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    Catching Jordan
    Catching Jordan
    Catching Jordan
    Ebook367 pages5 hours

    Catching Jordan

    By Miranda Kenneally

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Miranda Kenneally's first book in the beloved sports romance Hundred Oaks series! Love is the toughest game to play…

    Athletic superstar Jordan Woods is the captain and quarterback of her high school football team. Her teammates, including her best friend Sam, all see her as their leader and one of the guys, and that's just fine. As long as she gets her athletic scholarship to a powerhouse university.

    But everything she's ever worked for is threatened when Ty Green moves to her school. Not only is he an amazing QB, but he's also amazingly cute. Meanwhile, Sam is her rock — he supports Jordan's dreams even when her traditional dad doesn't — but suddenly things feel different between them. For the first time, Jordan's feeling vulnerable. Can she keep her head in the game while her heart's on the line?

    Catching Jordan is the high school football romance to sweep your heart away!

    Other teen romance books by Miranda Kenneally:

    • Stealing Parker
    • Things I Can't Forget
    • Racing Savannah
    • Breathe, Annie, Breathe
    • Jesse's Girl
    • Defending Taylor
    • Coming Up for Air
    • Four Days of You and Me
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherSourcebooks
    Release dateDec 1, 2011
    ISBN9781402262289
    Catching Jordan
    Author

    Miranda Kenneally

    Growing up in Tennessee, Miranda Kenneally dreamed of becoming an Atlanta Brave, a country singer (cliché!), or a UN interpreter. Instead, she writes and works for the State Department in Washington, D.C., where George W. Bush once used her shoulder as an armrest. Miranda loves Twitter, Star Trek, and her husband. Visit www.mirandakenneally.com.

    Read more from Miranda Kenneally

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    Reviews for Catching Jordan

    4/5

    380 ratings63 reviews

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    • 4/5
      Jordan has a dream of playing college football at Alabama. She cannot be distracted from her goal but when Tyler moves from Texas and is also a quarterback and cute, she gets distracted. Things are not smooth for her or Tyler. She loses her best friend Sam and then realizes how important he is to her. Her dad does not support her dreams. There were times when I wanted to shake him and yell, "Why can't you love her as she is?" When it looks like her dream may come true, she has to take a good look at what is being offered. Is it what she wants? I like Jordan and her team. Jordan is a go-getter. She knows what she wants. She gets off track some and has to go through the pain of what she lost but she learns that sometimes dreams have to change. The story was realistic. It sets up the series very well. We meet many of the characters who will be in this series. A good read.
    • 3/5
      Too many cliches and stock characters for me to really connect.

      And Jordan's denseness when it came to the actions/motivations by some of the people closest to her made me want to bang my head against the table and yell, "WAKE UP!"

      I did skim to see how things were resolved so I cared enough about the chracters to at least do that.

    • 3/5
      There were a lot of things I really liked about this book, but there were many more that frustrated me. When it came down to it, the swoons I got from Sam/Henry didn't outweigh the irritating instances that were sprinkled throughout the book.

    • 3/5
      A little crude in places. Not horrible, but a little predictable. And it could have been fleshed out a little more for me. Seemed like it was rushed in parts.
    • 3/5
      Catching Jordan was a somewhat enjoyable read about a HS girl on the football team. In some ways it was a bit unbelievable that Jordan could be such a standout quarterback with plans on playing football at college. I liked her interaction with all of the football players and how they treated her as one of guys but also were very protective of her. I had some issues with the fact that as HS students her friend Henry spent the night in her room and in her bed frequently throughout the book. Also the fact that so many of the characters mention their casual sexual conquests throughout the book was a bit frustrating, especially if the book is marketed to a YA audience. I would hate for my teenage kids to read this book and think this type of behavior is acceptable.
    • 4/5
      I wanted to read catching Jordan because I really enjoy racing Savannah one of the later ones in the series so I figured I would try and see if I like more of the authors writing style. Jordan's a great character and I liked her right away. she's the female quarterback and coach of her high school football team and she wants to go even further to the college or pro level but her dad is not supportive of her playing even though he was a football player himself. Jordan is a pretty complex character she has a best friend named Henry and I'm beginning to suspect that he has feelings for her but she just sees it is totally platonic because they've been friends for so long. Jordan and Henry I guess that are best friends but it just feels like it goes even further than that because Henry spends the night in Jordan bed a lot and even though nothing happens there it can just give kind of the wrong ideas. Their relationship is kind of a mystery to the guy that Jordan has a crush on by the new guy in town who is also a quarterback and he has also very good. Jordan wants keep Her distance though. she's always kind of shied away from any kind of relationship besides friendship with the team because she doesn't want them to view her as we are too girly or anything else could because she wants to keep their respect because she is there a captain. She faces some pretty hard issues in this one. her Dad not wanting her to play and him never really showing up to any of her games or even talking football with her and that really hurts her pretty deeply. she also gets an offer from a college saying that she'll probably get a full ride but they want me to do this photo shoot and it has her very girly like in a jersey and shorts shorts and she's uncomfortable with it but she also pretty much will do anything to get into that schools and to be able to play ball on that sort of level. Jordan always wears workout clothes and she's very much a tomboy and she's okay with that for the most part. The whole crush thing is pretty new to her too she liked her but she keeps holding back in even though its obvious to other people and even her that they have the chemistry she just doesn't want to give up that part of herself and it's all very new to her she never even really been kissed and all the sudden she's having thoughts about how hot this guy is and it's different because she's been surrounded by boys a lot with the teamBottom Line: Enjoyed Jordan, the friendships and eventual romance.
    • 4/5
      One word = Epic.
    • 4/5
      It was good. I read it in a day. It was a really good summer read.
    • 3/5
      A friend of a friend knows the author and asked that I read since she knows I am an avid reading and a football fan. Let's see how it goes.
    • 3/5
      Picked it up because it's been compared to Dairy Queen, one of my all time favorites. DQ this is not but it was fun read. Maybe a bit too cliched heavy with the love triangle and angst loaded. I also didn't quite buy some of the parent/child relationships. They were there but not clearly formed. But it did feature a female protagonist that kicks ass on the football field so it gets big time points for that alone.
    • 1/5
      There honestly wasn't a single thing I liked about this book. I didn't find Jordan, Henry or Ty likable or interesting. The storyline didn't seem realistic and the ending was unsatisfying. Just not my cuppa.
    • 4/5
      Definitely a cute, light book that I enjoyed, even though I know nothing about football (not a huge sport in Germany).

      Jordan reminded me a lot about myself as a teenager, right down to the part of being a girl playing a so called sport for guys (although thankfully that has changed a lot since I first played) minus the famous Dad. That made it very easy fo me to follow her thoughts and understand her character.

      And while I couldn't find any connection to Ty (much like Jordan), I adored Henry all the more for it, even though he behaved like an idiot for a while there (or maybe just like a typical teenage guy ;)).

      For the bigger part of the book I though Jordan's dad to be an asshole but towards the end when I got to read more about his motivation and especially as he started to change to make Jordan happy, I really started to like him. Her mom on the other hand was awesome from the beginning.

      It was a typical YA book and hadn't I read Jillian Dodd's "That Boy" this probably would've gotten 5 stars. But since I read "That Boy", Catching Jordan was still amazing but didn't get quite on the same place in my heart and thus I'll have to go with 4 enjoyable stars.
    • 4/5
      Jordan Woods isn’t your typical high school senior girl. She’s not into fashion, cheerleading or gossiping about boys. In fact, she’d rather hang with the boys — and she does. All of Jordan’s friends are guys, but what would you expect when you’re the captain of the football team? All Jordan cares about is winning the season and securing a spot on the Alabama college football team when she graduates. But that’s before Ty Green moves to town. Ty was the star quarterback at his previous high school and he’s good — real good. Not only is Ty a threat on the field, but Jordan finds herself majorly attracted to him. Will he steal her heart AND her spot on the team?Most of the book is set in Tennessee at Hundred Oaks high school. Everything about the school was comfortably familiar, and Ms. Kenneally does a wonderful job of capturing the high school spirit. Not only that, but she does an excellent job of capturing the essence and intensity of high school sports. Even if you’re not a huge sports fan, you’ll feel right at home. She makes everything relatable.I loved Jordan. She was a tomboy to a T, a bit awkward (she’s just over 6 foot tall) and not a girly girl at all. But that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have the same wants and needs as other girls her age. She likes boys, but has no girlfriends to talk about them with. She’s driven and funny and full of spunk. I especially liked her friendship with the rest of her team, and her desire to be accepted by her pro-football player father was heartbreaking.While I never fully connected with Ty, or really got what Jordan saw in him (I felt he was kind of an ass), I really enjoyed her relationship with her best friend, Sam. Sam was hilarious and I was just as invested in his story as I was Jordan’s.Ms. Kenneally makes writing look so easy. The voice, the setting, the characters all came together perfectly. The pace was fine for the book, and while I did feel it lagged a bit in spots, it didn’t ruin my enjoyment of the book.If you’re looking for a good contemporary that is outside of the typical mold, I would highly recommend this one. The characters are strong, the writing fluid and the story engaging. Ms. Kenneally definitely has a new fan here!
    • 2/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie TalesQuick & Dirty: Cute contemporary, but I had a really hard time liking any of the characters in the book.Opening Sentence: I once read that football was invented so people wouldn’t notice summer ending.The Review: This was a cute contemporary read but I wouldn’t say that I loved it, I just liked it. Jordan is a senior in high school, and she has worked her whole life to prove that she is just as good as any boy at playing quarterback for the football team. This year she is the starting quarterback for her high school team and her dream is to play for Alabama. Her brother is the quarterback for Tennessee and plans to go pro and her father is a famous NFL quarterback so it is in Jordan’s blood to be good. Unfortunately, she was born a girl and people have a hard time looking past that. She has earned the respect from her coach and teammates but can she find respect on a college level. Jordan grew up as just one of the guys and she doesn’t really have any friends that are girls and she has never even kissed a guy before. She is beautiful and talented, but she felt that she would lose respect if she dated any of her teammates. She was never really interested in dating any of them until Ty Green moves to her school. It’s the beginning of senior year and the gorgeous Ty Green moves in and joins the team as a backup quarterback. He came from a town in Texas and he is pretty talented, and Jordan is worried she might lose her spot on the team and possibly her heart to this hot guy!So Jordan is our main character in this book and I have got to be honest she drove me nuts. I felt that she was pretty immature at times and she really rushed into things without thinking about them first. I had a really hard time connecting to her and this was probably my biggest issue with this book. She does have some great qualities as well but I felt her bad ones outshone just a little too much. She is totally committed to football, but she is always so worried that people won’t accept her she doesn’t see how great the rest of her life is. By the end of the book she does redeem herself on that account but I felt it just took a little long.The love interests in this book are both super cute and the romance is pretty good, but there is defiantly some insta-love. I felt that the relationships in this book could have been a lot more developed. Sure Ty is great looking but really — Jordan just jumps in head first into a relationship when she doesn’t really even know the guy. Then there is her best friend Henry, who has basically been in love with her forever but she was totally clueless about it. I actually really like Henry. He is sweet, cute and someone that I would have dated in high school.Overall, I would say that this book was just ok for me. The story was fun to read and it flowed really well, but not being able to connect with Jordan just made it hard to love. I am going to be honest, I have read many reviews for this book and I am in the minority in not loving this book. Almost every review I read said that they loved it so if the story sounds intriguing to you I would still defiantly say to give it a try because you may love this book like so many other people did. I did enjoy Kenneally’s writing so I may try some of her other books in the future.Notable Scene:a debateTy:Damn, he’s fine.Damn, he’s a good quarterback.Damn, he’s nice and sweet.Damn, he’s a good kisser.Damn, he’s buff.Damn, he’s great to his family.Damn, now that I know about Henry.I’m not sure Ty and I are right for each other.Henry:I love the way his curls flop around and hang across his forehead.I love how he never just lets me win. I have to earn it.I love how he touches me just because.I love his loyalty.I love how when we sleep head-to0toe, he always finds a reason to sleep head-to-head instead.I love his unconditional support.I love his spontaneity and crazy sense of humor.I love his stupid dances.I love…him.FTC Advisory: Sourcebooks Fire provided me with a copy of Catching Jordan. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      So. This book made me want to play football. I'm freaking telling you. Miranda made me adore Jordan so much that I started wishing I was her. Why aren't I the girl who plays football? Why aren't I the awesome, but somewhat awkward sporty girl? Why don't I have a gang of cool, weird, and fiercely loyal guy friends? TELL ME WHY!!!! WHY WAS THAT LIFE NEVER GIVEN TO ME??Somewhere in the middle of Catching Jordan, I thought I wasn't going to connect with this book. Suddenly the romance JUMPED forward. It was kind of hot, but I wasn't sure how I was feeling about it. Suddenly I had all kinds of doubts and reservations; I thought maybe wouldn't end up connecting with it and then the romance would go downhill.. but the it did a complete 180 and blew my mind!!!What I loved most about Catching Jordan is that I couldn't quite tell where it was going. Maybe in hindsight the plot is kind of predictable, but in the moment my mind was so blown that I wasn't sure how things were going to turn out! When I started the book, I had everything planned out in my head. I knew who the love interest was going to be and then I had an idea of how the relationship would develop. That didn't happen AT ALL! LOL! But that's what I loved about this book. I loved being caught off guard!Another great thing about Catching Jordan is that it wasn't a contemporary romance with a sports twist. I saw it as the other way around: a book mostly about a girl trying to follow her sports dream, with a bit of a romance on the side. The romance did play a big role in the book, but ultimately I always felt like football was Jordan's priority. She struggles because football is her passion and her dream, but she lives in a world where people don't take her seriously because she's a girl. She's the best player on her team, but everyone EXCEPT her seems to be getting flooded with offers from universities... because she's a girl.And then there's the romance! I don't really want to talk about the romance much, because the direction it went in hit me totally off guard, and I think the book is more fun if you don't see it coming and I don't want to ruin it! But I guess I can talk about some of the challenges..Jordan has never had a boyfriend. She's always been one of the guys, and although a few people have shown an interest in her, she was never interested in them. But then the new guy —Ty—comes along and he's FREAKING SEXY! And he's pretty sweet too! But then Jordan struggles to deal with her attraction, because she doesn't want to ruin football by dating a guy on the team. What if they broke up? What if it caused a lot of drama? And then there's the fact that all of her friends are guys. Ty struggles to accept that Jordan's best friend in the world is a guy. They regularly hang out, and he even sleeps over sometimes—something they've been doing since they were like eight.I read a few reviews where people thought that Catching Jordan was over dramatic. I actually thought the opposite. This book felt so real to me. Jordan's voice was really fresh and genuine. Her concerns about dating and life in general were very realistic and I think the way she dealt with them was exactly how a real person would. The main problems in the book definitely exist in the world: women struggling to prove themselves in a male-dominated society, dealing with your first kiss and your first boyfriend, trying to impress your parents, juggling your best friend with your boyfriend (and if you have to pick one, who do you pick?), and more!Also (and I can't believe I didn't mention this sooner), this book is HILARIOUS! Jordan is so sarcastic and has a brilliant voice and personality! She puts a hilarious spin on simple observations without even trying."Didn't you know that Tennessee is, like, the pajama capital of the world?" Ty grins slightly."No—I don't wear pajamas," I say without thinking.Ty coughs. "What?""Uh, I meant I wear, like, workout clothes to bed—you know, T-shirts and mesh shorts and shit.""Right..." Ty says, smirking.—Catching Jordan, Page 93 The end itself was also kind of bitter sweet. I loved the messages in the book. Sometimes you can't get all the things you want in life, or sometimes life doesn't work out the way you expect, or sometimes what wasn't your first choice ends up being the better choice.This book was everything I hoped it would be, and it deserves every single rave review it gets! Catching Jordan is fun, it's different, it's romantic, and it's absolute joy to read!
    • 4/5
      Jordan Woods is in her senior year at Hundred Oaks High in Franklin, Tennessee. She is unusual not only in that she tops six feet in height, but she is also the captain and quarterback of the champion high school football team. All her good friends, including her best friend, Sam Henry, are her male teammates. Her whole life revolves around football. Her father, Donovan Woods, is the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. Her brother Mike plays for the University of Tennessee. Jordan aspires more than anything to play football for Alabama, and Alabama actually seems interested in recruiting her.Then a new “hot” transfer student shows up, Tyler “Ty” Green. He is a quarterback himself from the previous year’s Texas state championship team. Suddenly Jordan starts to fumble, as everything in her world turns upside down.Discussion: The characters are very likable in this book, and I loved the portrayal of the relationships among Jordan and her male teammates. I also loved how the boys were protective of Jordan not as a female so much as a female trying to succeed in a male role. There were some laugh-out-loud moments in the book whenever it focused on what these kids were learning (or not learning, as the case may be) in school. For example, there is a very funny ongoing scenario with Jordan and Sam having to care for a fake baby for home ec class. And when Jordan and her teammate J.J. do crosswords together, they are always stumped: they can’t figure out “a four-letter word for a past Russian leader”, and as the answer to “a four-letter word for a soothing plant” they guess “weed.”Evaluation: This cute book is very predictable in some ways, and I would have called it “tween” instead of “YA” except for the fact that sex does occur. However, it is so UN-described that it is about as innocuous as it could be and still be “sex.” This would make a great mother-daughter combo read –plenty of issues arise that are good for discussion about gender roles, treatment of girls, parental expectations, and of course, sex.
    • 5/5
      A girl the captain of the football team and also the quarterback. What was I getting myself into. Well this book is about to get a word most books would never get. Adorable! Yes I know what word I used. This book was one that I immediatley fell in love with from the first chapter. Jordan was a girl that at first didn't care really that was considerd one of the guys and a girl that hated shoppping. I couldn't believe the hating shopping part. Oh well! However, that was going to change when this hunk of a boy transfers over and not only does he play football...but he is a quarterback as well. Jordan, I think kind of rushed into things, making herself want to be like a girl. I am assuming but I think that thought crosses every girls mind, once in a while. Henry has to be my favorite character by far. He is the guy that any girl would be lucky to have as a friend and even the guys love him to death. I never once put this book down and kept to the end. Miranda had me spell- binded till the very end. Filled with romance, boys that will make any girl swoon, and secrets that will soon unfold. Everyone should dive into these pages. And yes even guys should try this read out. Who know, you may come to like it as I did.I give this book 5 souls!
    • 3/5
      With Jordan being the captain of HER football team, she has to continue proving to herself, her team, and her family that she isn't some wimpy little girl that cracks under pressure. And she does a really good job of that... Until the new guy comes to town. Jordan is a great character. She's strong, independent, focused, and determined. But somewhere along the way she forgot to be a girl. It was fun to see her remind herself though. Trying to decide on what underwear to wear and wearing her first fitted shirt in ages and awkwardly hanging out with the cheerleaders was hilarious. But then Ty comes into the picture. His past still torments him which ends up making him extremely clingy. Which made him try to contain Jordan. And no one (especially Jordan) likes that he's so controlling. But out of nowhere comes the love triangle. I don't know how I didn't pick up on it. But after it was said, I began to look at all the signs and I was like "Ooooooh I see it now!" There were signs the entire beginning of the story, but I felt like Jordan did when it came to that situation... Completely lost. But in the end, I feel like she made the right decision. Her and the person she picked are definitely the perfect match :) The number one thing I loved about the story was the fact that it involved sports and romance. There aren't many books out there that contain both with the girl actually involved in the sport. And for the sport to be FOOTBALL of all things?! It was a different kind of premise and I loved it. I also loved the fact that it seemed to give some empowerment to women. I wanted to play football for my local Little League team when I was in the second grade, and I couldn't for the life of me understand why my mom wouldn't let me but signed me up for girls basketball instead. By diving into this story, I was able to become Jordan and live out one of my fantasies. One of the main reasons I love reading so much.
    • 4/5
      Very good. A few things kept if from being great.Jordan Woods has football literally in her blood. Her dad is an NFL Quarterback, her brother is a college football star, and Jordan herself - despite being a girl - has the best record of any quarterback in the state of Tennessee. Jordan is such a great player, she fully expects to move on to play college-level ball on a full-ride scholarship with the prestigious U. of Alabama football program which has been courting her recently. In addition to being her passion in life, playing football has supplied Jordan with a posse of guy buddies who range from protective, adorable meatheads to her best friend for life, Sam Henry. The way Jordan sees it, the world of football is pretty much perfect.When Tyler Green arrives as the new guy at school, he rocks Jordan's world. First of all, he's hotter than hot, and Jordan finds herself attracted to the guy in a most inconvenient way since it distracts her from football. Ty also causes conflict because he's a stellar quarterback who threatens to take Jordan's position away. But as Ty and Jordan grow closer and Jordan's romantic feelings begin to awaken, she starts to see her best friend Henry in a whole new way. She begins to wonder if the best thing for her has been under her nose all along.I liked Jordan because she was very driven and competitive and didn't expect any special treatment just because she was a girl. Her hurt over the fact that her father seemed completely disinterested in her football career was well explored. That said, Jordan frustrated me to no end because it became so clear that Alabama had no intention of actually letting her play football and planned only to use her as some kind of poster girl for publicity and recruitment purposes. Yet Jordan clung to her dream of playing for Alabama and simply wouldn't see the truth in front of her.Too, for such a tough, fierce girl, Jordan cried a lot. A lot. And not just tears in her eyes, but tears dripping into the river levels of crying. If her crying was intended to show that deep inside, Jordan really did have the feelings of a girl, it didn't succeed so much as make her look emotionally fragile, and not in a vulnerable way but in a needs medication way.My second issue with the book was with Jordan's best friend, Henry. I suppose high school boys often act in completely irrational ways, but Henry's behaviour once Jordan began dating Ty became downright bizarre. I wanted Jordan to smack him upside of the head and tell him to stop being such a major jerk. All in all, the author did a great job of selling the concept of a girl star quarterback as a reality. I did have some questions, like what was the likelihood that a man old enough to have a son in college would still be able to play NFL football, the way Jordan's dad still does. Also, despite Jordan's success on the Tennessee high school football circuit, I simply could never believe that she'd ever be allowed to play college level football. This said, the book kept me turning pages wondering what Jordan would do. She's a very likable heroine. I also liked the kind of off-hand behind the scenes look at what it might be like to be the child of a professional sports star. Jordan lives a life of luxury and sits in the owner's box for NFL games, but to her, it's just her dad's job. No big deal. That was kind of cool.
    • 4/5
      This was an interesting contemporary sports story about a girl whose first love is football. She is the quarterback of her high school team and all of her best friends are boys. Her father is a current professional quarterback who has never been to one of her games. He is constantly supporting and encouraging her older brother Mike who is playing for Tennessee but Jordan feels like she gets no support.Things are going just fine as Jordan enters her senior year. The team is playing well. But then Ty Green shows up and Jordan remembers that she is a girl. She sees him and has trouble focusing on football. To add to the problems, Ty is from Texas where he was a star football quarterback. He is in Tennessee because his father was killed and his mother was paralyzed in a car accident. He has moved to stay with his grandfather but feels that he needs to support and care for his mother and his younger sister. He is looking at this year of football as his last before he has to find a job. They begin dating which her teammates are OK with though they have given Ty the third degree about the proper way to treat Jordan.Senior year brings a lot of adjustments for all the players. Jordan is concerned for her best friend Sam Henry who has been dumped by his girlfriend and who is now hooking up with a wide variety of girls. They have been best friends since they were seven. He still spends a lot of time with her including sleepovers during which they share the same bed (and her parents seem to be OK with this!) After Jordan talks with his ex-girlfriend and finds out she dumped him because he was in love with another girl and the girl is Jordan, Jordan needs to reassess the relationship. This causes a lot of conflict between Jordan and Henry.Between the conflicts with her father about football and Henry about their relationship and Ty and their relationship, Jordan has a very stress-filled football season. I liked Jordan. I liked that she had a plan and was willing to work for it. I also liked how the friendships in the story were well-developed. I liked the strong relationship she had with her mother.Some of the other situations seemed rather problematic to me though. Parents allowing 17-year-olds of opposite sexes to have sleepovers seemed unlikely no matter how obtuse Jordan was about Sam's feelings. Some of the athletic stuff seemed questionable too. Jordan is asked to pose for an Alabama athletic department calendar wearing a jersey and not much else before she had been accepted at the school and without apparent parent input. Isn't she a minor?Most problematic of all was the amount of sexual activity that went on in the story. All of the adolescent main characters were sexually active. There was nothing really blatant or overt but the whole attitude was that this was OK and normal. Because of this aspect, I would be reluctant to share this story with my middle schoolers. I will be recommending this one to my high school students though.
    • 4/5
      Jordan Woods has spent most of her life being seen as "one of the guys" and that's more than fine with her. As the quarterback of her high school's football team, it's almost a necessity, actually. While the other girls might notice the guys for the good looks, Jordan only notices their playing ability.As long as she - and the rest of her team - play well enough to get her into a top notch football university (and on their field), that's all that matters.Until the new guy at school wants a place on the team. And maybe in Jordan's heart.Do you ever go into a book expecting to love, love, love it and then . . . not? Sadly, that was what happened with me and Catching Jordan. I didn't necessarily dislike it, I just didn't love it like all of the amazing reviews I'd seen so many of (and heard from people) said I would.The idea of a girl playing high school football is definitely not unheard of - rare though it may be - but it is unheard of in YA fiction so Catching Jordan immediately grabbed my attention because of that. I really liked that Jordan's football wasn't an "oh yeah, she also plays football" part of the story. It was usually a pretty main part of the story.It was great that she was friends with guys, too. Too rarely (especially in YA books, I think) are female and male characters friends in books - platonic friends. It does happen in life (regardless of what movies will have you believe) so it's nice to see it in a book.I did feel like the romantic aspect of the story was too dramatic - part of that may have been that I always found something 'off' about Ty. Even when things were being hinted at, it seemed odd no one else noticed said things - and later they didn't seem to go anywhere. It made the romance seem to quick and, like I said, dramatic to fit with Jordan. Ty could have been made a flawed character for purposes of the story, but still been sympathetic and someone you could connect to . .. for me he just felt a bit 'off.' [It also seems strange that no one - her mother, a girlfriend of her brother, one of her guy friends, someone - has done anything about her being so judgmental about the girls in her life. It kind of makes sense when the girls/cheerleaders in her social circle are described as ditzy, though, I guess. ]Catching Jordan is predictable but it's fun and if Ty doesn't irk you (I can testify that he doesn't many others), it's a cute, lighthearted read.
    • 5/5
      I love it when a book takes me by utter surprise! When I read the synopsis to Catching Jordan I was very intrigued by the whole idea of the main character, Jordan, being the Captain of the school’s football team. I was curious to see how the author would pull this off, and I have to say she did an excellent job. It was very believable and Jordan is a character everyone will love. In fact, every single character in this book is awesome!Catching Jordan was a very fast read for me and super, super, entertaining. There wasn’t a moment where I found the story to be uninteresting or lacking anything. This was one of those books I stayed up really late to read and just couldn’t put it down until the last page. When I was finally done I couldn’t sleep because all I kept thinking about was how good this story is.In the story, Jordan is the captain of her football team. Football to her means everything. She takes it very seriously, and one of her goals is to get accepted to the college of her choice and play football for their team. Jordan isn’t really the party type and doesn’t really do the whole “dating” thing. She feels all that is just a distraction and right now she doesn’t need that. So imagine everyone’s surprise when the new boy in school, Ty, joins the team and Jordan starts to act a little bit different. She begins wearing clothes she normally wouldn’t wear and distressing about her hair, things normally girls worry about. Ty enters Jordan’s life and things just go off track for her. It’s obvious that both of them have a thing for each other and as much as Jordan tried to hide it from her team mates, they just knew. I loved how close and how much respect Jordan’s team mates had for her. They treated her like if she was one of the guys, but at the same time like she was their little sister. They were always there for her and respected every decision she made for the team.Catching Jordan also has a nice little twist. I loved the direction Kenneally took the story and all the true life moments that I felt helps us, as readers, relate to her characters. The romance in the story is just a plus. Jordan deals with a lot more than boy trouble.This is just a great read and I am really looking forward to reading ANY books by Miranda Kenneally. She is now on my AUTO-BUY list of authors. This is definitely a MUST-READ, MUST-BUY!5 out of 5 Stars!
    • 4/5
      I wasn’t really sure what to expect initially, I read a lot of buzz about catching Jordan on book blogs and everyone pretty much liked it. Sometimes YA books are simple reads with depth for the character but once you close the cover everything is gone and you move on. Well, I won’t say that Catching Jordan is deeply profound and I will think about it for years to come (no, this is not a bad thing), but it hit on subjects that most people tend to avoid; sexual promiscuity and athletes. The difficulty of being friends with girls, and learning to stand behind your dreams when no one else will. This is the absolute best football book I’ve ever read! I love the fact that Jordan is female and all she wants to do is play football. She has her eyes set on going to Alabama for college so she can play college ball. Her best friends sticks by her and her dad abandons her (or so it seems) with this dream. I know absolutely nothing about football, other than what people have tried to teach me during the Super Bowl. But I know that it is a big deal for most of the United States and that making it on a college football team is second best only to going pro. It is a sport that brings out the best of us or the worst of us. It is one of the roughest sports around so a female quarter back as the main character already starts the book off on an awesome not. But what is even better is that Jordan isn’t a “show” quarterback, she is the leader of the team and she can hang with the big guys and take them on head to head. The downfall is that she’s not sure what it means to be a girl. But honestly, when I was in high school neither did I. I have realized that it doesn’t really matter; some things should not be allowed to define our characters or who we are as a person. High school in and of itself can be the most excruciatingly painful thing that most people experience. But it holds the potential of promise, that ultimately (as with life) it is what we make of it and we will always get out of it what we put into it. Jordan faces some tough situations on and off the field, her dreams are challenged, and like the rest of the world she begins to lose her way when she takes her eyes off the goal. But also by doing so, she is able to expand who she is and able to see the world instead of only her small part in it. She learns that she can be a girl in more than just her anatomy and still rock it on the football field. She realizes that you don’t have to choose on over the other, but they can both work together to create opportunities that will help her realize her dream.Though I would describe this as a feel good relevant book, some parts are quite annoying. Why do guys always assume that girls know things that they don’t? The whole love triangle that really isn’t a triangle thing? Annoying, but I really enjoyed this book and think that you will too.
    • 5/5
      Catching Jordan was so good!! This book was so authentic feeling and funny. In my opinion, any book that has football and fooseball can't go wrong. As a huge tomboy who grew up spending almost all my time with a lot of guys and my dad, I totally relate to Jordan. I felt the same way she did about sports, about other girls, and who doesn't love football? Also, I loved Henry!! He was so sweet and loyal and just such a regular guy that I couldn't help but love him. There were so many completely awesome parts in this book, and I got to live out one of my childhood fantasies of being on a football team. I loved how close the team members were, it made me miss all my friends from high school. Any way, i subtracted half a star just because it lagged a little for me at the end.
    • 5/5
      Catching Jordan was everything I wanted a YA sports book to be because it wasn't really about the sport (in this case Football) but the people who played it.I loved the character of Jordan so much! She's a smart, funny tomboy who's completely comfortable in her own skin. Caring about her and her future in football was easy because she's not only an amazing player, but a dedicated athlete who trains just as hard as the boys. It would be easy to dismiss the believability of a female quarterback playing in high school, but I love that author Miranda Kenneally handle this topic as though it weren't. Jordan just simply is the best quarterback in her state.Jordan's awkwardness towards Ty is really cute. She kind of mentally falls apart whenever he's around. Its important to her that Ty know how seriously she takes football but also have him see her as more then just another member of the team. What Jordan doesn't know is that Ty's has his own set of problems, ones which having him thinking about a lot more then football.The friendship that Jordan shares with Henry, JJ, and Carter was wonderful and extremely believable. These guys were not only amazing teammates, supporting Jordan's decisions on the field, but her best friends off the field. I found it especially amusing when they tried to give Jordan romantic advice or threatened to beat people up for her. LOL. Of the trio, Henry is the clear stand out. Always being the first to crack a joke, cheer Jordan up or stick up for her. Seriously I love that boy!Jordan's strained relationship with her dad was something I wasn't expecting. Jordan's dad is a pro football player who doesn't want his daughter playing. The fact that he continually supports her older brother Mike, who's also a quarterback, further complicates things. There were often times when I could understand her dad's concern or point of view, but it still broke my heart for Jordan since all she really wants is her dad's acceptance.Catching Jordan is about so much more then the synopsis would have you believe. Yes, its about a girl who develops a crush on her teammate, but its also about first loves, friendship, family and how far one is willing to go to chase down their dreams. Best of all you don't have to know a thing about football to enjoy it.If you ever watched and loved the NBC show Friday Night Lights then you must read Catching Jordan! If you haven't, well then I advise you to do both! This contemporary novel easily passed all of my expectations making it a perfect touchdown! The characters are real, the situations are honest and there's no shortage of humor or heart.
    • 5/5
      Catching Jordan was such a fun, sporty and hilarious read. i always love it when there is a theme in contemporary novels, such as music, or sports. The book revolves around Jordan, a senior high school student, who is the school star quarterback for the guy's team, and is GOOD at it, and you know what else? Jordan is a girl. I loved how her teammates respected her, and weren't intimidated by a girl being their leader, but at the same time other people and universities treated her like the poster girl for the team, which frustrated her and I; Even her dad was against her playing reason being he doesn't want her to get hurt. Her dad and older brother both play in teams. While this frustrated me, its how reality is. The author didn't draw a pretty picture of it, in truth sexism and discrimination against women exist, even in the most advanced countries. Now back to the story; What was unrealistic is how her guy friend, Henry, who is 17 like her, sleeps over at her house, in her room, and sleeps on the same bed. What family would allow a hormonal teenage boy to sleepover in their daughter's room is beyond me. What was also brought to my attention is the amount of, lets just say, explicit talk going on in the book. Since Jordan always hangs with the "boys" you can guess where the conversations usually end up; so much vulgarity going on, but I guess that's a realistic drawing of how guys are nowadays, unfortunately. The story was cute, fun, and a nice change from how contemporary novels usually are. I loved how strong, confident, and independent Jordan was, but at the same time you get to see her vulnerability, and how hurt she is by her father's rejection to her playing. This book is definitely for older teens; and i hope more books are written with sporty themes, they're just so much fun! Fans of Shut Out by Kody Keplinger should definitely read Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally. 4.5/5 stars
    • 4/5
      I am not a fan of football and by stating that I'm probably committing about seven different kinds of blasphemy. However it's true. So why on earth would I want to read a book about a football player? Well to be honest this was a book I seriously debated about but in the end I dubbed it a 'to read' mostly because it's about a girl that plays football and let's face it, there is not a lot of female football players. So I picked up this book expecting a lot of football jargon, a cute love story and maybe some swoon worthy guys. However this book offered something much more. This book is not merely about a girl playing football. It's a book about a girl's relationship with her father. It's a book about a girl trying to find her place in the world. It's these layers of the story that make this book a compelling read.Jordan Woods is not your average girl with the average interests. Jordan plays football. She's really good. Captain of the football team good. I like her character a lot. Jordan wants to be respected as the football captain so she tries to act a certain way so they don't think she's too soft. Jordan also wants the respect of her father. He's a pro football player and doesn't like the fact that she plays. Their struggle to find common ground is heartbreakingly realistic. The characters in this book are great. The guys on Jordan's team are hilarious. They'd make any girl want to sign up for football. They have her back no matter what. The team really makes this book a joy to read. I also really like Jordan's family. I actually could understand her dad's point of view as well as Jordan's. The only character that I didn't really like was Jordan's love interest, Ty, he was okay but he got on my nerves a bit. Overall I'm glad I read this book. Catching Jordan is not my usually read but I'm so glad I stepped out of my box to read it. I would have missed out on something really good. I'm still not a fan of football but I am a fan of this book.
    • 4/5
      ** spoiler alert ** 3.5 stars Catching Jordan has had a ton of hype surrounding it, everyone i've heard talk about this book has had a rave reviews. I really enjoyed this story, but didn't fall head over heels in love with it for a couple of reasons, most of which when reading reviews are things that other people really loved about the story, that just unfortantually didn't work for me. First off i'll start with what I liked. I liked the uniqueness of the story, in case you couldn't tell by the cover, Jordan is the high school quaterback, and Jordan is a girl. Having a girl quaterback is almost unheard of, in real life and fictionally. I loved that the football talk was easy to understand (I pretty much know nothing about football, just that i've always liked football players lol) but as far as the game goes i'm as nieve as it gets. I loved that the team all embraced her and took care of her, she had a whole team of "big brothers" and I loved that. The characters on the team were all well-developed and I enjoyed them. I liked Jordan's character, but here's where one of my problems came into play. I hated that she acted like such a guy. The fact that everytime she sounded like a girl in front of the team, she quickly tried to cover it up. She talked like a guy, acted like a guy, and lacked an overall feminity that I feel was a miss in the story to make it effective. I just wish she didn't feel that being a girl was such a negative thing, i'm pretty sure the guys on her team knew she was a girl and took her under their wings, and not just because she acted like a guy, or spoke like one. Ok on to the juicy topic of the love interests!! I loved both Henry and Ty's characters. Henry is the best friend every girl dreams of having, a cute boy who's been your friend since childhood, who sleeps over, and who you spend most of your time with. Ty is the new boy at school, who happens to be the same football position as Jordan, the quaterback, but who also happens to be HOT! When Jordan falls for Ty and vice versa I was happy, they seemed good for each other, and Henry seemed to have had no interest in Jordan but interest in every other girl in the school, literally. As soon as Jordan found out Henry had interest in her though she dropped Ty like a fly and abandoned him, and that fustrated me. I was happy that she ended up with Henry in the end, but I just wish she wouldn't have dropped Ty like that because he didn't deserve it. As you can see, I really enjoyed this book, but had a few small problems with it. None of the problems I had with the book ruined the story for me though, and still think that if you're a fan of YA contemporary reads then you should give this one a try, and like I said earlier in my review, many of the things that aggravated me, were things that other readers enjoyed about the story, so maybe i'm the exception.
    • 2/5
      Jordan Woods is the best high school quarterback in the state of Tennessee, but the people who really matter—her father, and the coach of her dream college football team—don’t take her seriously, just because she is a girl. All Jordan wants is to sign with Alabama, but her life gets turned upside down when a hot new quarterback, Ty, joins the team. Ty is making her want things she’s never really thought about before. Can she still remain herself and yet end up with the guy of her dreams?Honestly, is every book that claims it is the next Dairy Queen going to end up being a huge disappointment? D.J. Schwenk’s title as Best “Rural” Tomboy has still not been usurped—has hardly been challenged, I think. CHASING JORDAN takes place in a setting where football is big, yes, but I think that’s where the similarities end.CHASING JORDAN was a typical YA “dramatic luv” story hiding under a sporty exterior. Sure, there was talk of Jordan being Tennessee’s best quarterback, but all real aspects of state-level varsity sport life soon fell by the wayside, overpowered by the drama of a typical teenage love triangle. Ty never fully developed into a believable character for me. Maybe that had something to do with the outcome of the book, but I don’t think that that is a valid reason for having one-dimensional characters: one can write believable, three-dimensional, and sympathetic characters without forcing them to pair up into happily-ever-afters (see: Donna Freitas). I wanted more sport, less “typical teen love drama”—but “teen luv” was exactly what I got.But I think what bothered me the most—and perhaps this is just a “me” thing, but I’ve become incredibly sensitive to these things, and, come on, it’s 2012—was CATCHING JORDAN’s complete and utter dismissal of possible “alternative” lifestyles. I hesitate to even use that term “alternative,” since, like I said, it’s 2012, and gosh darnit, people can live whatever lifestyles they want! I understand, marginally, that CATCHING JORDAN is set in the American South, but I was so, so disappointed during that stupid Home Ec scene with the fake babies and the students needing to pair up to be “husbands and wives,” and everyone automatically turning to the only guy in the class, as if being paired up with a female classmate is the end of your social life. What is this, the 1960s? Add to that a story setting in which lots of guys are constantly together, and all they can think about are ditzy cheerleaders. Seriously. Ditzy cheerleaders. In a YA world where cheerleaders can be popular yet real people (again, see: Donna Freitas), this kind of cardboardism is so passé, it’s not even fun anymore. It’s just sad.CHASING JORDAN’s main premise—of Jordan learning how to embrace her female desires and fall for a guy—was so bland that it allowed me to focus on all the little things about the setup of the story that bothered me and have now made their way into my review. If you’re picking this up because you want a simple love triangle story, that works; however, if you’re looking for a smart and fun book featuring the sports-related travails of a female athlete, you might do better to look elsewhere.
    • 4/5
      I wasn’t sure what to expect from “Catching Jordan”. I’m not a big sports fan and I worried I wouldn’t be able to connect with Jordan’s passion for football. But “Catching Jordan” is one of the most addictive YA contemporaries I’ve read this year.Jordan is the kind of main character that I love. She’s a tough character – the starting quarterback on her high-school football team, viewed as one of the guys. Her best friend, Sam Henry, is someone she views as a brother. She doesn’t see it as strange when he spends the night. She doesn’t notice the way he stares at her. She isn’t boy crazy and doesn’t find herself fantasizing about her teammates. Until Ty joins the team.Ty is gorgeous, even Jordan can acknowledge that – enough so that she’s unable to focus around him, something she’s never had trouble doing around a guy before. Refusing to allow her teammates to see her as a weak end, as a boy obsessed girl, Jordan forces herself to keep it together as best she can. But a game of truth or dare will change everything. Feelings will be revealed. A dream will be crushed. And a new possibility will be presented, but not without costs.I started reading “Catching Jordan” this morning, and had it not been for work, I probably would’ve finished in a few hours, easily. If you’re looking for a quick, fun read, I’d highly suggest picking up “Catching Jordan”.

    Book preview

    Catching Jordan - Miranda Kenneally

    Also by Miranda Kenneally

    Four Days of You and Me

    The Hundred Oaks series

    Catching Jordan

    Stealing Parker

    Things I Can’t Forget

    Racing Savannah

    Breathe, Annie, Breathe

    Jesse’s Girl

    Defending Taylor

    Coming Up for Air

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    Books. Change. Lives.

    Copyright © 2011, 2020 by Miranda Kenneally

    Cover and internal design © 2020 by Sourcebooks

    Cover design and illustrations by Jenna Stempel-Lobell

    Internal design by Danielle McNaughton/Sourcebooks

    Sourcebooks and the colophon are registered trademarks of Sourcebooks.

    All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without permission in writing from its publisher, Sourcebooks.

    The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious or are used fictitiously. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

    All brand names and product names used in this book are trademarks, registered trademarks, or trade names of their respective holders. Sourcebooks is not associated with any product or vendor in this book.

    Published by Sourcebooks Fire, an imprint of Sourcebooks

    P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410

    (630) 961-3900

    sourcebooks.com

    Catching Jordan was originally published in 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire. Touchdown originally appeared in Defending Taylor (2016). The Best in the World originally appeared in Coming Up for Air (2017).

    Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file with the publisher.

    Contents

    Front Cover

    Title Page

    Copyright

    A Hail Mary and a Harem

    Knee Problems

    The Great Donovan Woods

    Mudding

    Stupid Fitted Tee

    Game #1

    Henry

    Nachos Grande

    He Knew…?

    Jerry Rice

    Opportunity

    Truth Or Dare?

    Rumors

    Revelations

    Carter

    Trades

    Stupid Fish Plaque

    It Gets Worse

    The Daily Special

    Having Cake

    Trip to Alabama

    Loneliness

    Who the Hell Was in Charge of Homecoming?

    Dad

    First Date

    Prepping for the State Championship

    The State Championship

    He Stopped to Get Flowers?

    One Week Since

    Trips

    A Lifetime Supply of Cookies and Lemonade

    A Note to Readers

    Guys Do Not Do Secret Santa

    That Moment

    Touchdown

    The Best in the World

    Acknowledgments

    About the Author

    Back Cover

    For Sara Megibow,

    and all the other badass chicks out there.

    A Hail Mary and a Harem

    The Count? 21 Days Until My Trip to Alabama

    I once read that football was invented so people wouldn’t notice summer ending. But I couldn’t wait for summer vacation to end. I couldn’t wait for football. Football, dominator of fall—football, love of my life.

    Blue forty-two! Blue forty-two! Red seventeen! I yell.

    The cue is red seventeen. JJ hikes me the ball. The defense is blitzing. JJ slams into a freshman safety, knocking him to the ground. The rest of my offensive line destroys the defense. Nice. The field’s wide open, but my wide receiver isn’t where he’s supposed to be.

    What the hell, Higgins? I mutter to myself.

    Dancing on my tiptoes, I scan the end zone and find Sam Henry instead and hurl the ball. It flies through the air, a perfect spiral, heading right where I wanted it to go. He catches the ball, spikes it, and does this really stupid dance. Henry looks like a freaking ballerina. With his thin frame and girly blond hair, he actually could be the star of the New York Ballet.

    I’m gonna give him hell for his dance.

    This is my senior year at Hundred Oaks High, and I’m captain, so I’m allowed to keep my players in line. Even though he’s my best friend, Henry has always been a showoff. His antics get us penalties.

    Through the speaker in my helmet, I hear Coach Miller say, Nice throw. This is your year, Woods. You’re going to lead us to the state championship. I can feel it… Hit the showers. What the coach actually means? I know you’re not going to blow it in the final seconds of the championship game like you did last year.

    And he’s right. I can’t.

    The University of Alabama called last week—on the first day of school—to tell me a recruiter is coming to watch me play on Friday night. And then a very fancy-looking letter arrived, inviting me to visit campus in September. An official visit. If they like what they see, they’ll sign me in February.

    I can’t screw this season up.

    I pull my helmet off and grab a bottle of Gatorade and my playbook. Most of the guys are already goofing off and heading over to watch cheerleading practice across the field, but I ignore them and look up into the stands.

    I spot Mom sitting with Carter’s dad, a former NFL player. My dad isn’t here, of course. Asshole.

    Lots of parents come to watch our practices because football is the big thing to do around here. Here being Franklin, Tennessee, home of the Hundred Oaks Red Raiders, eight-time state champions.

    Mom always comes to practice—she’s been supporting me ever since Pop Warner youth football days, but sometimes she worries I’ll get hurt, even though the worst thing that’s ever happened was a concussion. Sophomore year, when JJ took a breather, the coach brought in this idiot to play center, the idiot didn’t cover me, and I got slammed hard.

    Otherwise, I’m a rock. No knee problems, no broken limbs.

    Dad never comes to my practices and rarely comes to games. People think it’s because he’s busy, because he’s Donovan Woods, the starting quarterback for the Tennessee Titans. But the truth is he doesn’t want me playing football. Why wouldn’t a famous quarterback want his kid to follow in the family footsteps? Well, he does. He loves that my brother, Mike, a junior in college, plays for the University of Tennessee and led his team to a win at the Sugar Bowl last year. So what the hell is Dad’s problem with my playing ball?

    I’m a girl.

    After chugging a bunch of Gatorade, I go find Higgins, who’s already attempting to flirt with Kristen Markum, the most idiotic of cheerleaders. I take Higgins aside, avoiding her Darth Vader stare, and say, Next time try finishing your route instead of staring at Kristen, will you?

    His face goes all red before he nods. Okay.

    Great.

    Then I go pull a sophomore cornerback aside to speak privately. Duckett’s a couple inches shorter than me, so I put a hand on his shoulder and walk him down the sideline.

    On that last play, where I threw the long pass to Henry, you left him wide open. And I know how fast he is, but you can’t let that happen in the game. You were totally out of position.

    Duckett drops his head and nods at me. Got it, Woods.

    I pat his back with my playbook as I take another sip of Gatorade and wipe the dribble from my mouth. Good. We’re counting on you Friday night. I’m sure Coach is going to start you.

    Duckett smiles as he puts his helmet under an arm and heads toward the locker room.

    Awesome job today, guys, I say to a couple of my offensive linemen, then jog over to Henry and look up at him.

    He says, What’s good, Woods?

    Nice move faking out Duckett on that last play.

    Henry laughs. I know, right?

    Would you quit it with the dancing?

    He grins at me, his green eyes lighting up as he drags a hand through his blond curls. You know you love it.

    Smiling, I shove his chest. Whatever.

    He shoves me back. Want to come out to eat with us?

    Who’s us?

    Me and JJ…

    And?

    Oh, let’s see…Samantha and Marie and Lacey and Kristen.

    I stick my tongue out before saying, Shit, no.

    We’re going to Pete’s Roadhouse, he says, wiggling his eyebrows.

    Damn it. I love going there. It’s one of those restaurants where they let you throw peanut shells all over the floor. Still, I reply, Can’t. My brother said he’d watch film with me tonight.

    Henry gets this hurt look on his face. Come on, Woods. You know I want to go to Michigan more than anything, and I’m working hard, but you’ve been holed up every night since you heard that Alabama is coming to opening game.

    I suck in a breath. Right—I’ve only got three days left to get perfect.

    You’re already, like, one hundred times the quarterback your brother was in high school, you know.

    I grin at Henry. Thanks, I say, even though it’s not true.

    He wipes sweat off his forehead with his red and black jersey. How about I come over and watch film with you instead?

    What about Samantha and Marie and Lacey and Kristen?

    He glances over at the cheerleaders. They’d wait a year for me.

    I shove him again, and he laughs. Nah, it’s okay, I say. I’m glad you’re going out with girls again, even if Kristen is Satan’s sister.

    I’d never fool around with Kristen—I have standards, you know.

    Bullshit, I say as JJ and Carter walk up.

    With his helmet in hand, JJ drapes an arm around Henry’s shoulders. I’m surprised Henry’s skinny knees don’t buckle under JJ’s 275 pounds. You in trouble again, man? JJ asks in his deep voice.

    Woods doesn’t appreciate my dancing skills.

    "No one likes your dancing skills, JJ replies. He nods at me. You in for the Roadhouse, Woods?"

    Can’t. Gotta study, I say, holding up the playbook.

    Take a break, JJ says.

    I bet you’d go if they’d picked a place that makes real food, like Michel’s Bistro or Julien L’Auberge in Nashville, Carter says in a ridiculous French accent, and JJ, Henry, and I burst out laughing at him.

    Hell no, I say. All I need is a big slab of meat and a bunch of peanut shells to throw all over the floor.

    Blasphemy, Carter replies.

    You’re not going either? I ask Carter.

    He focuses on his cleats before saying, Can’t—it’s a practice night, remember? He’s, like, the only person I know whose parents never say anything about school nights—it’s always about football practice and games in the Carter household.

    Come on, Woods, Henry whines. Just for an hour or two.

    I hate saying no to him. If I get through four hours of Alabama film tonight, I’ll come out tomorrow.

    Fine, Henry says, smiling.

    As long as you don’t bring your harem. I jerk my head at the group of cheerleaders hovering ten yards away near a goal post, making googly eyes at the guys.

    But we’re a package deal, he says with a laugh.

    That’s ’cause all you ever think about is your package, JJ replies.

    And you don’t? I snap and JJ punches my shoulder, causing me to stumble backward. We all crack up again.

    And then two cheerleaders come up and start fawning over Henry and JJ. What took them so long?

    JJ and Lacey start kissing as if winning the state championship depends on it, and Samantha intertwines her fingers with Henry’s and smiles up at him. Then Kristen and Marie come over, because cheerleaders travel in packs.

    Nice practice today, Jordan, Marie says, giving me a smile. That quarterback sneak of yours is great.

    Did Henry tell you to say that? I ask, staring down at her.

    No, she mutters, looking at her pompoms as she ruffles them.

    JJ and Lacey break apart, much like unsnapping Velcro, as Kristen says, Don’t get Jordan started, Marie. We’ll be here all night listening to stats and pointers on pitching footballs…

    "They’re called passes, Kristen, I reply. Don’t think too hard. I hear it makes your hair frizzy."

    Ha, ha, Kristen replies, but she subconsciously smooths her brown hair with a hand. It takes everything I’ve got not to burst out laughing when I see Samantha and Lacey patting their hair too. I sneak a peek at Henry, JJ, and Carter, and they start snickering again. So does Marie.

    Call if you change your mind about getting food, Henry says to me and Carter, and we all knock fists before Henry and JJ trudge off with their fan club toward the locker rooms.

    I clutch my playbook to my chest and for a moment, I feel a pang of loneliness and wish that I had asked Henry to come over. He’s been sad since his girlfriend dumped him a couple months ago, so he’d probably appreciate the company. Especially since he’s been spending time with girls who think a Hail Mary is a prayer to Jesus’s mom.

    But he’d just distract me—and I need to concentrate on performing well for Alabama.

    Carter, let’s go home, I hear his dad call out from the first row of the metal bleachers. Your mom’s keeping dinner warm until we’re done working out.

    Have fun watching film, Carter says. I’ll be wishing I’m you as I do sit-ups with Dad tonight.

    Carter jogs over to his dad, who immediately starts talking and gesturing with his hands, probably giving a play-by-play critique of how practice went.

    I wish Dad would talk with me like that.

    * * *

    Back at home, I take a seat at the kitchen table and open my playbook. I peel a banana as I study the formation for Red Rabbit, this super cool flea-flicker play Coach wants us to try tomorrow. It’ll be hard, but Henry and I can pull it off.

    Mom comes in, lays her pruning shears and gardening gloves on the counter, and then pours a glass of water. Why didn’t you go out with your friends tonight?

    I’m not ready for opening game, I reply, training my eyes on the Xs and Os scrawled across the paper.

    From what I’ve seen at practice, you’re definitely ready. I don’t want you to burn out.

    Never.

    Maybe you need a massage. A spa day…so you’ll be all fresh and relaxed for Friday. We could go on Thursday after I’m done volunteering at the hospital.

    I slowly lift my head to stare at Mom. Yeah, I’m sure the guys would take me seriously if I show up with pink fingernails on Friday night. No, but thanks. I give her a smile so I won’t hurt her feelings.

    She smiles back. What are you planning to wear on your trip to Alabama?

    I shrug. I dunno. Cleats? And my Hundred Oaks sweats?

    Mom sips her water. I was thinking maybe we could go shopping for a dress.

    Nah, but thanks.

    God, if I wore a dress, the Alabama guys would laugh me right out of Tuscaloosa, right back to some pitiful Division II school. The Alabama head coach is a big Baltimore fan. Maybe I’ll wear a Ravens jersey.

    Mom laughs. Dad would kick you out of the house.

    Why am I kicking my daughter out of the house? the great Donovan Woods asks as he comes into the kitchen and gives Mom a kiss and a hug.

    No reason, I mutter and flip a page in my playbook.

    Dad grabs a bottle of Gatorade, the strawberry-plum shit he does advertising for, and takes a gulp. He’s still buff as ever, but his black hair has started to turn salt-and-peppery. At forty-three years old, Dad has tried to retire after each of the five previous seasons, but he always comes back for some reason or another. Over the years, this has become a joke to sportscasters, so unless we want to get yelled at, we never ask when he’s actually going to retire.

    He stares down at my playbook and shakes his head.

    You coming to my game on Friday? I ask Dad.

    He looks at Mom when he replies, Maybe. I’ll think about it.

    Okay…

    How about I take you and Henry fishing on Saturday morning before we go to your brother’s game? Dad smiles at me expectantly.

    What total bullshit. He’ll go to Mike’s game, but won’t come to mine? And he tries to suck up by asking me to go fishing?

    No thanks, I say.

    The grin dissolves from Dad’s face. Maybe next weekend then, he says softly.

    And maybe you could come to my game on Friday, I mumble to myself. Mom, where’s Mike? I’m anxious to start watching more Alabama film. Even though I’ve watched hundreds of college and pro games, I love getting an expert opinion and, well, Dad’s never willing to give it.

    Oh, Mom replies. His coach called a team meeting. Mike said to tell you he’s sorry.

    That’s cool, I say quietly.

    Mom starts telling Dad all about her roses and sunflowers, gesturing out the kitchen window toward the garden. The sunflowers have almost reached a state of Zen, don’t you think?

    Dad wraps his arms around Mom, and I swear I hear him murmur, I’m in a state of Zen right now too.

    Before I reach a state of upchuck, I grab my playbook and a package of chocolate-chip cookies and head downstairs to our basement, where I turn on the TV and put in a DVD of last year’s national championship game—Alabama vs. Texas.

    I flip off the lights, settle down on one of the leather sofas, and dig into the cookies as I push the play button on the remote.

    So. My friends are off hooking up with cheerleaders.

    My dad cares more about sunflowers reaching a state of Zen than my feelings.

    At least I’ve got football.

    It’s been my life since I was seven, but sometimes Henry says I need to spend less time focusing and start living life like I’m going to hell tomorrow.

    But I feel like a normal teenager. Well, as normal as I can be. I mean, obviously I think Shawn Mendes is a mega-hunk, but I’m also more than six feet tall and can launch a football fifty yards.

    Other ways I’m not normal?

    A girl who hangs with an entire football team must hook up all the time, right?

    Nope.

    I’ve never had a boyfriend. Hell, I’ve never even kissed a guy. The closest I’ve ever come to a kiss happened just this past summer, but it was a joke. At a party, one of those cheerleaders suggested we all play a game of seven minutes in heaven, you know, the game where you go into a closet and kiss? Somehow Henry and I got sent into the closet together, and of course we didn’t kiss, but we ended up in a mad thumb-wrestling match. Which turned into a shoving match. Which turned into everyone thinking we’d hooked up in the closet. Yeah, right. He’s like my brother.

    It’s not that guys aren’t interested in me, because they are, it’s that most of the guys I know are either:

    Shorter than me

    Pansies

    On my team

    All of the above

    I would never let myself date guys on my team. And I’m not interested in any of them anyway. Riding buses to and from games for years has turned me off to all of them ’cause one bus ride with my team produces more gas than a landfill.

    Besides, I don’t have time for guys, and if I suddenly were to start acting like a girl, the team might not take me seriously. And I can’t afford to lose my confidence—because I’m the star of the Hundred Oaks Red Raiders.

    The star Alabama will love on Friday night.

    Knee Problems

    The Count? 20 Days Until Alabama

    Take five, Coach calls out.

    Wednesday afternoon. Two days until our opening game.

    I rip my helmet off, jog over to the bench, take a seat, and open my playbook.

    Woods, Henry says, sliding up next to me on the bench. Take a break.

    I couldn’t get the timing for the screen pass right.

    He leans over onto his knees and spits between his cleats. You saved the play by handing off to Bates. Don’t be so hard on yourself.

    How can you be so calm?

    Looking over at me, his blond curls fall into his eyes. I’m not scared for you. You’re the best player in Tennessee. He laughs. But me, I should be learning how to drive a semi like my dad or practicing how to say, ‘Attention Walmart shoppers, do not, I repeat, do not go in the men’s restroom until further notice. We’ve had an atomic disaster.’

    I laugh. Stop. You’re the fastest person I know—if you can’t get a scholarship to play ball in college, no one can. You’re a kick-ass wide receiver, and you’re smart.

    Smiling, he leans back and folds his hands on top of his stomach. Are we still on to do something after practice?

    I should watch more film…

    Woods, you promised! He scrunches up his face at me.

    I doubt Liz Heaston and Ashley Martin partied much in high school.

    I’m not talking about partying. I’m talking about you and me hanging out—same ole, same ole. Besides, they were kickers. It doesn’t take a lot to kick an extra point.

    And look at them! Liz Heaston? Two extra points in her whole college career! And that was just Division III. And Ashley? Well, sure. She kicked three in a game. And that was Division I—Jacksonville State, but still. I shake my head. I wanna play for real.

    But we’ve barely seen each other in a week, he says quietly, and I think about how much it would suck to achieve my dream of playing for Alabama but have no one to share it with, ’cause my best friend has found better stuff to do.

    Forget the film—we’ll go out. Just us, right?

    Of course. He leans over onto his knees and says, So what do you think of Marie Baird?

    She’s better than Kristen, I guess.

    I’m thinking of asking Marie out.

    What happened to Samantha?

    Henry focuses on the ground and kicks a rock. I dunno…the sex is okay…but I don’t really like her.

    Why do you keep sleeping with girls you aren’t dating? Isn’t this, like, three girls since Carrie Myer dumped you? Why don’t you just get back together with her?

    Henry’s face grows pink, pinker than those ridiculous bras Mom recently left on my bed when she decided I needed something more feminine than a sports bra. Marie seems really cool…

    You mean for actual dating, not just fooling around?

    Maybe.

    I like Carrie. Of all the girls I know, she’s the only one I consider a friend. When we started ninth grade, the first day in the locker room after practice was a true nightmare. I made the mistake of changing out of my uniform in front of the cheerleading captain, who proceeded to make fun of my flat chest in front of twenty other girls. And Carrie, a brand-new freshman cheerleader, walked up to the captain and told her to knock it off, which took mucho guts.

    I bet you’d like Marie too if you’d give her a chance.

    I shrug, thinking I’m not hanging out with anyone who’s friends with Kristen Markum. Why did Carrie dump you, anyway?

    I’ve told you, Woods. It’s private.

    But we’ve never kept secrets from each other.

    Then why won’t you tell me why you hate Kristen so much? He smiles, and I punch him in the arm. Truce! he says, rubbing his bicep. So do you wanna go to the Fun Tunnel and play Skee-Ball?

    Perfect. Then dinner at my house?

    Hell, yeah. It’s fried chicken night, right?

    You’d better believe it.

    Henry usually eats at our house a few nights a week, and sometimes he sleeps over. Technically, he’s supposed to stay in the guest room, but he’s been sneaking into my room since we were eight. When Mom found out, she started forcing him to sleep head-to-toe with me. To make me laugh, he always has excuses as to why we should be allowed to sleep head-to-head, like it’ll be easier for him to protect me if an attacker were to come in, or because my feet reek.

    Break’s over! Coach shouts. Woods!

    Jumping to my feet, I sweep my long blond hair back up into my helmet and jog over to the fifty-yard line. ’Sup, Coach?

    Try out the hook and lateral play we talked about.

    ’Kay. This is not an easy play, but Henry and I can handle it. I’m supposed to throw a short pass to Henry and as the defense moves in to tackle him, he pitches it to a running back who plows up the middle.

    I jog to the center of the field and huddle with the guys.

    What’s the play? JJ asks.

    Red Rabbit, I reply.

    Oh, hell yeah, Henry says, clapping his hands together once.

    We all get into position and as JJ hikes the ball to me, I only hear silence. Coach Miller always talks to me through the speaker in my helmet, so when he doesn’t, I’m surprised. What the hell is he doing? Glancing out of the corner of my eye, I spot the principal walking toward Coach with this incredible-looking guy in tow. Suddenly I have the first knee problems of my life:

    They turn to rubber.

    I keep staring, and I’m knocked off my feet by a linebacker—Carter and his 250 pounds. I fly backward, slamming to the ground, my head rattling around inside my helmet. Ow.

    * * *

    Where the hell is JJ? Why didn’t he protect me? This is the first time I’ve been tackled in forever. With my footwork and JJ’s muscular, continent-sized body, it should never happen.

    Jordan! I hear Mom shout from the stands.

    Henry comes running up, ripping off his helmet and kneeling down next to me. Biting his lip, he puts a hand on my arm. Then Carter falls down next to me too. I’m so sorry, Woods. I tried to stop. Why the hell were you just standing there?

    Woods! Coach yells, running over. You okay? What the hell happened, JJ? Carter—how could you be dumb enough to hit our quarterback two days before the opening of the season? Coach throws his

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