Introducing a soccer series for new readersKickers #1Nine-year-old Ben is brand-new to soccer, but he's a good athlete and knows he'll do well on the Bobcats, his team in the local Kickers soccer league. If he can only work around his obnoxious teammate Mark, the ball hog, Ben is sure he'll score his first goal. But Coach Patty, and Ben's own teammates, show him a little something about teamwork. And suddenly it dawns on him: he's a ball hog, too. Can he change his ways before the Bobcats lose their shot at the Kickers play-offs?Award-winning sports novelist Rich Wallace introduces the Kickers soccer series, filled with lively black-and-white art and fast-paced, on-the-field action.From the Hardcover edition.

Rich Wallace is the acclaimed author of many books for young readers, including Wrestling Sturbridge, an ALA-YALSA Best of the Best Book for Young Adults; Shots on Goal, a Booklist Top 10 Sports Book for Youth; Perpetual Check; and the Winning Season series. He coached soccer for several years, beginning when his older son joined a team in kindergarten.Rich Wallace lives in New Hampshire with his wife, author Sandra Neil Wallace. You can visit him on the Web at www.richwallacebooks.com.From the Hardcover edition.