Success on the Sand online - StoryBook

Acknowledgements:
This project took on a life of its own
and became very organic in nature, I
will like to thank my past school mate
Jason for directing me to the Beach
Soccer Association of Trinidad &
Tobago where he saw the oppotunity to
do something great. Much thanks goes
out to the association and the players
for all the assistance they have given
me in building the puzzle. Melissa aka
“Miss” for all your tireless work in
the background with gathering the
kids for this project and making sure
important dead lines were met. To my
co - workers Reshma and Nikeita who
guided my original story line to help
me come up with this great story that
can now inspire many kids that have
problems reading.
Last but by no means least all of my
family and friends who were listening
ears to my rants about the million
ideas I had and gave me sound advice
in my developmental stages.

Content
Part: 1 . . . . . . . . . . Introduction
Part: 2 . . . . . . . . . . The Problem
Part: 3 . . . . . . . . . First Results
Part: 4 . . . . . . . . . . The Change
Part: 5 . . . . . . . . . Better Days
Part: 6 . . . . Greater Challenges
Part: 7 . . . . . . . . . Restlessness
Part: 8 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Victory

Part 1: Introduction
Hi there!
Yes you,
reading this book.
My name is
Frankie ‘D’Boss’ Davis
and I am the Captain of
the Maracas RC Beach
Soccer Team.

I am 11 years old,
in standard 5 and I live with my father in a
small fishing village in Maracas - you know,
where you does get bake and shark?
For me the best part of Maracas is the sand
- boy, dat does get my heart pumping!

Feeling the sand between your toes as
you kick dat ball into the net, is the best
thing ever - even more so when you play
with your best friends.
But I almost didn’t make the team.
Why? I couldn’t read.
Let me tell you my story.

Part 2: The Problem
Ever since, I never liked to read. To me, it was
too boring and hard. Beach soccer, on the
other hand, was a different story - I loved the
game and everything that goes with it.

With the help of my friends - Akeil,
Johnny, Mikey and Kedeem - reading
became my second hobby.
It’s as if the words of the writers
came alive as I read.

With daring heroes who fought great
wars and children - just like me - who
were able to succeed no matter what
life threw at them.
Reading became a goal- one that I
was glad to score.

Part 3: First Results
It all started with a practice reading test
we had to do as we prepared for SEA.
Me, not liking reading then, failed with
flying colours.

My teacher told me then and there,
“ Frankie, is either you buck up
on your school work or no beach
soccer! Take your pick!”
Not a moment I am proud of,
but this was the beginning of
my love for reading.

That was the day me, Akeil,
Johnny, Mikey, and Kedeem all
made a deal- I help with their
beach soccer skills and they help
me get better at my reading.

Part: 4 The Change
We got started
the very next day.
“Doh go so boy!
Tackle d man,
tackle d man!”
I shouted as I showed
the guys one of my
signature moves:
D Tackler.

“B-b-b-b-e-e-e
e-a-a-a-c-c-h-h-h
S-o-c-c-e-e-r-r-r,”
Johnny said as he showed
me how to break up the
words to make sense.
We started reading
“Reading the Play”
-a book about a boy who
learnt to read while playing
beach soccer.

So it went day after day,
week after week.
We all started getting better
- me at reading and the boys,
well let’s just say they were
already using my signature
move against me.

Part 5: Better Days
Come next practice test,
I was on top of my game!
I went from zero percent to
50 percent.
I couldn’t believe it, and the boys,
they couldn’t be prouder.

My dad, was so overjoyed that he
got me the new soccer ball I wanted
from the sports store down in
Port-of-Spain.
As for the boys, well they showed
up their skills as we took our Beach
Soccer team to the final round,
beating out the other team 5-0.

Part 6: Greater Challenges
We now faced our biggest rivals, the
undefeated champions, the Mayaro
RC Beach Soccer team.
At the same time, I faced my biggest
challenge: my last test before SEA.

Part 7: Restlessness
The night before the big test
- my mind went blank.
I felt like all the words left my head.
Is it here or hear ?
Is it bear or bare?
Is it deer or dear or dare
I felt so confused…
I wanted to top my last reading
grade. After all, day after day, the
boys took their time to help me.
I could not let them down because
they never let me down.

Going into the classroom, with my
friends right there cheering me on,
I knew that win, draw or lose- I was
determined to do my best
and make them proud.

Part 8: Victory
GOOOOAAAALLLLLLLL!”
the announcer screamed as our team
scored a goal in the last minute to beat
our rival team by de skin ah we teeth.
I could hardly contain my excitement.
All of our hard work finally paid off.
I scored 80 percent in my final exam
before SEA and we won the National
Beach Soccer Championship!
My advice: Never give up.
Nothing is ever too hard or
too difficult; we all can do it.
If I could learn to read,
then you could too.
Remember: the goal is reading.
Make it fun, make it exciting,
make it you!