Title: ” A soccer girl “.
Author: Yanett Mora.
8 characters:
- Bella (7 year old girl).
- Rafael (8 years old boy).
- Martha (9 years old girl).
- Referee (voice-over, 7 year old boy).
- Bella’s friends (4 girls between 7 and 9 years old).
Setting: Bella’s school field, recess time.
ACT I
One day, during recess, Rafael approached Bella.
Rafael: Bella, I always notice how you watch us so enthusiastically playing soccer, why don’t you come and play with us?
Bella: Ummm, no, Rafael, thank you, soccer is only for kids.
Rafael: Bella, are you sure?
Bella puts her wrists in her bag and turning her back to Rafael, she leaves.
ACT II
The next day, Bella went back to the playground to watch her friends’ soccer game, to her surprise, Rafael approached her again.
Rafael: Bella, come tomorrow after school, only you and I will play, nobody else will see.
Bella: I don’t think so, Rafael, I’d rather stay quiet and play with my dolls.
Rafael: If you don’t go out to exercise your body you can get sick and your body can stop working.
Bella (doubtful voice): Mmmm… You’re right, Rafael, my body needs some activity. See you tomorrow at the exit.
ACT III
Setting: School field, departure time.
Introduction: The next day, Bella waited for Rafael on the school field.
Rafael: There you are, Bella, what a wonderful surprise!
Bella: I hope no girl at school sees me, I don’t want them to think I’m just another kid and stop playing with me!
Rafael: If that happens, it’s very bad. We shouldn’t discriminate against anyone when it comes to sports or tastes in general. Just because you like playing soccer, doesn’t make you less of a girl, Bella, on the contrary! It makes you a more interesting, active and healthy companion, Sport is important because it keeps us happy and at the same time healthy! You are good at soccer because I always see you analyzing our plays, come and play with us tomorrow’s game! We are looking for another player because Jose twisted his ankle just yesterday.
Bella: I don’t know Rafael… What if we lose the game? I wouldn’t want to be blamed.
Rafael: If we lose it doesn’t matter, what matters is to give 100% of ourselves and have a good time regardless of the results.
Bella (with a happy voice): You convinced me!
Rafael: I knew you’d say yes, Bella, now let’s practice!
ACT IV
Setting: School soccer field, the stands begin to fill with children and the players warm up before the game starts.
Introduction: The next day, Bella left prepared for the game, her hands were sweating but she had never felt so excited.
Referee (blowing a whistle): THE MATCH BEGINS!
Bella and Rafael started to play, they gave their best, Rafael scored 1 goal and they were tied 2-2, and for the last minute, they went to penalties. It was Bella’s turn to kick, this would be the decisive moment of the match.
Rafael (shouting): Take a deep breath, Bella, you can do it, believe in yourself!
At the moment of kicking, Bella was distracted looking at the stands. To her surprise, there were her friends watching her.
Bella (says quietly and introspectively): Oh no! There are my friends. Now they’ll think I’m a boy.
Rafael (shouting from the corner): Bella, GO! GO!
Bella, between the excitement of the game and the fear of what her friends would say, took a deep breath, closed her eyes and kicked as if it was the last time she would ever play soccer.
Rafael (shouting excitedly): GOAL!
(Crowd voice-over): GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! GOAL!
Bella opened her eyes and couldn’t understand what was happening.
All the boys from the team came up to her happily as Rafael charged her and shouted “WE ARE CHAMPIONS!
Bella, incredulous, felt a mixture of nerves and happiness.
After a while, a girl’s voice is heard:
Martha (with an authoritative voice): Bella, can we talk to you? It was Martha and all her friends.
Bella (with a trembling voice): Yes, sure, Martha.
Rafael carefully puts Bella down.
Martha: Bella, did you really think we would judge you if you would rather play soccer with the boys than play games with us.
Bella (shy voice and looking at the floor): Yes.
Martha: We are very sorry if our attitude ever made you think that way. We want you to know that we would never judge you for preferring sports, soccer is a girl’s game too. We were thinking: Would you mind if you taught us how to play as well as you do? We would certainly have more fun and stay more active than sitting around playing card games.
Martha and her friends laugh in complicity.
Bella (with tears in her eyes): Of course I wouldn’t mind. Friends, I want you to know that without a doubt, this is the happiest day of my life.
Rafael approaches and shouts: Let’s all go and cool off with some delicious ice cream!
THE END.