The whistle blew again, marking the start of Orochi's first training session with his team. All the players were excited, but focused, ready to follow Coach Parker's instructions. He stepped forward and raised his hand to get attention.
"First, light warm-up," he announced. "You'll do two laps of the field in light jogging, followed by some stretching to avoid injuries. Then, we'll start the exercises."
From what I can see, none of the players present during the match against Esperion are here with us. Even Demian isn't here, which I find quite odd, but hey, it's not really my problem.
Orochi, already mentally ready, began jogging with a fluid pace, his body relaxed but energetic. As he advanced, he quickly glanced at his teammates, observing those who were struggling a little to keep up. He saw a young boy, Leo, breathing heavily. Orochi slowed down slightly to run alongside him.
"Come on, take your time," Orochi advised with an encouraging smile. "This is just the warm-up, no need to tire yourself out right now."
Leo nodded, clearly grateful, and regulated his breathing. Once the laps were over, the entire group gathered to do some stretching under the coach's guidance.
**
Once warmed up, Parker gathered the team in the center of the field. "First drill: quick passes. You'll pair up and pass the ball, trying to increase your speed each time. Work on your accuracy, but keep an eye on the quality of the pass. Speed without control is useless."
Orochi positioned himself with his partner, a boy named Mateo, who seemed a little nervous. As soon as the drill began, Orochi displayed impressive accuracy. His passes were crisp, well-placed, and gradually increased in speed, without losing control. Mateo, while a little hesitant at first, quickly improved as he kept pace with Orochi.
"Focus on your footing," Orochi whispered to Mateo between passes. "Plant your foot firmly next to the ball, and watch where you want to send it before you hit it."
With Orochi's guidance, Mateo found more confidence and his passes became more precise.
After a few minutes, Coach Parker blew the whistle to end the drill. "Good job, everyone," he said. "Keep in mind that accuracy is just as important as speed. A poorly passed ball can waste a crucial play."
****
"For the second drill, we're going to work on ball control under pressure," Coach Parker announced. "You'll be split into groups of three. Two of you will try to press and take the ball, while the third will have to keep it and try to dribble or protect the ball."
Orochi found himself with two other players, Leo and a bigger boy named Diego. Diego was a bit bigger and more physical, while Leo was quick but lacking in confidence. The drill began, and Orochi found himself under constant pressure from the two, who were trying to steal the ball from him. But thanks to his incredible control, Orochi kept the ball close to his feet, changing directions at lightning speed.
Seeing Leo a little hesitant, Orochi slowed down and motioned for him to come closer. "Don't be afraid to go get the ball. You have to force me to make a mistake."
Leo, encouraged, tried to take the ball from him with more conviction, but Orochi easily dodged it by performing a body feint.
Parker whistled again to close the exercise. "Well done, Orochi! You use your body and control intelligently. For the others, put more pressure. This is not only a dribbling exercise, but also an aggressive recovery exercise."
**
"Now, time for the finishing," Parker said. "I will set up cones to guide you to the goal, and you will have to finish in front of the goalkeeper. Each player will have three attempts. Pay attention to your positioning and your precision."
When it was Orochi's turn, he launched himself with confidence. He dribbled the cones fluidly, controlling each touch with surgical precision. Arriving in front of the goalkeeper, Orochi quickly looked up, analyzed his position, and struck with his right foot. The ball went into the opposite corner.
"Good job!" Parker shouted. "But try to use your left foot for the next one."
Orochi nodded and, on his second attempt, focused on shooting with his left. This time, he fooled the keeper with a well-placed shot.
"Keep it up, Orochi," Parker said, pleased.
"Finally, we're going to play a small-space game," Coach Parker announced. "Two teams, three on three, on a quarter court. Play fast, move without the ball, and try to score."
Orochi found himself on a team with Mateo and Leo, against Diego and two other players. From the start, Orochi showed his game intelligence. He was constantly moving to get out in front, demanding the ball, and distributing quick passes to his teammates.
"Mateo, watch your right!" he shouted after seeing a gap open up. Mateo passed the ball and Orochi, running, recovered the ball and scored with a quick strike.
After a few intense minutes, the drill ended. Parker whistled one last time, marking the end of the training.
"Great session, everyone! You worked well today. Keep improving and listening to your teammates. Orochi, keep up the good work, you're showing great leadership qualities."
Orochi, satisfied with his performance, turned to his teammates, exchanging tired but happy smiles. He hadn't pushed himself too hard and hadn't used any of his special abilities.
As the training session drew to a close, Coach Parker gathered the players around him one last time in the center of the field. His gaze passed over each face before speaking.
"Good job today, guys," he began. "I'm proud of you. You showed commitment, but this is just the beginning. Next week, we start the season, and our first game will be against the CD Villaneuva team. They're a strong team, but if you keep working like you did today, I'm sure we can do great things this season. Our goal? To be first at the end of the season. To win the league. So, prepare yourselves mentally, and be ready to give it your all."
The young players, including Orochi, nodded, determined and excited for their first match. The coach congratulated them one last time before releasing them.
"See you next week! Don't forget to rest and train hard on your end," he added.
Orochi exchanged goodbyes with his teammates, taking a moment to congratulate Leo and Mateo on their efforts.
"Good job today, Leo. You're improving quickly, keep it up," he said with a smile before turning on his heel to find his father, who was waiting for him near the stands.
On the way back, Takechi looked at his son with pride. "So, how are you feeling after this first session?"
Orochi, a little tired but satisfied, replied, "It was great, Dad. Coach is strict but fair. We did some interesting exercises, and I feel good about being part of the team. I think I can really improve here."
Arriving home, Orochi was greeted by his mother, Maria, and his brother Alejandro, who were curious to know more.
"So, how did it go?" Maria asked impatiently.
"It went really well," Orochi replied, a smile on his face. "The coach is nice, but he wants us to work hard. We did passing drills, control drills, and even a little match at the end. It was intense, but I loved it."
Alejandro, full of admiration for his little brother, added, "I'm sure you'll rock the first match."
Orochi nodded, his eyes shining with excitement. "That's the goal. We're going to play CD Villaneuva. It won't be easy, but I'm ready."
The evening continued in a warm atmosphere, with Orochi recounting every detail of his first experience on the FC Barcelona, determined to continue improving day after day.