FADE IN.

INT. GYMNASIUM, TOURTELLOTTE MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL – MORNING

A large gymnasium full of eager students ready for their first day of orientation.

The students sit on the old bleachers with their brand new backpacks and outfits they picked out especially for their big day. They all await anxiously in anticipation for the PRINCIPAL and CLASS PRESIDENT to begin talking.

The indistinct rumble of conversation can be heard by the teachers and advisors standing on the other end of the gym.

EMILY sits alone in the back rows of bleachers. She types feverishly on her flip phone, responding to her mother’s text message.

She looks up slightly, feeling disinterested and nervous , as the Principal adjusts the microphone to begin.

The Principal and Senior CLASS PRESIDENT stand on stage together, ready to begin talking.

PRINCIPAL

(cheerfully)

Good morning everyone, could we all please be quiet and listening!! Could we have a round of applause and to welcome the class of 2017 to our freshman orientation!? (The crowd CHEERS unenthusiastically) I hope you are all excited for the best four years of your lives, it is a great day to be a Tourtellotte Tiger. Thank you!

CLASS PRESIDENT

(cheerfully)

Don’t forget, what makes your years here at Tourtellotte great is how involved you get within the community and what activities you choose to be involved with! Your years will be ten times better if you do a sport, a club, or any other type of activity in school. It is where you will make all of your friends and find the people you want to hang out with.

PRINCIPAL

Have a great year everyone! (yelling) Let’s go tigers!!

Everyone exits the gym to go to their first period class.

EMILY, walking alone, is stopped by DEB, the athletic director, before exiting.

DEB

Hey Emily! Are you interested in playing soccer this year? I’ve seen you play other sports and I think you would make a great addition to the team. We are trying to rebuild and I feel like you would get along with a lot of the girls.

EMILY

(unsure)

Oh, I don’t know. I’ve never played soccer before.

DEB

You should try it! You might have a great time. (hands EMILY sign-up papers)

EMILY

(nervously)

Alright, I will think about it. Thank you!

They both leave, going in their separate directions.

EMILY walks down the hallway and into her classroom, sits at her chair, and stares intently at the papers. She looks as though she is contemplating the decision to play or not.

(The following day after school)

EMILY walks up to the soccer field nervously, dressed in athletic clothing with brand new soccer cleats in hand. She struggles to put her hair into a ponytail while

She walks slowly and cautiously up to the COACH and other freshman teammates SHANNA, CARINA,  and JENN

CARINA

Hey Emily! I didn’t know you were playing soccer!

JENN

Awesome! I’m glad that there are other freshmen playing soccer this year besides just us.

SHANNA

Yeah, this year is going to be awesome!

They all walked over to the rest of the team and started their first practice of the year.

FADE OUT.

In middle school, I never really had any close friends. The friends that I did have the summer before freshman year did not treat me nicely and we ended up having a falling out right before high school was about to start. I went into freshman year with no friends, no aspirations and no ambition to be a part of anything.  In general, I was never the type of person to put myself in situations that could make me uncomfortable or try new things. I didn’t to step outside of my comfort zone. This is why I chose this scene to write about. I was really unsure about putting myself out there and getting involved with my school. After Deb, my athletic director, approached me and asked me to play, I made the decision to do something I was uncomfortable doing. Playing soccer my freshman year, was one of the most important and transforming things I could have done in my high school career. By playing, I ended up making friends with more people in my year, as well as upperclassmen. I was excited to go to practice everyday, even though I was horrible. I was able to find a group of people that accepted me and was able to make great friends. From there, I joined more sports team, the music department, and other various clubs and organizations and ended up having a great overall high school experience. My senior year I was the captain of the soccer team, basketball team, and softball team, as well as a leader of multiple other groups and clubs. Because of my decision to play soccer, I was able to do things I had never done before and meet people I would have never met if I didn’t play.