Chapter 2: The Tryout!

Now that my heart was swiftly stolen, I had to find a way to get inside Amy's world. I was one breathe away from panicking because this was the girl I had prayed for so many nights before, but she still didn't even know my name!

Several days before summer break I was speaking with a friend, and was shocked about what I was hearing. He was telling me that he planned to try out for the basketball yell-leading team for the next year. Tryouts for the basketball squad were not as big as they were for the football yell-leading squad. My friend explained how the basketball squad needed some extra guys. Of course, none of this information aroused any interest inside of me until he said the magic words, "Oh, and the basketball squad practices with the football squad".

It's almost humorous how easily he said those words. They didn't mean anything to him, but they meant the world to me. Amy was on the football squad, which meant I could actually be a part of Amy's world!

During the summer break I began teaching myself how to tumble while working at a sports camp. It was like a scene from one of the Rocky movies. Every day I would wake up and exercise and practice hundreds of standing-back-flips and any other gymnastics I thought would be useful. I thought the only difference between Stallone and Smalley was in the spelling of our names. I was pumped and ready to conquer the world of yell-leading, or so I thought.

Fall arrived in a frenzy. Not only was I adjusting to a new year at school, but I had practiced everyday during the summer for a sport I knew nothing about. I still had not stunted with a girl yet, and the tryouts were only weeks away. Luckily, one of my dear girlfriend's, who was on the football-squad, offered to teach me how to stunt. We practiced together several times, and I was able to learn some of the basics.

Somehow, I made it to the tryouts. My heart felt like a stampede of wild elephants rumbling through a forest. The day I had practiced for through three painfully agonizing months had arrived.

Walking up to the grassy area where the tryouts would be held reminded me of a battle ground. Here I would battle for the love and respect of a fair-maiden, while prevailing over the evil judges trying to stand in my way. The judges had no idea what was about to hit them, and frankly, neither did I.

The yell-leading coach asked for all the guys who were trying out to sit in front of her. I started to survey my enemies, looking for any areas of weakness I could exploit. There seemed to be something missing, but I couldn't quite figure it out.

As soon as I started to realize what the problem was, the coach announced that it would not be necessary to hold any tryouts. Then it suddenly dawned on me that there were only six guys sitting, waiting for the tryouts. The squad only needed six guys. So the coach ended up almost begging us to commit to the team because she needed the bodies.

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Certainly they wanted to see all the amazing things I taught myself this past summer. I spoke out, "You can't possibly accept all of us, I mean surely you want to see us perform something?" The coach just smiled and assured me that there was no need for a tryout.

A part of me punched myself for working so hard during the summer. I didn't even get to show off the standing-back-flip I learned through a thousand falls on my head!

My first day as a Yell-leader was almost a disaster. I was so intimidated that I ended up sitting in the corner like an extremely shy seventh-grader at his first dance. No one spoke to me and I wasn't about to speak to anyone. It was awful! All I could manage was to sit and watch everyone else having fun and interacting with each other. However, the most amazing thing happened to me that day.

I must have been looking pretty pathetic sitting alone in the corner of the gym. But through God's grace, of all the people to come over to me and introduce themselves, was, you guessed it, Amy. I was speechless. I had already written myself off her list. She was so confident and talented that every guy wanted to perform yell-leading stunts with her. Not to mention that she only weighed about 102 pounds.

So standing in front of me was the woman who inspired me to try out for a sport I knew nothing about. Amy looked as though something deep within her was begging to get out. Her eyes were filled with such exuberance that I was sure this was going to be our finest moment. Our words would begin cautiously but lead to something only lovers can understand. This was it!

Amy leaned forward and asked smoothly, "Do you know how to stunt"? I actually swore I heard her say, "Do you know you're a stud?" Not knowing what was happening, I did the only thing a guy can do when they talk to a woman so awesome, I lied. I had only stunted a few times before and was not successful, but that didn't seem to convince me to say something different.

Then, like God was toying with me, Amy grabbed my hand and led me to the center of the gym. All of my senses were going mad at this point. In a matter of seconds, Amy and I had our first conversation and I already lied! Helplessly I grabbed Amy around the waste and prayed.

What happened next is still a little foggy. It seemed so surreal at the time, but I think I remember standing in the center holding on to her tiny, excruciatingly soft, thin waste. "I've rarely held hands on a first date," I thought to my surprise. But yet, I was standing in the middle of the gym holding the woman I loved above my head waiting to catch her in my arms. I was in Heaven! This was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. But a friendship was not what I wanted.

The Tryout
Then the day came when my chance arrived,
For a friend of mine had me try
To take on the task of an athletes role.
That might bring together my love and I.
Now to my surprise I made the team,
And here was my chance but I couldn't dream,
Of speaking with the one I saw
That beautiful day on the crowded lawn.
So the days passed by and I hadn't yet spoke.
To the one I'd dreamt of so many nights.
My fear was great that I might provoke
A timeless err that could end my plight.
Here I was so close to her,
But still my fear would forbid my voice,
To say anything, something, that might reveal
My love for her I had in my heart.

© Copyright 2003 Smalley Relationship Center

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