

"Just keep calm and try to have fun" I reassured him "I won't reproach you: I'm just gonna observe and correct you if it's necessary: let's go, Cows!"

Well, I won't talk about the match, I'll just write you the result: 15-1, clearly for the opponents, and the result could also have been worse if Kenny hadn't done at least seven miracles.

In 60 minutes I had seen an authentic gallery of horrors: Cartman probably moved two times from his striker position, both because he needed to drink, and things didn't improve when Butters substituted him, because he didn't touch a single ball; Tweek was too nervous to play (and the choice to make him play was all my fault), so Craig and Clyde had always been in difficulty because it was like we were playing with six players instead of seven; Stan, Kyle and Token (that substituted an exhausted Clyde) had built the only goal, scored by Stan after a combination between the other two, but the defense with them had been almost inexistent.

But I also saw some good things, in addition to Kenny: Stan had a nice shot, Token, Clyde and Craig ran a lot and tried to regain every single ball, and also Kyle was quite talented on the pitch.

We could work on that, and when the referee whistled three times and I saw my players that sadly approached to the bench, I made a decision: "Have a shower and then don't go home: I need to talk with your parents..."

Twenty between men and women were waiting for us when we got out of the locker room, and their faces were far from being happy.

I immediately took the floor: "Could you please seat on the stands?"

The parents looked at me in a strange way, but obeyed: "I'll be as short as possible" I started "I know that your sons practice sport to have fun, and I totally agree with that, but I wanna work more seriously with them, because I can see some potential in them"

"How can you see potentialities after a 15-1 defeat?" asked Craig's father

"Believe me, mr. Tucker" I said "In my coach life had the biggest satisfactions with the teams that initially seemed the worst ones"

"So how are you going to work?" asked Kenny's father

"The school championship begins next week" I explained "So during the next week I would like to train them three times instead of two: Monday, Wednesday and Friday"

"Impossibile" declared Butters' father "There is my baseball training on Wednesday"

"It would be only for one week" I pointed out "Then we'll return to the usual Monday and Thursday"

"Bur you're gonna steal me a day of work" insisted mr. Stotch, standing up

After that accusation I lost my aplomb: "Sorry, mr. Stotch, are you aware of the fact that none of these kids likes playing baseball?"

All the people there knocked their eyes out, while Butters started shaking: nobody was expecting such a sledgehammer, and the man tried to reply: "That's not..."

"I know the whole history of the famous national baseball championship, and from a reliable source..." I declared, winking to Kyle "So may I please finish my speech?"

The stands fell silent, and I began to list a series of sports: "Football: fun to play, but they never win; baseball: nice team, but they don't like to play that; basketball: Kyle's the only good player but can't go further because he's not physically suitable..."

I stopped in order to see the reactions of the team: they were all nodding in agreement, so I could continue: "The goal I want to reach is making soccer a fusion between football and baseball: a great team that has fun playing it. I know that I'm asking you for a sacrifice, but I promise that you'll see the results..."

All the parents looked at each other: "I think that our kids should decide..." proposed Sharon, Stan's mum

"Ok, if my speech convinced you and you want to increase training raise your hands" I declared

Kyle and Stan were the first to raise them, then Kenny, Cartman, Clyde, Token, Craig, Tweek and Bradley: Butters was doubtful, but after he looked at his father he shyly agreed with the others.

I smiled: in just one week I had gained the trust of my players: "Thank you, you won't regret this choice..." I thanked them "See you on Monday"

That same evening I was sitting in my desk with a notebook opened: "What are you doing?" asked Kyle, entering the bedroom

"Tactics" I answered "I'm trying to find the best line-up to work on with"

"Shall I see?" he demanded, sitting next to me

I showed him my drawings: "My idea is a 3-2-1, with a solid central defender and the other two that run a lot and can also attack with two skilled midfielders that are able to serve a strong striker"

"I like it" approved Kyle "But have we the elements?"

"Yes" I affirmed "I'll tell you everything on Monday training"

Kyle stopped looking at my notebook, and looked at me: "Making up a good team in just one week won't be easy..."

"You're right" I agreed "But this challenge doesn't scare me..."

Monday morning.

"The lesson is over, you can have a break now" announced Mrs. Gomez, our Spanish teacher, going out of the class

Thomas and Cody approached to my desk: they were the first friends that I met in the South Park High, the two people I usually spent my evenings with.

"Are you still working, Bruce Arena?" asked Cody, ironically

"Yes" I confirmed "I think that training South Park Elementary is way more difficult that training the American National Team..."

I had spent the previous two hours splitting the members of the team in their new positions on the pitch, and at that moment I was finishing to plan the training session of the day.

"Dude, leave your projects for just five minutes, please" Thomas invited me "You're gonna lose the whole break..."

"I know, but I have to complete my program now, so I'm sure that I'm not arriving at the last second with something incomplete" I explained "Sorry, guys, I'm gonna exploit the next break..."

The two looked at each other: "Ok, we won't insist" Cody surrended "See you later man, and good luck!"

When my friends gone out, I went back watching my notebook and started thinking about the exercises that the most limited players could do: how could I teach them how to play football in such a short time?

While I was torturing my mind with this question, a female voice stopped my thoughts: "Hey, do you need help?"

I raised my head: the beautiful Jessie was in front of me, watching my drawings with her beautiful green eyes.

"Oh... well... ok... yes" I stuttered, becoming red and thinking between myself "What a put-down..."

Jessie sat down next to me: "Soccer, huh?"

"Yes" I confirmed, trying not to show my feelings towards her "Do you know something about that?

"I'm half Mexican, me and my father love it" affirmed the girl "Are you planning a training?"

"It's almost complete" I said "I'm just trying to understand how could I improve the qualities of someone who's not good at soccer in one week..."

"Easy, the wall" suggested Jessie

"The wall?" I repeated

"Just put your players in front of a wall, and them make them kicking the ball against it" explained her "This will improve their touch and their ability to stop the ball, then you could teach them how to stay on the pitch"

"Great idea!" I approved "Thank you, Jessie!"

"You're welcome" said her "Make him know how the training will go!"

I looked at her while she was going out of the class: I already knew she was perfect, and the fact she liked football had confirmed me that...