Error loading page.
Try refreshing the page. If that doesn't work, there may be a network issue, and you can use our self test page to see what's preventing the page from loading.
Learn more about possible network issues or contact support for more help.

Offsides

ebook
1 of 1 copy available
1 of 1 copy available

To Coach Dempsey, the Warriors teams and their Indian mascot symbolize the honor and glory of the Southwind High School athletic tradition. But soccer star Tom Gray sees little more than a denigrating cultural stereotype in the team's mascot and the stern, war-painted Indian-head profile. As a Mohawk, Tom knows only too well the hardships Native Americans face in their struggle for respect. So when his father's tragic death forces him and his mother to move to Southwind, Tom must make the decision of a lifetime: betray his family and heritage, or boycott Dempsey's team and abandon the sport he loves.

Exciting play-by-plays pepper this tale, vividly capturing soccer strategy and action in a novel exploring the nature of honor and the courage required to stand up for your beliefs.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

  • Formats

  • Languages

  • Levels

  • Reviews

    • School Library Journal

      January 1, 2005
      Gr 8 Up -Tom Gray, Mohawk 11th grader and soccer player, was the star of his high school team in Tin River, NY. Now, however, having moved away after his father's death, he is not even on the soccer team at Southwind High School, despite his clearly superlative skills and Coach Dempsey's high-pressure invitation. Tom chooses not to play for the Warriors because they, and especially the coach, insist on keeping their stereotypical Indian mascot. Instead, he heads up a team of homeschooled, self-proclaimed geeks, coached by a Russian immigrant shopkeeper, that seems to be his salvation until Dempsey draws him into a no-win bet. Add some believable romantic tension between the teen and the shopkeeper's granddaughter and a little mystery about her secretive brother for an enjoyable sports story with characters and plot that extend well off the field. Some might argue that the ending is a bit too predictable, but sometimes fiction should give readers a happy ending. The author includes enough detail in the soccer sequences to keep sports fans hooked, but not so much that others will get tired of them. This is a much-needed contemporary Native American story that scores nearest to Joseph Bruchac's "TheWarriors" (Darby Creek, 2004) for slightly older readers." -Sean George, Memphis-Shelby County Public Library & Information Center, Memphis, TN"

      Copyright 2005 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • The Horn Book

      January 1, 2005
      Mohawk Indian and top-notch soccer player Tom wants to get rid of the school's Indian mascot, so he strikes a deal with the high school coach. If Tom and his misfit friends beat the Warriors in a pre-season scrimmage, the mascot will be changed; if they lose, he'll join the school team. Details about Tom's first crush and his father's death balance the on-field action sequences.

      (Copyright 2005 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

  • Kindle Book
  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:5.6
  • Lexile® Measure:900
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:4-5

Loading