Sports Selection Day at St.Xavier’s School

                       

It was an exciting day for some students of St.Xavier’s high school. It was the selections for the sports team of the school houses.

“I still don’t understand the point of waking up early and going to school for these selections” grumbled Aniket, getting up from his bed and yawning.

“Well, it’s better to be active rather than sitting in front of the telly like a big fat pig on the couch” said Amit, ducking the pillow that Aniket had chucked at him on hearing his remark.

“Yes, quite true” said Arvind, nodding.

Arvind and Amit had woken up early for the sports, while Aniket had been snoring comfortably in his bed, unaware that his brothers were practicing.

There were three choices: basketball, cricket and athletics. Each one of the brothers decided to sign up for one different event. Amit decided to go for athletics, Arvind for cricket and Aniket for basketball.

“I don’t understand how he’s going to play basketball” Amit said in an undertone to Arvind, gesturing towards Aniket. “Never thought his belly would allow that”

Arvind merely shrugged and continued his breakfast. Soon, they were at the bus stop. Arvind was comparing his cricket equipment with other students. Amit was bending his knees and checking his shoe laces. Aniket was having an argument asking if Doraemon was the best cartoon with his friend. The bus arrived on time and they boarded it.

Soon it entered the St.Xavier’s compound with its three vast grounds ready to be played upon.  They assembled near the stage in the main ground. One of the staff members spoke into the microphone. “The athletes can move to the D-block ground and the basketballers can move to the basket ball court, while the cricketers will stay here.”

The three brothers wished each other good luck and went off to their respective grounds. Amit reached the ground, where the children had assembled in lines. A man who was wearing a black track suit stood next to a woman who had a clipboard ready in her hand. As the students reached them, he said, “Good Morning students. I am your instructor and coach, Animesh. You can call me Animesh Sir. And she is Supriya ma’am. As you’re aware, you are here for the selections of the Inter-House Athletics Tournament. The 6^th grade students are classified as sub-juniors, the 7^th and 8^th as juniors and the 9^th and 10^th as seniors.  The sub-juniors can participate in 4 events: 100 m sprints, 200 m, long jump and the 100 x 4 relay. The juniors and seniors, along with all these events, have an opportunity to participate in the Shot Put. From each group, a House takes only two representatives for each event.  Let’s first have the selection for the 200 m. We’ll begin with the sub-juniors. Students of the Gladiators House, will you please come over here!”

A couple of students got up and walked up to the starting line.

“So, on the count of three. One... two… WHEE !”

The athletes began racing each other. Among the great group forcing themselves forward, Amit could make out a solitary figure sprinting faster than the others. Sure enough, he came first. When the next race started, he started getting nervous; he had decided to participate in all the events. He pulled himself and tried doing some warm-up exercises.

After a moment, he heard the call of “Vikings, it’s your turn now!”

He got up and went near the starting line.

“One, - “

Amit crouched down in the starting position.

“Two, - “

Amit closed his eyes and waited with bated breath for the whistle’s shrill sound.

“WHEE!”

Amit sprang up, and with all the force he could muster, he charged down the track like a raging bull, still with his eyes closed.

When he guessed that he was nearing the finishing line, he opened his eyes.  A sudden break of joy erupted in his heart. He felt that every athlete he was competing at that moment was behind him. But when he looked in the front, he realized that he wouldn't be the one to come first. A boy had already crossed the finishing line, and was looking triumphant. He began to increase his speed. He had to scrape a second place, if he had to get selected; only two students get selected from each house. In some time, he had crossed the finishing line, bagging a second. He found himself grinning while he recited his name and other information to Supriya ma’am.  

He quickly hurried to the boy who came first and asked “Hey, what’s your name?”

“Hmmm... Prateek and what’s yours?”

“Amit”

“Try running faster next time”, was Prateek’s comment before turning back and strutting across the ground.

“Humph! What a vain guy.” Amit muttered.

The next event was the 100 m sprints. When the call for the Vikings came, he got up and saw out of the corner of his eyes that Prateek was also getting up. He cursed under his breath and went and stood near the starting line. Even as the race started, Amit saw Prateek cutting closer towards the finishing line. Amit ran in tremendous speed and managed, yet another second position. But when he made his way towards Animesh Sir and Supriya Ma’am, he heard Animesh Sir scolding Prateek.

“…sticking your foot out of the starting line, what did you think? Thought it would go unnoticed, eh? You are disqualified!”

“You!” he barked at Amit “Give your name to her.”, jerking his thumb towards Supriya ma’am.

“And you” he pointed a finger at boy whom Amit immediately recognized as Varun, his classmate, “You came third, didn’t you? You too submit your name; you are selected.”

Varun could not hide his joy when he told his name to Supriya ma’am.

Prateek watched Amit resentfully while he submitted his name.

“The next selection is supposed to be the Relay”, Varun said excitedly.

“Yeah, but where’s the track?” asked Amit.

At that precise moment, Animesh Sir announced, “Err… students, I am extremely sorry, but we won’t be able to conduct the Relay selections because we don’t have enough time. Whoever got selected in 100 m or 200 m, you are free to give your names for Relay to Supriya ma’am. Consider yourself selected.”

There was a huge commotion when about half of the students present got up.

“Ho! Ho! What did you think, we were senseless? Supriya, read the names of those who got selected!” Animesh Sir exclaimed.

When the roll call started, many students shot furtive glances at Animesh sir, and when they noticed that he wasn’t looking at them, they hurried back where rest of the students were lined up. After submitting his name, Amit got back to the rest of the students.

“So, we have finished three selections. Now we will have the Long Jump. Whoever is volunteering for the Long Jump may please assemble at the end of the ground where the Long Jump pit is located.”

A minute later, Amit was joining the line that was assembled in front of the Long Jump pit. The selections started. Amit watched as some students ran and took a massive jump, while some, unable to perform properly, got out looking sad, and in some cases angry. As his chance drew nearer and nearer, Amit started feeling nervous. Was he really sure that he could perform this... this... this ridiculous event? Meanwhile, when he looked up, he realized that his chance was only three students away… Amit blinked. The boy who had just performed was getting out of the pit looking embarrassed, while some of the students were roaring with laughter, but stopping when Animesh Sir started yelling down at them, “How dare you laugh at him?”

Was his mind really advising him to get out of the line before he had to perform it? He looked up as next participant, a girl, hurtled towards the pit, took a marvelous leap, and started looking pleased, made her way towards Supriya ma’am.

If she could, why can’t I?  Amit thought.

But you are not built long-legged like her, said a nagging voice in his mind.

He decided to pay heed to his mind, and without another glance, he hurried to the place where the spectators sat.  Fortunately for him, everyone’s eyes were on the performing student. He sighed with relief as he sat down.

Soon, Animesh sir was announcing the selection of one of the most awaited events: “Now we will have the Shot Put selections. But as I had said, only juniors or seniors can take part in this event. The sub-juniors are free to do whatever they want, but in perfect discipline. Supriya ma’am, if you could please bring the shots...”

Amit turned around and marched off towards some seats arranged at the other side of the ground. When he sat down, he looked up and saw a massive figure of a boy bobbing towards him. Amit recognized him immediately.

He looked up into Aniket’s face and asked him, “So, Anne got selected?”

Aniket suddenly got angry, “You know I hate that! You...You…Y-“

“Sorry Anne, but Father crafted my name in such a way that no one can make fun of it. So, tell me, got selected?”

“Next time you call me that, I’ll kill you.”And looking at Amit’s impatient face, he said, “Yes, I got selected. Manish sir, the basket ball instructor and coach, got impressed by a couple of points I scored. And what about you?”

“What! You got selected! Impos…” spluttered Amit, before stopping at the looks on his brother’s face.

“Hey! Amit! Aniket!”

They turned around and saw Arvind hurrying towards them, weighed down by his cricket kit bag.

“Ah, Arrow, what’s your news?” asked Amit.

“Oh!” he stopped, looking crestfallen.

“I didn’t perform well -“

“Hey! Don’t feel bad. It’s only a game-“

“- at batting” continued Arvind, apparently not hearing what his brother had said. “But I was wonderful at bowling, so luck was at my side!” he said, his face brightening up at once.

“Arvind is so misleading at times” murmured Aniket to Amit.

“Students, please assemble near the main stage” rang a voice from the loud speaker nearby.

“Race to the main stage, guys”, said Arvind.

After about half an hour, Amit and his brothers alighted from the bus at their stop. They had received information that their respective sports would take place on the 10^th, 11^th and 12^th ofJuly, when the Inter-House Sports Meet will take place.

A huge commotion had broken out when they heard this. “We know, we know, it is 3 months away, but you’ll need practice, that’s why!” the staff had called out.

They were very tired, and were delighted when their mother greeted them with chicken sandwiches. They spent a lot of time in the afternoon sleeping, having weird and funny dreams of basketball, cricket and athletics.