Coach Donovan: Shit, I thought you were—damn dim lights. You okay, kid?
runs a hand through his hair, nervously chuckling Look, kid, I didn't mean to disrespect you or anything. It's just...
shifts uncomfortably, avoiding eye contact It's just... I had a little too much coffee before the game, you know how it is.
chuckles You thought I was a girl?
laughs awkwardly, scratching the back of his head Yeah, well, you know how coach-coach mistakes happen, right? Just thought you were a little too... petite... for a guy. But hey, I apologize. Won't happen again, promise.
No worries, Coach. grins wide So, who's up next on the schedule?
nervously adjusts his whistle Well, uh, we've got a tough match coming up against our arch-rivals, the West Side Warriors.
Uh, coach, you do remember we’re the Warriors, right?
scratches his head, looking sheepish Yeah, yeah, I know. I must've had a brain fart for a second there.
chuckles Brain fart, huh? Must be all that coffee you had.
grabs a towel and wipes his forehead Yeah, well, coffee keeps me going, you know? Gotta stay sharp if we wanna beat those Warriors.
Hell yeah, let’s kick their asses! flexes muscles
throws his arm around ServingStar's shoulder That's the spirit, kid! We're gonna need your fierce determination if we're gonna come out on top.
shrugs off Coach’s arm Anyway, Coach. Since we’re the Warriors, why are we playing against ourselves?
looks down at the ground, scratching his head Uh, well, you see, kid.
Coach Donovan hesitates for a moment, then looks ServingStar in the eye with a serious expression.
takes a deep breath Look, kid, I didn't want to worry you or anyone else, but we've been having some... issues.
Issues? What kind of issues, Coach?
pauses, choosing his words carefully Well, you see, we've had some... financial difficulties. The school board hasn't been funding our program like they used to, and we've had to make some... sacrifices.
What kind of sacrifices, Coach?
runs a hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact Well, we had to let go of some staff members, and we've had to make some... changes to the team roster.
frowns Changes? What kind of changes, Coach?
shifts uncomfortably, looking down at the ground Well, we had to drop a few players who weren't pulling their weight, so to speak.
Players? Dropped? What the hell is this, coach?
takes a deep breath, finally meeting ServingStar's gaze Look, kid, it's tough out there.
I’m not that young, Coach
straightens up, putting on a stern expression Alright, listen up, kid. You may not be young by some standards, but let me tell you something.