Count Me In Read online

  About the Book

  Will Sahar become the Gems’ newest member?

  Sahar has only recently arrived in Australia but she’s already found friends in Sienna, Lily and Maia. And when she sees them practising their netball moves, something inside Sahar sparks. Having never played netball before though, she doesn’t believe she could be the player the Gems need – that is, until she gets out on court! However, it looks like some creative thinking will be needed in order for her to join the team.

  Can Sahar overcome the obstacles standing in her way and discover the joy of playing netball?

  Contents

  Cover

  About the Book

  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  The Marrang Gems

  Player Profile

  Netball Drills

  Netball Positions

  Also in the Series

  Copyright Notice

  This book is dedicated to our friends in grade 5/6 at Fawkner Primary School and at Arabic Welfare, who gave us ideas and advice.

  Sahar slowly turned in a circle. Most of the buildings looked the same. How was she supposed to know which was the right one? The wind swirled around her, carrying a flurry of dust. A wave of dark brown hair escaped from under her headscarf and whipped against her forehead.

  I’m so completely lost, she thought.

  Sahar’s hazel eyes gazed up at the red-brick building in front of her. It was two storeys and, according to her timetable, she was looking for a classroom on level two. She decided it could be the one.

  Walking steadily towards the entrance, Sahar tried not to show how nervous and awkward she felt. She kept her face calm and her steps regular. It was hard enough being in a new country. Everything was so different in Australia, but usually Sahar had her family with her. Being at a new school was beyond hard, because she was on her own. It was only her second day, so she still didn’t know anyone. Well, she had said hello and smiled to a few people yesterday but there was no one who she could really call a friend. For a moment her steps faltered. How would she make friends here?

  ‘Hey! Yoo-hoo!’

  Sahar stopped and looked over her shoulder. She was uncertain if the call was to her.

  What does ‘yoo-hoo’ mean? Is there a special way I’m supposed to answer? Anxious thoughts raced through Sahar’s head in the split second it took her to see three girls running towards her across the concrete courtyard.

  One girl had curly blonde hair that bounced as she ran. Another was tall and strong-looking, and the third had her hair in a ponytail that swung madly in the wind. They came to a stop right in front of her. And they were all smiling!

  The three of them began talking at once.

  ‘Hi! We’re so lost!’

  ‘Do you know where the science lab is?’

  ‘We can’t find it and we’ve been looking for ages.’

  For a moment, Sahar was surprised that they were asking her for directions. Then she realised that they must be in year seven, like she was, and that in year seven everyone was new. It made her feel a little better.

  I’m glad I’m not the only one!

  ‘I’m looking for the lab too,’ she replied. ‘I’m going to try here.’ She pointed to the red-brick building in front of her.

  ‘Oh, okay,’ said blonde-curls girl. ‘We’ll go with you.’

  The unknown trio fell into step with Sahar, chattering in bubbly voices. Sahar felt tongue-tied in the company of these happy, confident girls, so she just nodded.

  By the time they had located the science lab on the second floor, Sahar had collected quite a bit of information. The girls’ names were Lily, Sienna and Maia. They were already friends, though Sahar hadn’t picked up how they knew each other, and they were excited about being in year seven together at Marrang Secondary College.

  The girl called Sienna pulled open the science lab door and waved the others ahead of her. ‘Step into my laboratory,’ she whispered in a scary voice. ‘This is where I will take out your brain!’

  Smiling at the joke, Sahar stepped into the lab with the others. The room was brightly lit, and long tables with sinks lined the space. Boys and girls sat on stools along the length of each table. The teacher stood at the front of the room, and she turned as the girls entered. She wore a floaty dress and red glasses.

  ‘You’re late, girls. I’ve just been assigning lab groups for this term.’

  Sahar forced herself to stand still with a calm expression. She didn’t want to show how nervous she felt.

  ‘Since the four of you have arrived at the same time, you can be group number six. There’s room on the table at the back.’

  Sahar sat down with Lily, Sienna and Maia. As she opened her brand-new science book and looked up at the teacher, Sahar couldn’t help worrying. What if the girls didn’t want her in their group? They were already friends, they didn’t need her. What if they leave me out?

  Most of the science class was about safety rules and learning what the lab equipment was for. Sahar worked quietly with Lily, Sienna and Maia and helped them to pack away the equipment at the end of class. They hadn’t left her out after all.

  ‘Hey Lily, when do the Gems start back?’ asked Maia.

  ‘I think training starts next week,’ said Lily. ‘But we’re not going to be the same team as our last winter competition. Jade can’t play because she has Saturday sport for her new school. And we always knew Kasey and Eve would be going back to Thomson.’

  Sahar put her head down and pretended to double-check the adjustment of the microscope. She had no idea what Maia and Lily were talking about and didn’t want to look stupid. She saw Sienna glance at Lily in alarm. This was obviously something that was important to them.

  ‘What about Isabella and Phoebe?’ asked Sienna.

  ‘Yes, they’ll be there, and you know Maddy and Prani are in, but that still only leaves us with seven. We need at least one more.’

  Lily looked thoughtfully at Sahar. ‘You don’t play netball, do you?’

  Sahar blushed as she responded. ‘I don’t know what netball is.’

  The three girls stared at her incredulously.

  ‘What?’ said Lily.

  ‘How could you not know what netball is?’ asked Sienna.

  ‘It’s the best thing ever!’ said Maia.

  Sahar’s blush deepened. Oh no, how will I ever fit in when I don’t even know what they’re talking about?

  ‘I only arrived in Australia last month,’ Sahar explained hesitantly.

  ‘It’s not a big deal,’ said Sienna.

  ‘That’s okay,’ said Lily.

  ‘I’d never heard of AFL before my cousin started playing,’ said Maia.

  ‘Netball’s played internationally, but not all countries play,’ said Lily. ‘Now you’re in Australia, you’ll see that netball is a really fun ball sport. Our team is called the Marrang Gems. Marrang is our club name.’

  Sahar nodded in understanding and smiled. A ball sport. That does sound fun!

  ‘The rest of the team are great. They didn’t come to Marrang Secondary – they’re at other schools.’

  So that’s how Lily, Maia and Sienna know each
other! Sahar thought.

  ‘And how will you find your new player?’ Sahar asked, curious about how it all worked.

  ‘Well, at the start of a new season the club decides who plays in each team. We only have seven players at the moment. That’s enough to take the court, but you need an extra player in case someone gets tired or injured or can’t play. And it would be good if we got to choose who the eighth player was!’ said Lily.

  Sahar scanned the hallway as they stepped out of the lab, the other year seven students milling around them, streaming to their next class. ‘There seems to be plenty of people to choose from.’

  ‘Sahar’s right,’ said Sienna. ‘We could find our new player here at school.’

  Lily and Maia nodded enthusiastically.

  ‘What do you look for in a new player?’ asked Sahar.

  The three Gems responded at exactly the same time.

  ‘She has to be fast,’ said Lily.

  ‘Focus and determination,’ said Maia.

  ‘She has to fit the team,’ said Sienna.

  Sahar joined in as the Gems laughed at their different responses. ‘Maybe you need three new players,’ she said. ‘How will you work out who has these skills?’

  Sienna looked around furtively. ‘Simple. We’ll be secret agents, looking for signs. I am Secret Agent 001 and my mission is to find someone who would fit into the Gems team.’

  Sahar giggled as she watched Lily’s and Maia’s eyes light up.

  ‘Lily – um sorry, I mean Secret Agent 002 – your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to find someone who is fast,’ said Sienna.

  Lily nodded solemnly.

  Maia stepped forward to Sienna and bowed her head, waiting for her assignment.

  ‘Go forth, Secret Agent 003, and find someone who is focused and determined,’ Sienna commanded.

  Well, that’s one way to solve their problem, Sahar thought. I wonder if it will work?

  Sahar trailed her new lab partners out of the building. They were all heading back across the school to their English class, which was in Sahar’s homeroom. Suddenly, Lily dived on a ball resting in a garden bed.

  Is that a soccer ball? Sahar wondered. It was a similar size to a soccer ball, but it didn’t have the same pentagonal shapes.

  ‘Yay! A netball!’ said Lily.

  Oh, they look so similar.

  Almost as if they had rehearsed it, Sahar watched in fascination as the three girls began passing the ball between them. The bundle of books they each clutched under one arm didn’t hinder them at all. Moving across the concrete, they grinned happily, calling the pass they were sending.

  ‘Bounce pass!’ said Sienna, as she bounced the ball accurately to Lily.

  ‘Lob!’ called Lily. She tossed the ball high, aiming just above Maia’s head.

  Still clutching her books, Maia sprang up, her strong legs effortlessly pushing her high into the air. She caught the ball with one hand and swung it down to cradle it against her chest.

  Sahar gaped at Maia’s athletic moves. These girls have skills!

  ‘Chest pass!’ said Maia. She shot a bullet pass straight at Sienna’s chest.

  Sienna let the ball smack into her chest, then held it tight with one hand. ‘To your left!’ called Sienna. She rolled the ball around until it was cupped in her hand, and she could throw it to Lily’s left.

  Lily leapt to the side and snatched up the ball. After she landed, she took a step and passed the ball ahead of Maia.

  Sahar walked slowly with other students to the next class, watching every move the girls made.

  The ball flew backwards and forwards between the three Gems for a few more minutes. When they reached the homeroom building, Lily left the ball on the bench seat outside.

  Sahar was fascinated by the trio. Their passes appeared to be perfect, as if they had been doing them for ages. They threw the ball to each other as easily as they breathed. With one hand! They didn’t even put their books down to do it!

  I wish I could do that, Sahar thought longingly.

  Sahar sat at the kitchen table with her English homework spread out in front of her. She was trying to get it done quickly so she could go outside and play with her younger brother, Abdul. Fortunately, Sahar had worked hard in class to get through most of it.

  ‘How was school?’ her mama asked, as she started to prepare their dinner.

  ‘It was okay,’ said Sahar.

  ‘Did you know where to go?’

  Sahar smiled. ‘Not really, but I must have looked like I did because some of the other girls actually asked me for directions.’

  ‘Ah, and did you make some friends?’

  Sahar shrugged. ‘The girls I met already knew each other, so I guess they don’t need one. It’s kind of hard to make new friends.’

  Sahar pretended to go back to her homework, but her mama knew her well. Whenever Sahar went quiet, it meant that she was thinking deeply, trying to puzzle out a solution. Her mama gently patted her shoulder as she went past.

  Everyone’s new at school right now, Sahar mused. There must be other kids in year seven who don’t know anyone. This is my best chance to make new friends. But how?

  Sahar thought about Lily and Sienna and Maia and their plans to find a new Gems player. Maybe that’s what I need to do: make a list of the things I’m looking for in a friend.

  Sahar stared out of the window and thought about her friends back home. She felt a pang as she remembered her best friend, Khadeejah, who would always make her laugh.

  I’d like a friend who is funny.

  It was nice to laugh but it was also important to Sahar to do well in her studies and make her parents proud of her.

  It would be good to have a friend who is smart and who could study with me.

  Sahar tried to imagine what else she might need in a friend. She thought of her cousin Umar, who was also in Australia. She and Abdul loved to spend time with him on the weekend. What was it she liked the most about him? After a moment of thinking, she realised what it was: Umar was kind. He always noticed if she felt down or left out.

  Kindness is a good quality in a friend.

  Sahar drew a fresh sheet of paper towards her and put a heading at the top: ‘Friend’. Underneath, she wrote three words down in a list: ‘Funny’, ‘Smart’ and ‘Kind’.

  That’s what I’m looking for: someone who is all of those things.

  Sahar smiled as she thought again of the Gems’ approach. Maybe I need to be Secret Agent 004 and search for signs of my new friend!

  ‘Sahar, are you finished yet?’ Abdul peered in the back door, impatient for his sister to come outside.

  Sahar’s face brightened at the sight of the soccer ball in Abdul’s hands. When they had come to Australia, they had realised that what she and Abdul called football was called soccer here, and that there were lots of different types of football codes she’d never heard of before. ‘Yep, be there in a minute.’ She had just completed her homework, so she quickly packed her folders into her schoolbag then ran outside to join him.

  Sahar and Abdul both loved playing soccer. They had been so excited when they’d moved into their new home and seen the large grassy space out the back. It was perfect for kicking the ball around. They had even managed to convert some old chicken wire they’d found into a goal net at one end of the yard.

  As usual, Sahar took up position as goal keeper so Abdul could practise being striker. Sahar didn’t mind. She loved trying to anticipate which way the ball would go and catching or kicking it away to stop a goal from being scored.

  As Abdul ran down the rough, patchy grass towards her, and expertly tapped the ball forward, Sahar admired his skill. Luckily, she was used to his tactics and could sometimes pick where in the net he was going to aim.

  He’s going for the top-right corner.

  But at the last moment, Abdul lightly danced around the ball to change direction and slammed a hard shot into the bottom-left corner instead.

  ‘Yes!’ h
e shouted in delight, when it went in.

  ‘Hey! Where did you learn that?’ asked Sahar.

  Abdul just grinned and grabbed the ball to have another go.

  He’s learnt some moves from the kids at his new school. I’d better pay better attention if I’m going to stop his next goal.

  This time, Sahar watched more closely. She couldn’t let her younger brother beat her!

  Abdul started from the far corner of the backyard, booting the ball and running at speed towards her. Sahar knew he was trying to intimidate her but she stood firm and slightly crouched down with her hands out in front, ready to dive in either direction.

  This time there were no fancy manoeuvres. Abdul kicked the ball as hard as he could and it sailed high towards the top-right corner of the goal.

  Sahar saw it coming and for a moment an image of Maia leaping up to catch the netball one-handed flashed into her mind. Inspired, Sahar leapt into the air and stopped the ball with an outstretched hand, bringing it back into her chest to control it before throwing it over Abdul’s head to the starting position.

  ‘Too easy!’ she teased, secretly thrilled that she had caught the ball just like Maia had.

  ‘Right,’ Abdul muttered. He paused to decide on his next approach and then rose to the challenge. He zigzagged with the ball down the yard, constantly changing direction and threatening to shoot until Sahar had no idea what to expect.

  Finally, just when she thought he was going to retreat back up the yard, he turned and skidded into the ball, kicking a wide shot that looked well beyond her reach.

  ‘Yeah!’ Abdul yelled, sure that the goal was his.

  But Sahar remembered how Lily had managed to scoop in the ball when Sienna had thrown a wide pass, and she launched herself across the goal. She grunted as she strained to stretch her body, her arm and even her fingers as far as she could. As the ball spiralled towards her, only her middle finger managed to touch it. She couldn’t bring it in, but the tap of her fingertip was enough to change the flight of the ball. It shaved past the goal and hit the back fence.