Camila Gomes Came to Play Soccer

Camila Gomes Stood dressed in very best and cleanest soccer uniform that she owns. Her big brown eyes watched as the neighborhood boys laughed and yelled as they ran around the grassy field kicking the soccer ball, trying to make a goal for their teams. It all looked like good fun, and Camila wanted to play soccer with them.

The only issue was that little Camila Gomes was a girl, and she knew that the boys in her neighborhood would never let a girl play on their team. Sighing deeply, Camila turned and walked slowly away from the playground, tears beginning to fill her eyes. When Suddenly a wildly crazy idea hit her.

What if she was not a girl? What if for the next two weeks of summer she could be a boy? Surely then she would be allowed to play soccer. Then once she had been allowed on a team, and she had helped her team win a game or two, they would no longer care that she was just a girl.

Deciding that this was one of her better ideas that she had since school had let out for summer vacation Camila ran as fast as her tanned legs could carry her back to her home. Ignoring the surprised looks her mother and father gave her as she dashed into the house and up the stairs to her room, she giggled excitedly as she went about tying her long brown hair into a braid and wrapping it into a bun that she could hide under a hat of some type.

Then she raced to her brother’s bedroom and began looking through his dresser, searching for a pair if his oldest jeans and t-shirt that would fit her, as well as hide the fact she was a girl. Once she was sure that no one would know that she was Camila Gomes from down the block, she ran outside and smeared some mud on her face just to make sure she could pull off being a real boy.

Walking as calmly as she could and whistling a cheerful tune, she walked back to the neighborhood playground and stuffed her hands into her jeans pockets. It was not long before she was noticed by the boys who were playing soccer. Nor was it long before they stopped their game and came up to meet what they thought was the new kid on the block.

After some small talk, and normal horsing around they asked Camila if she might like to play a game of soccer. Of course she did!!! Making sure not to give away the fact that she was just a girl, Camila ran and kicked the ball as well as she could, and that was pretty good considering the fact that she was a girl.

Before long the team that had chosen her, was soon ahead of the other team and had scored more then a few goals! It was like the new kid on the block had wings on his feet and could run and slide better than any other boy. He could even smack the soccer ball with his head and not be bothered by the sharp sting to his forehead as the soccer ball bounced off.

Then it happened! The entire running, sliding and jumping caused the hat to slip off Camila's head and her long braid began to hang around on her back as she squealed and flew after the soccer ball. As if they were one, all of the boys came to a stop and pointed at her, their mouths wide open and their hands on their hips.

Girls just did not play soccer in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, it just was not heard of. Soccer was an all boys game and a silly girl would cry when she got her knees all skinned up!! Or would she? One by one the boys walked slowly over to stand in front of her, the look in all of their eyes were not as friendly as Camila had hoped.

But at least they were not screaming at her yet, "Camila Gomes is the best soccer player I have met" One of the boys yelled! And soon all of the boys were yelling and slapping her on the back as they told her that she was now a part of their team.

"Welcome our boy Camila to our soccer team" They all yelled at once and lifted her on to their shoulders to carry her across the playground.