Hit count

the long version

I hit him so hard, the clash of helmets and pads sounded like a gunshot across the field. I crushed him with the hit, held on to him, and crushed him again when I slammed him into the ground . . . I had arrived. Arlo Brodie loves being on the football field, getting hit hard and hitting back harder. That s where he belongs, leading his team to championships, becoming Starlo on his way to the top. Arlo s dad cheers him on, but his mother quotes head injury statistics and refuses to watch. Arlo s girlfriend tries to make him see the danger; when that doesn t work, she calls time-out on their relationship. Even Arlo s coaches begin to track his hit count, almost ready to pull him off the field. But Arlo s not worried about collisions. The cheering crowds and the adrenaline rush convince Arlo that everything is OK--in spite of the pain, pounding, dizziness, and confusion.