Laska’s Goal Full of Cheers — Cleats chattered on the park field as Laska dribbled in zigzags, tap-tap-tapping the soccer ball over the short, tickly grass. Read the full story →
Cleats chattered on the park field as Laska dribbled in zigzags, tap-tap-tapping the soccer ball over the short, tickly grass. He had made up a goal song on the way there, a fast one with stomps in the middle, and he wanted everyone at practice to shout it with him. The white net waited at the far end, its squares shining in the afternoon sun. “Ready for the loud part?” Laska called, and took off like a furry comet.
The ball spun ahead, black patches flashing. Laska planted one foot, swung the other, and sent it skimming low with a whap that buzzed up his leg. Instead of thumping into the back of the net, the ball struck the side cord and made the whole goal hum—brrrrring! From behind the folded bottom flap burst a tumble of tiny paper flags, tucked there by last week’s players and forgotten: red, gold, blue, green, all scribbled with silly cheer words.
Laska froze for one bright blink, then laughed so hard his ears wobbled. He tied the flags along the net, and every new kick made them flutter like a crowd waking up. Soon the whole team was singing his stomp-stomp song, louder than the crows in the trees. Next time you spot that soccer net, see if you can find where the hidden cheers were sleeping while Laska tap-tap-tapped across the grass.
