had been out of line, and captain or not, I just couldn’t let it stand.
“You okay?” Dex said. “Don’t let Snider get to you. You know he’s an ass.”
“Yeah, easier said than done,” I muttered.
“This girl, Honor,” he said. “You really like her, don’t you?”
I just gave him frown in answer, but apparently it was enough.
Dex nodded. “That’s what I thought.”
Before I could respond, Snider came up next to me.
“Sorry man,” he said, placing a hand on my shoulder. “It was just a joke.”
I shrugged his hand off. “It’s cool. Let’s just play ball.”
“And you know I lied.” He smiled again. “Girl like that? She would’ve been begging for it in five seconds, not ten. Virgins never stand a chance with me.”
My vision went red, but before I could do anything—possibly kill the SOB—Dex had already delivered a solid left hook to the guy’s jaw, knocking him out cold.
I looked to him, and he just shrugged.
“Hey, it’s not like I’m Captain,” Dex said, the scar on his face pulling up as he grinned. “And come on, the douche was just asking for a punch to the face.”
“That he was,” I said, giving him a pat on the back.
Bear’s whistle shrilled through the air, his bellow following soon after. “Laps!” he shouted. “Ten of them around the field. If you can’t play like a team, you’ll run like one. And if I need to add more to get you hotheads to cool down, I will!”
The running was great conditioning, and we were all in good shape. That’s a lie. We were all in the best shape of our lives. But the heat made it a challenge. By the time we were done, everyone was panting—this included Mitch who had recovered in time to run, his eye now swollen, the color purple like the inside of a grapefruit—and my mother was waiting for us on the pitcher’s mound. We gathered around her, taking a knee like we always did when she gave one of her speeches, which she usually waited to do until the end of practice. There’d been a lot going on today, though, so I didn’t think much of it.
“Guys,” she said, looking around at each of us, her blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail, catching in the breeze, “I’m not going to lie. You’re looking pretty good out there.”
Some of the newbies puffed up at that. But I’d heard one too many of Coach’s talks, so I knew where this was headed.
“But pretty good unfortunately isn’t good enough.”
They deflated just as quickly.
“Now, I’m not saying this to discourage you,” she said, walking around in a small circle, making sure everyone was listening. “You are Southern. You represent one of the winningest teams in collegiate baseball history. There’s been blood, sweat and tears spilled on this field, and the results are indisputable. Three consecutive championships. All of them belonging to the Wolves. You should be dang proud of that.”
Finally, her eyes landed on me.
“And you’ve done all that as a team. But I am not seeing a team playing out here today, and that’s a crying shame.”
Her words hit me right in the solar plexus. Man, that hurt.
“These past seasons you’ve won together. You’ve lost together. And now, I need you to buck up and start acting like a team together. Am I understood?”
Everyone nodded.
“I know about last practice,” she went on, and out of the corner of my eye I saw Baylor wince. “A lot of you like to party, stay out late and have fun with your friends. It’s college after all, right? That’s what you’re supposed to be doing. Having fun.”
Her hands went to her hips.
“But you’re not just here for that. Are you gentlemen?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “No sir, you signed up to come here and play ball for the Wolves. This is where you get to use your God-given talent to show everyone what you’re capable of. This is where you get to be Sandy Koufax on the mound, Willie Mays in the outfield, Babe Ruth at bat, and Johnny Bench behind the plate. This baseball diamond is my church, guys, so you better treat it with respect. You treat yourself and your bodies with respect, too, you hear? And we will win.”
All was silent as Mom nodded, the sureness in her voice filling everyone in that circle with confidence. This was why she was such a good coach, I thought. Break us down, only to build us back up, better