Team Spirit

Being A “Team Player”
It was game day. Nothing could ever be as exciting. Sure, there were the practices for 6 hours every day after school, but absolutely nothing could compare to that adrenaline rush all the young athletes felt at the end of every week on game day. It wasn’t just something for the participants, but for all the spectators and fans of the players, everyone in Olympia lived for these days. It was these days that defined Olympia’s culture, and everything else—the long practices, the weight-training, the pep-talks, the passing grades,-- these were all for the games. Everything revolved around these games, and everyone in Olympia understood and accepted this. Everyone watched every single game in every sport every time every week. If an Olympian was unsure of what to talk about with one significant other, all heshe would have to do is bring up last week’s game and both would carry on a conversation just fine; surely both had seen the game; everyone goes to the games. It was absolutely unthinkable to just not go to a game; why would anyone miss out on something as big as this? No one could possibly have anything better to do; there was absolutely NO alternative. Everyone went to the games, every game, every sport, every week, PERIOD.

In the anticipation of all the future events, however, athletes sometimes forgot to consult with their “intelliservant” to get all their passing school grades turned in. Even though everyone in Olympia knows otherwise, the rule “Grades Comes First” is hypothetically accepted. Actually, the unwritten rule that, once again, everyone knows is, “Grades come first. After all, if one can’t get the passing grades, one is not eligible to participate in athletics, and athletics are top priority.” Olympians don’t feel that the two rules are at all contradictory; they don’t even consider them to be two separate rules. It is yet another understood, unquestionable situation in Olympia’s society; everyone knows it. Some athletes need assistance and extra help to receive these passing grades; these athletes are each given an intelliservant. An intelliservant then “helps” the athlete just in case heshe didn’t finish the homework assignment, or study for a certain test. After all, with such a rigorous 4-hour practice last night; who had time for schoolwork?!? Putting all this overloaded stress on the athletes may affect their performance at the upcoming game, and we certainly wouldn’t want that now would we? So of course, an intelliservant needs to pull the athletes through by doing the athletes’ homework for them and making arrangements with the teachers who plan on giving a test that day. No doubt, everything works out perfectly for the athlete; teachers usually fawn all over them and serve them as faithfully as the intelliservants do, usually “cutting them some slack” because they do work so hard every day.
The competition felt at games doesn’t carry over at all with academics; no one cares about getting the very best they can in grades; they only want passing grades so they can continue to play sports. Even the most intelligent athletes of Olympia, who don’t need or depend on an intelliservant, don’t care the least about the working hard academically. The only people who actually do strive for above average grades are the intelliservants. Intelliservants are not actually citizens of Olympia’s world. They were born and raised in the world Athenica, exiled to Olympia because they lacked the leadership skills needed to survive in Athenica. Intelliservants are the lowest in the caste system of both worlds: Athenica and Olympia. No matter where they go; they’ll never be treated with respect, not that they feel they deserve this respect anyway. They are blindly content with their lives in Olympia; they live to serve their athlete masters, and never think to rebel against, or even hate Olympia’s culture. Then again, no one does; no one ever questions Olympia’s standards.
* * *
Kent Royers could hardly contain his mixed emotions of shock and excitement. His brother, Walter Royers, grinned back and repeated what he had just said,
“We’re finally going to Olympia!!!”
“But how? When?—I thought we’d have to wait until we officially turned 18!”
“Well, I guess Athenica’s officials have finally decided we’ll never really make it here.”
“Well, they always knew that; they just kept testing us to see if we were smart in different—more specific ways.”
“I don’t care if I’m smart in any way, and I know I’m not, you know, in Olympia no one cares if you’ve got brains, they only care about things that count—like sports.”
“And I bet the people there don’t have their noses in the air all the time; I bet they’re more mellow and down-to-earth, all about everyone winning and being happy.” Kent sighed wistfully. He was always applying his own morals and traits to everyone else, he didn’t realize that there were few people in both Athenica and Olympia that thought as he did. Kent has always dreamed of going to Olympia; he pictured it as a peaceful place where everyone loves everyone else and everyone was equal. He thought that since academics weren’t the top priority, then surely the happiness of the people must be. Such a wistful dreamer and a hopeless romantic, Kent Royer had no idea what he was getting himself into.
Walter Royer knew that this news would be the absolute highlight of his brother’s day. He knew that as soon as the words would escape his mouth; he would see his brother’s face change and enter into another one of his crazy daydreams. Walter then, would have to carry out all the arrangements and pack up by himself while his brother remained in his own little world, daydreaming and imagining what his new life in Olympia would be like. Walter was used to his brother’s eccentric ways, and always knew how to adjust to them. This time, however, Walter couldn’t help but be on a little high cloud of his own. Walter, too, had always fantasized about leaving Athenica. Instead of seeking for love and peace though, Walter saw himself as one of Olympia’s finest and most talented athletes-- a high school superstar-- like that one he was always hearing about, Neil Kazin.
Neil Kazin was said to be the youngest but most outstanding athlete of Olympia, the one boy everyone wanted to be. (Well, except Athenicans of course) Time after time, Walter would imagine himself as Neil, just walking into some random store and having everyone recognize him as Walter Royer, superstar athlete. He knew he would never get any type of fame like that in Athenica; academics were the only way one could be distinguished here, and Walter was certainly not academically inclined. Those who were intellectually challenged in Athenica were at the very bottom of the totem pole, the ones they marry must also be in the same caste, so they’d bear nothing but more intellectually challenged kids who would take up more space in Athenica. The solution to the Walter’s problem was to then find a new place where he would fit in-- some place where academics were not important-- but where Walter’s athletic ability was important. Olympia, Walter had decided was the answer. It was the place where he knew he would belong; the only uncertainty was whether his unathletic brother Kent would belong.
* * *
Sure enough, Walter stunned Olympia with his amazing coordination and agility. Neil Kazin and he soon became best friends and the top two best youngest athletes of Olympia’s High School system. It was no doubt that championships would be won as long as those two remained a part of athletics. Walter wasn’t the least bit surprised.
“I knew it’d only be a matter of time before I was right up there with Neil Kazin,.” he continually told his brother, Kent.
The only thing Walter didn’t expect was that he would be assigned an intelliservant.
“An intelliservant?!? That sounds like someone who’s smart, I thought I wouldn’t have to deal with all that smart bologna here in Olympia!!!”
Once the purpose of intelliservants was explained to Walter, and the unwritten second rule of grades was understood by him, Walter grinned and with a little giggle proclaimed, “I definitely think I can get used to this Olympia thing.”
Meanwhile, while his brother was getting caught up in all his fame and new lifestyle, Kent was trying hard to socialize and meet as many new people as he could, particularly, girls. Back in Athenica, all the girls that were interesting and fun to be around were usually the smart, witty girls who Kent had no chance with because he was in a different caste than them. Sure, there were some beautiful, appealing girls in his caste; but even though they were in the same caste and considered to be equal with him, they still thought they were way above and too good for Kent. Kent felt he was having much better luck with the girls here in Olympia, but mostly on account of their knowing his brother Walter, the native Athenican who turned out to be a major athletic superstar of Olympia. There was really only one place and event at which Kent could meet several eligible girls at once, and this was-- of course-- at the weekly games.
It was when Kent first entered the Olympian Youth Gymnasium that he realized he was definitely not in Athenica. Never before had he seen so much orange and white; his eyes actually hurt from looking up at all the brightness. Rows and rows of fanatic, screaming fans filled up the seats of the gymnasium, and the strange thing was: the game hadn’t even started yet-- the warm-ups hadn’t even started—and people were already cheering for their team. Kent had seen Walter’s white uniform, and knew that white was Youth Athletics School No. 437’s official team color, but the bright orange worn by the opposing team was just too much. Even the cheerleaders and pep band were dressed from head to toe in the awful color.
Kent wondered if he should continue with his friendly campaign and introduce himself to the cheerleaders, since they appeared to be the only people around here close to his age. All of his other peers were participating in the games; the crowd had no one younger then 23, and the pep band players were all very young elementary school kids.
Just as Kent was reaching a speaking distance to talk with the cheerleaders, the pep band started playing a new song in double fortissimo, the cheerleaders ran out onto the middle of the gym floor away from him, and two running lines of white and orange came running through opposite doorways. Kent spotted Walter, wearing that white uniform he had been proudly bragging about the past 3 days, and running right behind Neil Kazin. On the other side of the gym, Kent could distinguish nothing except bright orange blobs. One of Walter’s teammates, all dressed in white, had such bright red hair that it looked as if she dyed it, probably because it matched those on the opposing orange team from Youth Athletics High School No. 456 who did actually dye their hair for team spirit.
Another very important rule that is very easy for Olympians to follow, is the policy of supporting the team. The crowd, cheerleaders, pep band, teachers, intelliservants, and most significantly, the players must always, at all times, support the team. Pep assemblies, which occurred every week about an hour before the start of every game in Olympia, were the best time to get in there and really show that team spirit. School pep assemblies in Olympia usually got students out of 3 or 4 classes, so even the most unenthusiastic students appreciated these celebrations. Of course, no students were ever the least bit unenthusiastic to go and give their support to the team. That is simply unheard of or unthought of; everyone feels as the athletes do, that wonderful sense of pride and honor. Why, they may even feel more passion than the participating athletes! It’s so hard not to contain that exhilarating feeling of a game’s triumph when one’s at a pep assembly. Everyone gets into those sports clichés sputtered out by coaches and players, an almost nationalistic pride takes over all the hearts and souls of attending students. The intelliservants start quarrels over which one of their masters is truly a better athlete, until they finally agree that all their masters are really one big athlete, a nice team unit, all working together to be the best. A few intelliservants may wish fervently that they were as wonderful athletically gifted as their stunning masters, but instantly push this outrageous thought out of their system, and continue to support their honorable masters with no feeling of animosity or jealousy.
Even the “bench warmers”, who are could also be classified players, (even though they don’t actually play) always support the team. Just that one minute of playing time at the end of the 8 hours gives bench warmers a major adrenaline rush, they are thankful to at least get that. They’re happy to just be a part of the team, supporting the team. Why, it’s a privilege to be a part of such a wonderful sports program, what does playing time and glory in their own name mean? Nothing.
Kent realized that he had better find a place to sit, since he would be at this gym for 8 more hours. The only indoor sport that everyone wanted to go to was usually basketball, so on Fridays, just basketball occupied the eight hour time. On Saturdays, there was much more action going on and a better variety of sports to watch; soccer, tennis, baseball, kickball, football, and volleyball were all played outdoors, and usually took up about the whole day, instead of just 8 hours. Kent forgot all about the co-ed teams in Olympia, and realized that the games were probably not the best place to meet a variety of girls, since most of them were in the actual game. There were still those cheerleaders though, who had now just finished up with their starting lineup cheer and were sitting down directly in front of Kent, two seats in front of the pep band. Kent started to bring up a conversation, but the girls seemed so infatuated with the starting tip-off , that they didn’t even hear him. After some more worthless attempts, Kent resolved to just wait until there was a time-out to introduce himself. But even a time-out was not a good time, being that the girls were cheerleaders, they had to get up and lead a cheer during the time-out instead. As soon as they returned, however, the shortest one of them all, told Kent that they didn’t socialize and talk during games, especially to Athenicans who didn’t support the team anyway.
“What?!!?” Kent exclaimed, “My brother is on the team, I support it!”
The six cheerleaders all exchanged a look among each other. The same red-faced short girl spoke up again, “How?”
“I’m watching his game, aren’t I?”
All six cheerleaders laughed and rolled their eyes.
“That’s not supporting the team; everyone goes to the games.”
“So you’re saying that all these people in the crowd aren’t supporting the team?”
“They are supporting the team; they’re at least wearing the team’s colors. Besides, you’re different from them; you’re in high school, when you’re that young, you don’t just come to the games,” “You should be on the team, or since you’re from Athenica you might as well become an intelliservant.”
“You girls aren’t on the team or intelliservants, you don’t have any—
“We’re cheerleaders, we’re supporting the team in the best way.” The short girl now stood up straight and proud putting her nose right into Kent’s face when she said this.
“Well, I’m not smart enough to be an intelliservant, and I don’t have the same athletic genes as my brother does,” Kent replied while shrugging his shoulders, “So I’m just going to ‘support the team’ by just coming to the games—hey--at least I do that. I’m better than the people who don’t even come to the games, aren’t I?”
“There isn’t anybody who doesn’t come to the games. Everyone comes to the game. Well, maybe people who are on their dying bed don’t, but even then, usually they’re taken on wheelchairs and their oxygen, or whatever to the games.”
“What about the doctors? And people with jobs? Don’t they have to stay at work in case of an emergency of something?”
“Doctors are the highest form of a certain type of an intelliservant; they always go to the games, since everyone is at the games anyway, and if a player or spectator gets injured, doctors are here to help out and can—
She was interrupted by the end of half-time and the return of the running orange and white players to the gym. All six cheerleaders hurried back out to the middle of the gym to cheer on the triumphant white players from Youth Athletics High School No. 437. Kent clapped unsynchronized with the rhythm of the pep band and cheerleaders’s shouts, thinking about how warped this society was with their “supporting the team” policy. Maybe it’s just the cheerleaders who think that way he thought; they’re so caught up with their job of supporting the team that they think everyone believes as they do. Kent decided that he would not do any further socializing with cheerleaders at this point. He’d have to find a girl who wasn’t so wrapped up with these games, a girl like him. Not that Kent didn’t like watching the games; he was actually very entertained by them. It’s just he didn’t quite have the same spirit that the rest of the crowd, the pep band, and the cheerleaders did. Maybe it was just because he was a newcomer and hadn’t gotten caught up on the excitement because he was still adjusting to all these changes. Once he adapted, he’d fit right in with everyone else; it didn’t matter what those cheerleaders thought of his not participating in athletics or doing what they believed to be “supporting the team.”
* * *
After his winning game, Walter was starving; he needed to get some food in for some energy, or he would probably collapse. Kent was so just relieved that the game was finally over; he’d never endured something that long and noisy in his whole life. Just getting out of that dense crowded gym and getting out in the fresh air, rejuvenated him. He was sweating like a hog, and he hadn’t even been the one playing the games for eight hours; Kent couldn’t believe that Walter actually made it through without dying. The brothers drove over to a nearby sports cafe, where many of Walter’s other teammates were waving Walter over. Neil Kazin was one of them, along with the starting muscular red-head Kent had noticed during warm-ups. While Neil and Walter avidly discussed the game with each other, the charming red-head introduced herself and started talking to Kent.
“So,” she said with a small but very alluring smile, “Your brother tells me you’re interested in finding a girlfriend here in Olympia.” She paused again, her eyes twinkling with flirtatious delight,“Do I fit the job description?”
Kent took a deep breath to calm himself down so he’d be able to speak smoothly to this girl. “You fit way more than the job description,” he replied, hoping that was a smooth comeback.
“Well, my name is Fiona Walls.” Fiona suddenly proclaimed, not really knowing what to say to that strange statement Kent just made. She didn’t want to act like she didn’t get it. After all, it was probably just some intelligent joke that only people from Athenica used as a line.
“Oh, that’s--that’s a gorgeous name—my name is Goyer—Kent Goyer.” Kent continued on with what he believed to be a super suave approach.
“Obviously I know that; your brother told me all about you.”
“Oh, well then, what didn’t he tell you that you’d um—like to know?”
“You know, this is strange, but he forgot to tell me what sports you were in, I mean I know you’re not in basketball, but Walter forgot to mention what outdoor sports you were taking. Can you believe he’d forget something important like that?” Fiona had a look of complete bewilderment on her lovely face. “Eh, I guess it must have just slipped his mind, so, do tell me what outdoor sports you’re in—probably all of them right?”
“Well, actually, I’m uh—I’m not in any sports.” Kent gave her a small, hesitant smile, hoping she’d understand.
“WHAT? You’re joking, right?” Fiona’s look of bewilderment had gone up about 10 notches. “Right!!??!! You must be joking—stop looking at my like that—like you’re actually serious, stop it, stop it!!!”
“But I am serious,” Kent continued in a smooth, pacifying tone. “I am not in any sports. I’m not at all like my brother, and unlike him, I didn’t come here to play sports; I came here because I wanted to find someone like you.” Kent thought for sure Fiona would understand after he said this; after all she had to want someone to love her like that, right?
“Well you sure aren’t going to be with someone like me! I am in all sports, I live for sports, and I’m looking for someone like me who lives and loves sports,” Fiona disgustedly continued. “I don’t see how you think you’d have any more chance with me or anyone else here in Olympia than those annoying Athenican girls; why would you come to Olympia if you’re not going to play sports?!?” After murmuring a few more angry comments to herself, Fiona got up huffily and stomped breezily out of the sports café, leaving poor Kent to himself. Walter and Neil had stopped talking and were both starring at Kent. Neil got up and followed Fiona out the door, obviously disgusted with Kent’s whole situation. Walter shook his head solemnly at his brother.
“ I’m sorry Kent, I should have told you, you’re not gonna be able to get a girl here unless you’re in sports, I was meaning to encourage to you to go out for soccer or hockey, since I thought you would maybe make a good goalie, but I forgot to talk to you about my setting you up with Fiona.” Walter sighed and continued.
“Then again, Fiona is really more my type anyway.”
Kent nodded abstractedly.
“You know, Olympia isn’t really the better place for you is it? Maybe you do belong in Athenica after all; maybe you’re actually smart, and you just didn’t take the right talent test or something; you could end up being an intelliservant, maybe even my intelliservant or something. That might be a good--
Kent didn’t want to listen to his brother’s pity and pathetic reassurance tactics. He knew as well as his brother knew that he had no place on both Olympia’s or Athenica’s team.
As long as he lacked intelligence and athletic ability, he would never be able to fit in to either society. He was an outsider no matter where he went, because he just didn’t understand either Athenica’s and Olympia’s values. The citizens of Olympia and Athenica do understand their world’s values, which is why they remain happy and content. All Kent wanted was to live somewhere that didn’t center around one specific talent; he wanted to live somewhere where the happiness of the people came first and love conquerors all. But in these worlds, happiness is obtained through academics and sports, and love is found based on the caste system. Kent was now faced with the fact that everything he had believed was just another one of his ridiculous daydreams. He had no other option except to accept his fate and remain as an outsider in one of the two dystopian societies. At least now--after getting this reality check--Kent knew now not to question either world’s values anymore; after all, no one ever questions Olympia’s and Athenica’s priorities. Everyone supports the team; Kent Goyer’s problem was simply that he was just not a “team player”; he just didn’t have the right attitude or talent to have a place on the either one of the teams in Athenica and Olympia.