A Goal Achieved

• Jade Vanderzwan, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2013

“Mum! Dad! Look I got in!” I screamed as ran down the hallway jumping up and down trying not to break my laptop I was grasping in my hands.

I plonked the laptop down on the kitchen table where mum and dad where sitting drinking their coffee and made them stare at the screen. The big smile on my face gave everything away. They looked at the screen in wonder it read:
Congratulations! Your daughter has been chosen to represent WA in the school state hockey tournament in Canberra 2013.

Suddenly the smiles on the faces of my parents grew bigger and prouder. I thought of all the hard work, the effort and everything I had worked for had finally paid off! I was excited, happy and delighted. I thought of all the things I have gone through just to get to this moment, to see my name on the state website and to have the honour to represent WA in a hockey tournament. This was the moment I had been waiting for my whole life!

I gazed at the screen for a time, which felt like forever, thinking of how much fun it was going to be to be able to play hockey in a tournament for one whole week. I mean, WOW! The experience I would have!

I looked at my calendar and counted how many days until I left… 1 2 3 4… 87 days! This is going to be like waiting for Christmas in January! I took one deep breath, everyday I would count down waiting for the day when it said one day left. “This was going to be a very long 87 days,” I thought to myself.

I was keen to pack my small red suitcase, but it seemed like I couldn’t pack anything because it was so far away. Surely I would need half of the things before I went. I realised it would be impossible to start right now. I was so excited and I couldn’t do anything to get ready for Canberra… besides train. I grabbed my hockey stick and a hockey ball and I started to practice. I felt strong and powerful - the best feeling I have had in a very long time!

Canberra was getting closer and finally there was just one day left. I was ready! I felt the excitement, the nervousness and everything that came in-between!

The final night we had the presentation, they announced captain and gave us our playing shirts. I could feel the excitement of my whole team. It was like I could grab the excitement out of the air! Finally the announcement came for captain….
“It is my great honor to announce that the captain of the 2013 state team is…. player Number 6….”

That’s me! I jumped out of my chair and walked up to shake my coach’s hand. I had made it. I got everything I had worked so hard for and more! Now was the time and I was ready. Bring it on Canberra!