#anywhere

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(The other day, after scchool...try outs)

"Okay, anyone trying out for shotput?" About three or four boys are lined up. This coach Sam doesn't know. He's a guy.

"Hey." Three or four guys... and Sam.

Two boys snicker at her. The coach looks at her and nods, "Four people. Good. We sometimes don't have enough to even try outl. I'm Coach Timms. I don't need your names yet, I just need to see how you do. Now," the coach picks up at shot put, "Let me show you the right stance, and means for safety. These things are not toys, and folks can get hurt by them. If you can't pay attention while I show you, take up something involving nerf." And he shows....a spin style and whooosh!

For a mortal, not bad! Actually darn good

It is a funny looking toss, a chin-chuck... Dagmar snorts little in surprise, but grins.

"There's also the glide and other means..." He says "You'll find out your own strengths"

"Coach?" a boy's hand goes up "You're not going to have enough people for a girl's team"

"Whatever, I'll throw against boys."

"Fred, right?" The coach looks at the boy who spoke up, "You're right. I don't have enough folks for a girl's team. But there isn't a girls team, or a boy's; team. If...I'm sorry, don't know your name," he says to Sam for a moment, but then goes on "if the young woman here cuts muster, then she's in. If you don't cut muster, you're out. I really don't give a rat's ass that you'll have different changing rooms. Men are , on average, endowed with greater body strength, but that's on average, and the world record for woman's shotput? Less than a foot behind the world's record for men's.... the leading record holder among women was named Natalya Lisovskaya, 74 plus feet, and she could have thrown your body forty without breaking a sweat. I don't care what bathroom you tend to go to... I want to have potential on this team that'll get the job done. If you can't deal with the chance of being outdone by a girl, OR a boy... you've got too much fragility for the wide world of sports. SOooo.. that out of the way, who wants up first?"

At this speech, some of the boys look a bit intimidated. Who wants to be the first to fuck up?

Sam shrugs. Not volunteering, but not.. not?

Finally, one boy, not the tallest but with pretty good arms nods "I'll do it." It's not Fred. Sam's seen him around, but doesn't know his name. He grabs a shotput, gets into position.... and hurls! A grunt goes out of him...and THUMP...he wrinkles his nose as it did not go as far

"You had a bit too much arc on it, that's okay. No one is expected to be at their best...not the first day. " The coach looks at Sam, "You're up next."

A grunt/shrug of acknowledgement and she picks up the shot without fanfare. A moment of thought, pacing through the demonstration in her mind before she mimics Coach Timms' hurl.

While it's no log, arguably, Dagmar HAs had more practice in lobbing things.. and examples of folks who are good at it!

Still, whoever mutters behind her is distracting and she's not quite used to this and..well, she doubt Coach Timms will buy excuses. The shotput veers too much, losing distance. It sure hits the ground HARD though. It actually matches the first guys

The coach raises a brow "Damn good arm, but it's possible you overthought it. Not enough arc there. " A look to Fred "Fred, you're next"

She scowls, swallowing back a curse... and looking mollified at Timms' feedback. "...okay, Coach."

Fred flexes a bit seems pleased that the girl did not make it any further than the first guy. Of course, if he knew about the sport , or even physics, he'd realize that less arc and STILL equalling the other denotes a LOT of muscle

Fred tries the same and yells macho style yells for maximum macho power! It does not go as high as the first one, or as far as either, falling well behind. "#$##" he says

THe Coach raises a brow "If you kids don't mind. I'll do most of the cussing, at least at full volume" giving them leave to mutter words under their breath "Yeah, Fred, yelling like that actually has some benefits, but a lot is in the timing. You need to build your arm strength up, and your release was poor. "

"Why are you busting MY hump?" Fred says testily.

The coach, a tough guy near retirement nods, "You're right. No need for that. Bye Fred. " And he waves.

Fred blinks "Huh?"

"Go. Leave. You didn't make the cut. Narrow minds can be broadened. Bad form corrected. Timing improved. Strength can be built up. But I can't fix stopped up ears. If you can't take criticism, then you can't improve. If you can't improve, there's no point in letting you in. Try something else with one of the other coaches if you want. See me next year if you've matured. " HE motions to the next guy. "Next"

Her mouth tugs to the side in a half-grin.

Fred gapes, but it is as if he's invisible now. Coach Timms does not keep at him, but nor does he bother doing more, at least not yet. THe next guy gets up, grunts and hurls and winces JUUST a bit as his comes , well, beyond Fred's but still well behind Sam's and the first guy. "Can I go again? I can do better."

Coach Timms nods at that, "you all can, and you will. You had a problem with release too, but it's nothing to be ashamed of. "

Fred realizing his stares are going no where, and glares are futile, finallly mutters "Forget this.." And storms off.

"So - we're releasing too low, is that it?"

"Names," the coach says at Sam and the remaining two boys "I need names" He says putting down things on paper "You folks are in. And actually, you and this gent, releasing too low... this fellow, too high" to the first.

"Sam Larson." A pause. Sigh. "Samantha"

"Sam it is" he writes it down, "Later I'll want your parent or guardian contact info but I can get that from the school website. There will be paper work sent with you for permission slip." He looks to 'first guy'.

"Dan Reeves" The first guy says

The other guy who wanted to go again says "Arthur Lemons, but Art is what folks call me."

"Heh. One syllable names."

The coach goes "I like short and simple.. okay, Sam, Dan, Art. We got a small roster but enough to work with. Now, you saw the spin. I'm going to show you the glide. We'll see which ones you take too better."

Sam nods, intent and observant.

Coach Timms demonstrates it more than once, and then gives each one a turn to try again. Dan and Art, are boys. And Sam, the old sam, might have been scared of them, but Dagmar is here and..well, also, Dan doesn't seem that mean. Neither does Art. The only one who was really a jack ass was Fred and he made the mistake of pulling tude with with the teacher

That, and Sam is perfectly confident in her ability to do this... they aren't cabers, after all. She knows she's strong.

Sam's next throw gets much further, indeed, she passes Dan.

"Wow" Dan says "WAY ahead of mine"

She grunts. "It went okay, yeah. Thanks."

"It'll go further than that with practice. Okay, that's enough for now, let's get those slips for your folks to sign" He says. "And your folks are probably ready to pick you up."

On cue, a honk from a lime green car, and a woman with clearly artificial nails waves "ARTIE!" the woman cheers "you making your moma proud?"

Art looks heaven ward

"S'cool, Art. Congrats, yeah? See you at practice?"

"Yeah, and thanks..sorry about my mom" A low voice "I've asked her to park juust a bit further back but she never does" he calls back "I made it , mom. Love you" Now please vanish