The euphoria from the victory against Masato's team lasted all the way through their celebratory ramen at Nakamura's. Hiroshi's teammates joked and laughed, recounting key plays from the game. Even Daichi, who was usually quiet, was beaming with pride.
But as Hiroshi lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, a nagging thought crept into his mind. They'd won, but just barely. Their small roster meant every player had to take on multiple roles, leaving no room for substitutes or injuries. Against better, more organized teams, their lack of depth could be their downfall.
The next morning, Hiroshi called for a team meeting at the park.
"You want us to do what?" Kenji asked, raising an eyebrow as he tossed the football in the air.
"We need more players," Hiroshi said simply. "If we're serious about building a real team, we need to expand the roster. Right now, we're barely scraping by with six players."
Kenta folded his arms. "More players mean more competition for spots. What if they don't fit in with us?"
Hiroshi nodded, acknowledging the concern. "That's why we'll pick carefully. We need people who share our passion and are willing to work as hard as we do. No slackers."
Daichi hesitated. "What if they're better than us?"
"Then we'll get better, too," Hiroshi replied firmly. "This isn't about ego—it's about the team. We can't keep running ourselves into the ground. We need backups and specialists. If someone gets hurt or can't play, we need others who can step up."
Riku grinned. "I'm in. Let's find some new talent. Besides, it'll be fun seeing if anyone can keep up with me."
The team spent the next week scouring the school and neighborhood for potential recruits. They approached classmates, kids from other sports teams, and even some of their rivals in casual park games. But recruiting turned out to be harder than they expected.
Some kids dismissed football as a "foreign" sport, unfamiliar and unappealing. Others laughed at the idea of practicing hard for something that wasn't as popular as soccer or baseball.
Kenji muttered under his breath after yet another rejection. "This is hopeless. Nobody cares about football around here."
But Hiroshi refused to give up.
One afternoon, as Hiroshi and Kenta were heading home from school, they passed the basketball court where a tall, lanky boy was shooting hoops by himself. His shots were precise, and his movements were smooth, but what caught Hiroshi's attention was his footwork.
The boy pivoted and spun with a natural agility that reminded Hiroshi of a wide receiver.
"Who's that?" Hiroshi asked.
Kenta shrugged. "That's Ryota. He's a basketball guy. Never seen him play anything else."
Hiroshi walked over, ball in hand. "Hey, Ryota!"
Ryota looked up, surprised. "Uh, hey. What's up?"
"You ever thought about playing football?" Hiroshi asked.
Ryota blinked. "Football? Like… soccer?"
"No," Hiroshi said with a grin. "American football. The one with the oval ball." He held up the football. "You've got great footwork. We could use someone like you."
Ryota scratched his head. "I don't know, man. I don't know anything about football."
"You didn't know anything about basketball before you started, right?" Hiroshi countered. "You'll learn. Just give it a try."
Ryota hesitated, then nodded. "Alright, I'll think about it."
Later that week, the team held their first tryout session at the park. To their surprise, a small group of boys showed up, curious about the sport.
Among them was Ryota, along with a stocky kid named Takeshi, who was known for his strength, and a younger boy named Kazuki, who was small but quick on his feet.
Hiroshi and the team put the recruits through basic drills: running routes, blocking, and tackling. Some struggled, but a few stood out.
Ryota was a natural receiver, catching nearly every pass Hiroshi threw his way. Takeshi's power made him a perfect fit for the offensive line, and Kazuki's speed and agility made him an intriguing prospect for special teams.
After the tryouts, Hiroshi gathered the team.
"Well?" he asked. "What do you think?"
Kenji grinned. "Ryota's a beast. Definitely keep him."
Kenta nodded. "Takeshi's a wall. We need him on the line."
"And Kazuki?" Hiroshi asked.
Riku shrugged. "He's fast, but he's small. Might get crushed out there."
Hiroshi thought for a moment. "We'll train him up. Speed like his is rare. He could be a game-changer on kick returns."
By the end of the week, the team had grown from six players to nine. It wasn't a full roster yet, but it was a start.
As they gathered for their first practice with the new recruits, Hiroshi felt a surge of excitement. The team was coming together, piece by piece.
He looked at his teammates—new and old—and smiled. "We've got a lot of work to do, but this is how it starts. Let's build something great."
For the first time, Hiroshi felt like they were truly a team—not just a group of kids playing football, but a team with potential, ambition, and a shared dream.