"Alright ladies." I say at the end of training. "Today's challenge is a penalty shootout."

"The rules?" Christen asks.

"You, as a team, must choose one forward, one midfielder, one defender, one keeper, and a coach, not Carli, to shoot. You only get those five shots and you have to score at least two."

"And the prize?" Kelley asks.

"If you guys win then, after the game against the Netherlands, you can choose whatever junk food you want to eat and bring it in and we'll have a movie night before we all split up for preseason...and I'll pay for everything."

"And if we lose?" Mal asks.

"You guys do a beep test next camp."

"Who's the goalie?" Alex asks.

"Who else?" I question then I take my goalie gloves out of my waist band. "Me...Deal?"

"Deal." Kelley says.

"Choose who you wanna shoot." I say and kneel on the ground.

I tie my boots up tighter, put my gloves on, then I get in goal.

"Who's shooting and in what order?" I ask as I stand on my line.

"Alyssa's first, Christen second, Ali third, Kelley fourth, and Abby fifth." Julie says.

"Alright." I say then roll the ball to the team. "Let's go."

Alyssa takes her shot and she goes low to my right, but I easily save it.

"Your turn Pressy." I say.

Christen places the ball down then she steps back to the edge of the area and gets ready to take her penalty. Ash blows a whistle so Christen does her run up then she shoots to my left. I jump towards the ball and I knock it onto the bar causing the ball to ricochet back towards Christen.

"Fuck's sake." Christen mumbles as she returns to the group.

Ali takes her penalty and I save it again so now it's Kelley's turn.

"You're goin down Strides." Kelley says as she waits for the whistle.

When Ash blows her whistle Kelley runs up then she smashes her shot right at me.

"Really Kels?" I ask when I easily catch the ball.

"I scuffed the shot." Kelley says as I take off my gloves.

"Oh fuck we lost." Mal says.

"Yep." I say as I approach the huddle of women. "So once we get back to the hotel we'll have dinner, our last minute tactical meeting, then you'll be released to do whatever you want for the night."

The team nod then everyone packs their things and we head to the bus. Once on the bus I sit down next to my Boo Bear.

"Hello beautiful." I say as Tobin rests her head on my shoulder then I kiss her head.

"Hi baby......you're still gonna let them bring in junk food for movie night aren't you?" Tobin whispers.

"If they win." I say.

- - - - -

"Do you feel okay?" I ask as Tobin and I sit on the bench as the girls warm up.

"I'm fine baby." Tobin says and rubs my thigh.

"Good." I say. "Now I need your help."

I tell Tobin what I need her help with and she agrees so I get up and walk down the sideline until I reach the person I'm looking for.

"Hey Kayla." I say.

"ASTRID." She yells and hugs me.

"How are you?"

"Good."

"Well I have a little surprise for you." I say as Tobin comes over. "Kayla meet Tobin...Tobin meet your biggest fan."

"Hi sweetie." Tobin says then she hugs the little girl.

Kayla and Tobin talk for a while until we have to leave so we hug the little girl then we head to the locker room. Once in the locker room the team get dressed then we have our final team huddle. The subs, the coaching staff, and I head to the bench while the starters stand in the tunnel for a few minutes then they come out and we do the anthems as well as the rest of the pre match stuff.

After the pre match stuff the girls have their final huddle then the starters get to their positions a minute before the dutch kick off the game.

I wouldn't mind mind three wins from three to start my national team managerial career.

- - - - -

"ASTRID." Kelley shouts then she jumps on my back.

"Well hello to you too." I say and hold my twin up by her legs.

"You won your first three games." Kelley says as she rests her chin on my head.

We beat the Dutch 3-2 with Christen scoring one, Alex scoring one, and Sam Staab scored of a header. Miedema and Victoria Pelova scored the Dutch goals

"Well you guys won." I say. "I just put you in your positions."

"You still won."

"Yeah yeah." I say. "Go get your medal."

"Okay." Kelley says then she hops off my back and joins the girls in line.

The coach's and I get our medals then we wait on the bench as the girls get their medals then they lift the trophy. The team celebrates on the field for a while then we head into the locker room and the girls celebrate with the buckets of beer.

"Beer?" Tobin questions and holds a Budweiser out to me as I sit in her locker.

"Sure." I say then I pull my wife down onto my lap and take the beer. "That's better."

"Are we ever going to add an H to our necklaces?" Tobin questions as she plays with my T necklace.

"We'd probably have to get new necklaces so the two letters are fused together." I say.

"Astrid is there food back at the hotel?" Kelley asks.

"Yeah." I say. "We brought in some Pizza and you guys can take three beers back to the hotel and we can chill in the meeting room.

"PIZZA AT THE HOTEL." Kelley yells then she and the rest of the girls start changing out of their kits.

Tobin and I grab our things then we head to the bus and sit in our row. Minutes later the team file onto the bus and sit in their seats then we head to the hotel. Once back at the hotel everyone gets off the bus then we head into the meeting room.

"Holy shit that's a lot of pizza." Kelley says then she joins the line for pizza.

Tobin and I get our pizza then we head to one of the couches and Tobin sits in my lap then we eat our pizza and drink our beer while we talk with our friends.

As we're talking I look up at Tobin and see her laughing at something Kelley said and I really only have one thought on my mind.

Maybe Tobin and I are gonna start getting some breaks.