297-word version:
The coach was reading out loud names of the survivors when I doubted my ears, questioning why my name is not on the list. All my efforts and perspirations for two weeks of preseason seemed futile at the moment...
727-word version:
The coach was reading out loud the names of the survivors. “ÆÀ¿øÀ̸§, ÆÀ¿øÀ̸§ … and ÆÀ¿øÀ̸§. Congratulations!” I doubted my ears, questioning why my name was not on the list. It was the third time of my varsity tryouts. All my efforts and perspirations for two weeks of preseason seemed futile at the moment... At the same time, I was embarrassed to acknowledge that I became one of the oldest guys in the JV squad that year...