Game or Grades? By Connor F.

I reached out my hand and grabbed a thick literary packet from my English teacher. This packet accounted for 30% of my grade and failing would be devastating. Putting the paper down to my desk I flipped it face up with hope in my eyes, another F. This brought my grade no down to a low F and playing in the super bowl game Saturday was extremely unlikely. I was the starting Tight End, and Defensive end for my football team, and I would give anything to play in the game Saturday. We were facing the top team in the state, De La Salle, an infamous football team from Concord California, who has won the California State Super Bowl for countless years running. They had an enrollment of over 1,500 kids, which shattered our 600. Our small town of South Hadley put every bit of faith they had left in the success of our football team.

Looking up at the small clock in the corner of my classroom it read 1:56, the day was nearing end. I slowly laid my head on my desk and pondered my possible options. The California State High School Football Rules says that any student with two or more F’s isn’t allowed to play until grades are raised at the next marking term. I only had one F, but a South Hadley football rule is that if you have one F, playing is not an option until it is raised. The bell rang and I rose out of my seat, legs shaking with the news of the F. My English teacher, Mrs. Foley, was sitting behind her steel desk correcting recent papers. She was an older woman, with tired eyes but a large welcoming smile.

“Mrs. Foley, can I talk to you for a moment?” I said shakily as I neared the desk.

“Why yes Darren, what is on your mind?” She said in a kind but somewhat timid voice for she knew I was failing.

“I got the weekend’s packet today and I got an F on it. Grades close tomorrow and I don’t know what I am going to do to pass.” I said hoping for a positive response.

“Yes, I’ve seen that. We are having a small test tomorrow but you need to get at least an A to pass because this packet brought your grade down to a 52%.”

“If I get an A will it bring me back up to a D-?”

“It might I’m not positive but if I was you I’d make damn sure it was at the lowest an A.”

Driving home from school I realized that I needed to study incredibly hard for the test. That night I pulled out my English notebook and studied my notes for hours. The test Friday was on the elements of a plot, and I made sure to memorize everything. Sitting at my desk I read the words over and over until it rang like lyrics through my head. I put my head down to rest my eyes, and when I awoke I was stunned to see it was 6:30. I rushed throughout my house and gathered my belongings and drove to school. Throughout the ride there I was biting my nails and pondering the possible outcomes for the day. Walking into the school the bell rang, and I hustled to my A block class to make sure I wasn’t tardy. Walking through the doors I sat in my assigned desk and waited. The next few minutes felt like days as I sat reviewing my notes one last time. Finally a few minutes later Mrs. Foley passed out the test. Slowly starting the test I had a burst of confidence when I realized that it was 100 times easier then I thought and, at that point I knew I was going to pass.

Finishing the final question the bell rang for the next class and I slowly rose. The rest of the day went by unexpectedly fast, as it was a Friday. Fridays usually go by slower than any other days because you are so excited for the upcoming eventful evening. After the final bell I walked to Mrs. Foley’s English class to see the results of my test. Walking slowly into the class I felt like I was a character from a TV. Show waiting to hear the news of a fatal medical test or something of that sort. She was sitting behind her desk correcting papers and she waved me in.

“Darren, you did excellent on your test; if you keep up this work you are guaranteed to have a higher grade.” Said Mrs. Foley with a sudden, but solemn gleam in her eyes.

A burst of happiness ran through me as I knew now that I was going to be able to play in the game Saturday night.

“But, like I said you needed 100% to pass on this test, the final answer of the assessment you answered incorrectly, I’m sorry but you have a 59%, you are still failing this class.”

At that moment my heart sunk, my head spun and I immediately sat down. She tried re assured me that this wasn’t as bad as it sounded, but I was already out of the door.

Not being able to play in the California State Super Bowl was one of the best and worst nights of my life. I would have done anything to run out onto the field, or hear “Darren Washington” over the announcements after I scored, or made a tackle. But this was also one of the best nights of my life. We ended up beating De La Salle on a two point conversion with no time left on the clock to win 22-21. We pulled off one of the greatest upsets in California football history. Looking back on my high school career, I learned that not playing in the game was one of the most vital character changing events that ever happened to me. Throughout the rest of my senior year, I took school seriously and I ended up finishing top 10 academics for the graduating class of ’11. So now I realize that when some people are born athletes who have everything handed to them, it doesn’t matter because if you don’t work hard, in the end you can’t play in the game without the grades.