I recently visited Cedar Primary School in Kent where I had a fantastic day meeting the students and staff. When I visited the school, I worked with a group called the Byline Boys, a small group of brilliant young writers. I was really impressed with the standard of writing and asked that I could be sent a few pieces of work so I could choose a couple and put it on the website. They sent me six fantastic stories and I could not pick which ones to use – they were all so good! Well done to Kian, Mason, Leon, Oliver, Josh and Peter. Thank you for sharing this work with us.
The Day of the Trials
By Kian Alderson
Jamie Johnson is a 12-year-old boy, who lives in a poor, rough house with his mum. He doesn’t have a very happy relationship with his mum – they argue all the time. Even though Jamie is the smallest boy in school he is the best footballer when it comes to football his feet are magic. Nothing gets in the way of his football except Dillon (the school bully).
At school in the playground, Jamie was hitting the target in a goal with his great accuracy; Dillon pushed him over into the corner of the football court.
“I told you to stop playing football and don’t go to the trials, if I see you playing football again you’ll see what happens!” Shouted Dillon.
Suddenly a voice came from behind him, it was Jack the best female footballer in the school. “I thought you were supposed to hang around with me Dillon?”
Dillon walked off. Boggy and Jamie started practising. Boggy went in goal and Jamie took shots at him. You could see the concentration in Jamie’s face, every shot he took, he scored. Boggy looked over at Jamie and smiled with conference – he knew Jamie would do well. Tomorrow was the day of the trials; he didn’t stop training until he knew he was ready. He went home and sprinted up the stairs to his room for an early night. When he went to bed he made sure he had his lucky yellow Addidas boots.
It was the day of the trials – Jamie strolled, stretching down the stairs. His mum was waiting for him with his football kit:
“You were shouting at me yesterday and you’re trying to be nice to me today,” said Jamie. Jamie’s mum smiled but Jamie scoffed up his breakfast and then quickly went and got dressed. He went out the front door and walked confidently to school because it was the day of the trials. He was about to walk into school when Dillon kicked his school bag.
Jamie said: “What did you do that for?”
Suddenly, the football coach (Jim) shouted: “Whoever is in the trials come to the football pitch straight away!”
Dillon said to Jamie “I thought I told you not to come.”
“I’m not afraid of you!” shouted Jamie.
“You should be,” he replied.
Jack and Boggy went over to Jamie to say good luck
“We know you will do well.” Jamie didn’t answer; he just went over to the football pitch.
The coach said “Get two teams and start playing – remember best performance otherwise you’re out.”
Dillon and Jamie were on different teams,
“Watch out Johnson,” Dillon said. The game got under way … Jamie had the ball running up the pitch then out of nowhere Dillon took him out. Thirty minutes had been played and Jamie’s team had dominated the first half. The whistle had gone for the first half.
Jamie knew he would get through, “Quickly get back on the pitch!” shouted the coach. Eighty minutes had been played and still 0:0 Jamie had a chance and didn’t take it. Eighty nine minutes and Jamie had the ball about to shoot but Dillon took him out from the back. It was the last chance of the game – Jamie looked at the top left corner, levelling the pitch before he was about to shoot.
“Don’t miss!” Dillon shouted. Jamie was just concentrating on scoring but would Jamie score…
The Day of the Trials
Mason
It was the day of the trials, Jamie knew he could get into the A’s. The only thing stopping him was Dillon. The only thing Dillon could do is put people off. Mike didn’t give up on Jamie, he was waiting for his grandson to get into the A’s.
Boggy -Jamie’s funny and quite dumb friend- was so excited even though he didn’t know what was happening.
As they were walking on the field Boggy said to Jamie “If you do well then maybe Jack will like you.” The whole school was screaming with happiness as the all ran on the field. Then it was Jamie’s turn, but nothing stopped him not even Dillon. He was in the A’s. He did miles better than all the other children. The only annoying thing was that Dillon was also in the A’s. It was a battle between both strikers. When it came to one-on-one, it was Jamie vs Dillon. Everyone cheered for Dillon but when Jamie had the ball, all he could hear was BOOOO! He proved them wrong but when Jamie scored an amazing goal as he sprinted to the edge of the box and powered it with an over-head kick, Dillon got vicious by coming in with lots of two footed tackles.
The Day of the Trials
Leon Mellican
Jamie is a 12 year old boy who is mad about football – he’s good at it too. He has been playing trials and at training matches. The big beast Dillon has been playing dirty and taking the mick. Jamie meet Mike, his granddad who loves football. “Is everything ok?” Mike asked, stuttering.
Jamie explains: “I’m the smallest kid in school with a bad temper and my relationship is dead with my mum. Plus I have this guy who is taking the mick and plays dirty in football”. Granddad answers with a shocked tone in his voice: ”OH! Stay calm and prove everyone wrong at training and show them who’s boss. Then training came. Jamie’s mind was locked up with what Mike had told him.
As he got out of his shiny black BMW at the school, Dillon gave Jamie a dirty look. “Ignore him,” Mike said. Then Dillon came over, just as Mike left. Dillon grabbed his arm .“Thought I told not to come!” Dillon shouted with anger.
During the training session, they played a match. Jamie was determined to prove Dillon wrong. The whistle blew. Jamie wasn’t short of skills. He rainbow flicked someone, then took it through Boggy’s (his best friend) legs: Dillon was standing there in shock, secretly impressed but not wanting to show it. Then Jamie shot … it swept past the keeper and left him standing still. The whistle blew for the end of the skilful match. Jamie got a huge well done from the coach. When Mike turned up and Jamie was so impressed with himself he couldn’t even breathe . He couldn’t wait for the big game now.
It was Saturday. Jamie went training with Mike and he practised long shots. Mike handed him a book to show all the skills he could learn. Jamie practised some of the skills in the book. His granddad told him an inspiring speech: “What matters?”
“Football” Jamie replied.
“What matters?”
“Football!”
What matters?”
“Winning!”
His first game was today: he was late by 5 minutes. The whistle blew just as he got there … Jamie was build up with all his energy. He got the ball and shot but it hit the cross bar. Then out of nowhere the opposition scored. The whistle blew for half time. It was the other team’s kick off. Jamie’s heart was pounding because he wants to score. He went straight in for the tackle and got the colourful ball. Jamie ran it up, staying strong. He crossed it in and Dillon got his head on it. He made it 1-1 at this moment; it was intense. It is now the 86th minute. The other team scored (2-1) the entire crowd was going crazy. Dillon took a free kick at the half way line. Boggy crossed it in and Jeff (one of the players) missed the goal. It is now 90 minutes plus an extra 3 minutes. Dillon got failed… it was the edge of the box. Dillon chipped it in and Jamie went for the over-head kick and got top corner. In that moment they both realised it was silly why they were arguing and Jamie and Dillon and celebrate together before Jamie scored the winning goal.
The Day of the Trials
By Oliver Dunning
The day had come, it was the day Jamie had been waiting for. Jamie Johnson was the smallest but most intelligent kid in year 7. He is good at football but not when the school bully is around him; Dillon Simmons. He thinks it’s ok to push people around but it’s not; the person he bullies the most is Jamie because he’s small and he thinks he’s rubbish at football. Dillon’s wrong because Jamie scored a hat trick against the school football team last year when he was at his old school.
Before the trials even started, Jamie gathered his friends, called Jack, Bobby and his granddad Mike. Jamie calls them over to the centre and says, “All of you VS me”, “Ok” they said. After that, the whistle blew to say the game had started. Off Jamie went, the first person he skilled up was his best friend Jack by doing a flip-flap to rainbow flip over her. Jamie went one-on-one to the goalkeeper, he did one step over, span around with the ball and did the most stunning rabona and scored in the top right corner.
The trial was in about 25 to 30 minutes time ‑ Jamie was so frustrated. By the time he got to school they were getting ready but not they had not actually kicked off. Jamie ran as fast as he could to the pitch. As he got onto the pitch, he bumped into Dillon once again. Jamie didn’t know that Dillon was on the same team “Oh great!” he said to himself sarcastically. As before, the whistle blew to say the game had started. The red team kicked off as Jamie was worrying if he misses a shot Dillon would bully him after the trials. The red team’s ball got taken and the other team had the ball, a player passes to Dillon but he misses the touch and the reds kick it off to the corner spot. Because Dillon was the captain he decided that he was going to take the corner. Everyone was moaning because he takes everything. Dillon crosses it in and comes to Jamie in the air he’s only chance was to do an overhead kick and that’s just what Jamie did … it curved from top right to top left corner. “OFF SIDE!” shouted the referee, the crowd moaned with frustration. Jamie then took a penalty but sadly missed what felt like his only chance. Dillon said: “You wait until after the trials because you’re going to get it!”
Shortly after, Jamie came home. “What happened to you Jamie – who did this,” Jamie’s mum said as looking at the blood on his face. Jamie said nothing and sprinted up the stairs thinking of what he needed to do to get his revenge on Dillion.
The Day of trials
By Josh Nash
It’s the day of the trials… Jamie Johnson (the smallest kid, bad temper, loves football) got out of his black BMW car and looked over and saw the worst of them all – Dillon walking over (the bully). They both gave each other dirty looks. Then Boggy (Jamie’s best friend) waved at Jamie. After that, Jack came out (Jamie’s other friend) and shouted “Hey guys!” they all looked at the huge field and saw the training is already set up. They ran to it … the coach shouted out what to do then Jamie got disturbed by Dillon. “I thought I told you not to come!” moaned Dillon. “So what!” Jamie shouted. They got ready. “Jamie your turn,” said the coach. Jamie walked over with confidence. As he was doing it, Dillon tried to put him off but he didn’t care. As he completed the drill, the coach said “You’re in,” “YES!” shouted Jamie.
Then it was Dillion’s turn … as Dillon was doing it Jamie put him off and Dillon stopped to listen to what he was saying. As he got to the end of the drill the coach said “y-o-u a-r-e NOT IN!” “WHAT?!” shouted Dillon? Boggy finished “You’re in!” shouted coach “WHAT?” Dillon shouted angrily.
Jack also finished the drill: “You’re in!” said the coach.
“How did they get in but I didn’t!” moaned Dillon. “
Well you stopped in the middle!” said coach. “But I still did it right?” moaned Dillon. “No because you walked through some of it,” replied the coach. Dillon went home sulking and the rest went home cheering. As Jamie got home he told his mum he got though and they hugged. Jamie went to bed dreaming how well he will do tomorrow in his training because no one will stop him … or will they.
Trial Terror
By Peter Roberts
This is the day, the day Jamie Johnson could show everyone his tekka’s. But there was one person standing in his way… Dillon. As soon as he arrived, Jamie Johnson caught a glimpse of Dillon and Jack. He walked over to her,
“Hey,”
“Hello Jamie,”
“Ready to see me win?”
“No way!” Dillon shouted from the crowd of people.
“Remember, you owe me.”
“I know, I know.”
He headed over to the shooting practice.
“Jamie you’re up.”
He steadied himself ready, he ran up and shot. It. Was. A. Goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dillon took a piercing look at Jamie,
“How did you score?”
“I used my tekka’s,”
“You will regret this!”
“Yeah right,” Jamie said with confidence.
Jamie had been selected for the team – he was ecstatic, now he could show Dillon. On the next day, Jamie got kitted up ready to play WoodMoore school. Jamie was up front with Dillon. During the match, Dillon never passed to Jamie, there was a clear cut chance to win the game and all Dillon had to do was pass it to Jamie. Instead he shot near post and missed, “ Why didn’t you pass?” shouted Jamie in frustration.
Dillon ignored him. The game had ended 0-0 and all the doubt was placed on Dillon so he got kicked out.
Jamie entered the locker room there next match was against Tottenham Hotspur under fourteens – if he performed he would get signed. The game started … Jamie had kick-off and shot from the half-way line … it lobbed the keeper and went in. 1-0 to Jamie’s school. Screams came from the crowd watching. Jamie had scored 4 goals by the end of the match and was awarded man of the match. The Tottenham manager walked over to Jamie …
“Hey Jamie I would like to offer you a contract,”
“Really?!” asked Jamie.
“Yes.”
“Okay!” Jamie said in excitement.
“Welcome to the team.”
“Welcome to Tottenham Hotspur.”