Gracie Page #5

I have to file an appeal

by tomorrow.

- Need help?

- From you?

Gracie.

Gracie, come out.

Bowsher just called.

The board's gonna hold

a hearing for her.

Have you told her yet?

I'm on my way.

Bryan, is she good enough?

If they let her play,

can she do it?

Yeah. Sure.

Well, if you don't

believe in her...

And, finally, Title IX

of the federal mandate...

requires equal access

to sports for girls.

Thank you.

Coach Connors, tell us

what about Title IX?

Title IX means there's money

for a girls' soccer team...

but there's no interest.

Why is that?

Soccer's not considered

a girls' sport.

The girls I know would rather

watch it than play it.

We offer girls' gymnastics...

field hockey, badminton,

tennis, swimming, softball.

Any one of them could use

a skilled athlete...

like Miss Bowen.

Everyone would

be afraid to play hard...

because they'll be worried

about her breaking something...

or whining

'cause she's bleeding.

She can't run as fast.

She can't kick as hard.

I don't want to lose

'cause of her.

Just because she's

Johnny's sister and he died...

doesn't mean

she should play.

I look for speed,

ball control, passing ability.

All abilities a girl could

demonstrate as well as a boy.

Never seen it.

I'd like to say something.

Yes?

I'm Lindsay Bowen.

I'm Gracie's mother.

You have to be

on the sheet to speak.

There. She's on the sheet.

Please, Mrs. Bowen,

go ahead.

I know that all of you

must be asking if you were me...

would you let your daughter play

on a boys' team?

Boys play really rough,

and, um, she could get hurt.

But I've seen her.

I've seen her go out

in the cold, in the rain...

in the dark.

She is fierce.

She wants to win.

She will not give up

because she has a dream.

For all of my boys,

soccer is and was...

the most important thing

in their life...

and it is

the same for Gracie.

She loves competing.

She loves

that win-or-Iose life.

L... I don't.

It's been Ionely.

Gracie's my only daughter...

but I would rather miss her

than have her miss something...

that is

so very part of her being.

Thank you.

The board split.

I'm afraid I had

to cast the final vote.

She gets to play?

To try out.

Thank you so much.

It's up to Coach Colasanti...

to decide

if you'll make the team.

It's up to Gracie.

- You got to stretch out.

- Yeah, Dad.

Yeah. But don't

stretch out too fast.

I don't want you to cramp up.

I got it.

There's Johnny.

Dad, did you ever wish

I was a boy?

No. No.

Grace, it's different.

Just easier with Johnny.

I don't know why.

Sometimes I just

had trouble talking to you.

Is that

why you coached Johnny?

I coach you now.

Okay, boys, let's go.

Coach is gonna make

three cuts today...

this morning, after lunch,

then tonight.

So, uh, don't show him

everything in the first hour.

Can you hand me that?

Just pace yourself.

Be a team player.

Yeah, like I'm not gonna

stick out already.

Hey, Johnny once told me

about an amazing girl...

who hit a bottle off

the hood of a car...

barefooted

from twenty yards out.

Hey, Gracie,

I know you can do this.

Group A:
Rhodes, Manley,

Jasko, Wicker, Fogel.

Group B:

Keshawn, Mulstock...

Martho, McCarthy,

Abbott, Delilo...

Alston, Ross, Gracie Bowen.

All right, break.

Quicker, quicker, quicker.

Switch.

Come on.

Teddy, Teddy, come on.

Quicker, quicker. Switch.

Call for it. Call for it.

There you go.

Come on.

Quicker, quicker, quicker.

Right here.

She's not bad.

I've seen better.

Go. Come on, Teddy.

See some fight.

Go. Go.

See? Come on. Go.

Get there, Jerome. Get there.

How's she doin'?

Yeah.

Let's go. Let's go.

Who's gonna be first?

Let's go.

Let's go.

Go.

Go.

Shoot it. Shoot it.

Bowen, look at me.

When I say ''shoot it,''

damn it, you shoot it.

I made it.

Only one more cut.

What's wrong?

You passed 'cause you

didn't want to get hit.

Yeah, because they were

kicking my butt.

You got to take it, Gracie.

Then you got to give it.

You got to show 'em

you're no different.

What the hell's Mr. C.

Thinkin' anyway?

He has

to make it look real.

He'll cut her tonight.

Eat.

Go on. Eat.

No way she

finishes tonight.

Listen up.

I got four yellow shirts here.

I want to see

who can score a goal.

Only two of you make the team.

Break.

Ready?

Give me the ball!

Give me the ball!

- Oh!

- She can take it.

Sorry.

Bite me.

Good work.

Come on.

Here, here, here, here, here.

Let's go, let's go, let's go.

Coming left. Coming left.

Here.

Left.

Okay. Okay.

You all right?

I was wondering the same

about your whistle.

Feel free to blow it

at any time.

You wanted to play

with the boys.

Come on.

Come on.

Go, go, cross.

Pass it.

Yes.

- Yes! Yes! Yes!

- That's my girl!

All right.

Split into pairs.

We'll finish up with headers.

Last hour of tryouts.

Cutting it a little close,

aren't we?

Coach C. Said to switch.

Work with someone new.

I didn't hear him say nothin'.

That's 'cause you got your

head up your ass. Now, move.

All right. Let's go for it.

What was that?

I saw that, Rhodes!

Bowen, you're out.

Screw you.

- What did you say?

- ''Good luck to all of you.''

That's what I thought.

Get lost, Bowen, before

my hearing comes back.

Yeah, yeah. I know.

Yes.

Gracie. Gracie.

I know what you're gonna say.

I am good enough.

That's why your name's

on the board.

Yeah? Where?

- Junior varsity.

- Junior varsity.

If you're gonna be

the first girl on my team...

then you got

to be better than good.

And you got to act

like you deserve to be there.

- I do deserve it.

- I don't see it.

I offered your dad

a coaching job.

Hey.

I'm goin' back.

The supervisor put it down

as a leave of absence.

You hate that place.

Yep. And I'm working nights

at the warehouse.

But after work,

you get to coach.

I'm glad it

all worked out for you.

Hey.

Sometimes, you just take

what you're offered...

and make the best of it,

you know.

Yeah, and eat

the sh*t sandwich.

I'm not doin' it. I quit.

Johnny was a star...

I don't want to hear about

Johnny.

Johnny's dead.

Johnny played more for me

than he played for himself.

You're different.

You truly love this game.

That's coaching crap.

Quit, why don't you, then?

But quit 'cause

you're not good enough.

Quit 'cause you're never

gonna be good enough.

Don't quit because you got

your feelings hurt...

like a little girl!

You got to dig deep

and go out there...

as tough and strong as anyone.

I did.

No, you didn't.

I know what you can do.

But it's not enough

that I believe in you.

You got to make them all

believe in you.

And how do I do that?

You know what to do.

Good boy.

They practice today?

Are you gonna play J. V?

Yep. But I won't

be back till late.

Let's go, let's go.

- Down.

- G-O.

Let's go, let's go.

G-O.

Let's go, let's go.

G-O. Let's go, let's go.

Hey, Gracie.

Go get 'em.

G-O.

Let's go, let's go.

Down. Up.

Kyle didn't even want me

on the team, Gracie.

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