Saul Pierce
May 31, 2008 12:14 PM
Pecari Try-Outs (First Years Welcome) by Saul Pierce
Shortly after telling Elly and Echo that the Cravens would be getting the try-outs arranged in the next few days, the seventh year twins made a liar of him. Instead of arranging everything themselves, Saul found himself in charge of booking the pitch, putting up the notice, and even running the try-outs.It was all supposedly part of his 'training' for next year, but Saul secretly suspected they just liked bossing him around.
So he'd gotten permission to use the pitch. He put up the notice informing Pecari of their impending try-outs. And now they were all here, on the Pitch, and because the Cravens were waiting expectantly for him to start things off, so was everyone else.
Right. So. Running a Quidditch try-out. Saul looked at the sign-up sheet in his hand, and then at everyone gathered around. "Welcome back to everyone who's been on the team before, and welcome for the first time to everyone else. I'm Saul Pierce, the Assistant Captain, and those two there are Sorrel and Ash Craven, the actual Captains. But they're graduating next year so they're just overseeing today. Um."
He glanced down at the sheet again. "So we've got one first year listed here and I think a few others who showed up. Unfortunately, you're not allowed on the team, but we are unofficially letting any first years attend the practices if they want to." He grinned and winked conspiratorially at the younger looking kids gathered around, "Just don't go telling Coach Fox or Professor Connell, right?"
"Anyway, for second years and older, we've got try-outs for the first string today. If you were on the team last year, you've still got to re-earn your spot. Due to Captain privileges, though, there are no beater spots open. So I need people to divide out into the other positions. "Irene and Elly, you're the two signed up for Seeker, so here," he tossed a bright yellow golf ball at Elly. "You two are going to be tossing that around. Try to throw it so the other one can't catch it easily. I'll give you guys a real snitch a little later."
"For Keeper, I've got Stephen and Raoul." Saul gave Raoul a slightly apologetic look. The new second year really didn't stand much chance against the experienced seventh year. "You'll each be taking a set of goals." He pointed out toward each side of the Pitch. "Guard them like you would in a game."
"Chasers - that's everybody else, including the first years, you'll be dividing up into teams and playing like in a normal game except there's only going to be one bludger out. Each team will have a Craven beating for them." He'd thought long and hard about that part, but given Pecari's past history with Bludgers, the ability to avoid them was really something that had to play into the selection process. "Before I assign Chaser teams, who do we have that's not on the sign-up sheet?"
Subthreads: Back in the air! by Irene Liddowe with Elly Eriksson, Irene
I'm here! by Kyler Kent with Mark Johson, Kyler, Mark Jones
Try-out continued by Saul Pierce with Caedence, Mark Johnson, Kyler Kent
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Saul Pierce
Pecari Try-Outs (First Years Welcome)
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Saul Pierce
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Saul
June 16, 2008 12:10 AM
I'm away for five days and look what happens by Saul
OOC: I knew I should have said in my OOC 'I'm on vacation and unavailable' comment that you guys should stay out of trouble 'til I got back, but then I didn't because I was afraid that would just invite this sort of thing when I returned. *sigh* BIC:It started well. For about five seconds. Caedence caught the ball and Ark went for an intercept. He almost managed it, but then he dropped the ball. Then the first year did something that Saul was pretty sure not even Caedence would have done during her first year. He dove. From waaay too close to the ground.
"Ark, no!" Saul yelled, but the eleven year old didn't seem to hear.
Saul fumbled for his wand, but wasn't fast enough. The sound of Ark's crash made him wince and drop the eight inches of wood he'd just barely gotten into his hand. By the time he retrieved it from the ground, Caedence and Kyler were already at Ark's side.
Saul looked toward the co-captains, but the Cravens had been further away and weren't quite near enough to consult. "Everybody back up," Saul instructed, briefly wishing that he hadn't insisted so strongly that the two muggleborn boys ought to join in. He really hoped Coach Fox didn't hear about this or Kyler and Hannah might not be able to play any more either.
He shifted his wand in his hand for a better grip and told Ark, "Hold still, I'm just going to use a charm to make it so your arm can't move, so it doesn't get worse while we get you to the infirmary." Though he (thankfully) hadn't had much occasion to use the charm outside a classroom setting, it was one of the ones required for the CATS, and Saul had learned it well enough. He cast the spell and even managed to get it to work on the first try. If he hadn't been quietly panicking and doing his very best not to let it show, he probably would have been very proud of himself.
He gave Ark a grin that was meant to be reassuring, and assured, "Don't worry, magical medicine is way better than the muggle way. We'll get you fixed up good as new real quick. No cast or anything."
Looking up and spotting one of the Cravens, he asked, "Do you guys want to take over the try-out and I'll get him up to the Hospital Wing?"
\r\n\r\n
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Saul
I'm away for five days and look what happens
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Stephen Baxter
June 21, 2008 8:36 AM
How about we just get things moving again? by Stephen Baxter
OOC: I'm going to direct the twins a little in this. I'm hoping their author won't mind, but as there hasn't been any sign of them, and this makes sense (to me) I'm just going to go with it. Any objections, we... You know how to find and berate me ;) Plus, this way, we might get a little more action in before the team is decided! BIC:"Better idea," Stephen said, having done what most of the others on the field had done and abandoned his task in all the excitement. "Seriously, we don't really need Beaters quite so much - unless we want more people to join Dents," he nodded with a grin at Caedence, "and - it was 'Ark' right? Weird name, dude - in the bludger magnet department before it's entirely necessary. They've got you running things already, Saul. You should keep it up and our far more expendable Captains," he moved a bit to the side to make sure he was well clear of Sorrel and, to a lesser extent, Ash, "can take Ark to see the medic. They've a better chance than you of coming up with a legitimate excuse for why he got hurt that doesn't involve Fox or anyone else finding out that we've smuggled Firsties into the tryouts."
He shrugged, flew down nearer to the injured boy and had a look at the leg.
"I broke my leg a couple of years ago," he said conversationally. "Magic is much better than the Muggle way of getting them back in working condition though - trust me - so you'll have a better time of it. If you want a laugh though, as Wolfe - that's the medic - about the coach." He winked. "There are rumours," he said, tapping his nose, and then rising up again.
He paused for a bit, looking at the Cravens and then at Saul.
"I mean, we do want to finish these tryouts, right?" he asked, before proving that he for one did, and moving back to his position, shouting for his interim team mates to follow suit.
OOC: I'm going to assume that the Craven's do as suggested unless they actually post. Which might not happen before the teams are supposed to be sorted if a text I just got is being interpreted correctly. So.... carry on!
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How about we just get things moving again?
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Saul
June 21, 2008 11:26 AM
Excellent plan by Saul
Saul nodded to Stephen as he made reasonable suggestions. The one bludger was already out, but without beaters to direct it, Saul the referee could probably keep an eye on it and keep it from doing any real damage. He waited a few seconds as the Cravens got Ark off the pitch and then turned to everyone else.Grabbing a spare bat and the forgotten Quaffle, Saul instructed everyone to get back in the air. He pointed at the late arrival - "You're in Ark's spot with Kyler and Lizzie as teammates. Joey, right?" He didn't wait for a response because he was pretty good with names and he was fairly sure he'd gotten it right even if they hadn't officially met before.
"Okay, guys, let's try this again and no more diving into the ground, all right? Especially for first years, you're not trying out for a spot on the team. You're here to have fun and get practice for next year, so don't kill yourself trying to prove something during your first time out. Got it? Great. Ready, everyone? Begin."
He threw the Quaffle high into the air and ran for his discarded broom to get back up in the air before any other disasters could occur. Once he pushed off the ground, he pulled his wand out, ready to cast windardium leviosa if anyone else looked like they were going to crash.
Maybe, just maybe, he could now understand why first years weren't allowed on the teams anymore.
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Saul
Excellent plan
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The Craven Twins
June 25, 2008 5:26 PM
Joining the action. And leaving it... by The Craven Twins
The twins hovered behind Saul, watching him set up the try out exercises. He had a softer, more cuddly "I'm going to be your friend not your cruel overlord" approach to the whole thing, but he'd proved himself a good player, and he seemed to be well organised, so hopefully the softly-softly approach would just help him bond with the team, rather than make him too scared of offending people to make decisions. The practice game option was a well tried and tested method, and they took to the air with their respective teams, fully aware that the kid trying for Keeper was going to get somewhat flattened by Stephen's general awesomeness, but glad to know there was someone interested for when the three of them graduated. Thinking of which, they realised, even though their Beater spots were guaranteed, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to start training up some reserves or wannabes for next year.They began by smashing the heavy iron Bludger back and forth between them. It was a good way to warm up their muscles and, with its indiscriminate attack pattern and inability to stay going where you told it, their flying skills too. It also gave the rest of the players a chance to get into the game before having to contend with the novelty of a ball that was determined to rearrange their faces. At a loud crack from the action beneath them both twins' instinctively snapped around to see where the other Bludger was and who it had hit before they realised that there was only one and it was well under their control. Surveying the scene below, they quickly pieced together the fact that one of the first years had made some kind of bolt involving the Quaffle with all the enthusiasm of a Labrador puppy and about as much flying know-how.
They headed down towards the group, hovering in the air to occasionally swat away the Bludger when it took an unhealthy interest in the proceedings. They weren't best pleased by Stephen's suggestion that they take the (to put it nicely) gung-ho firsty to the hospital wing and miss out on the try outs - surely the other first years who were doing nothing could just take him and prevent any more attacks of supreme idiocy into the bargain. However, they were probably too little to physically lift the kid, and not skilled enough yet to magic him away.
"Ok," Sorrel nodded, she and Ash chucking their bats down onto the field. "Anyone who wants to try out for Beater next year could do worse that helping keep that off your backs," she added, seeing a chance to bring in what she and Ash had realised earlier.
"We should probably be getting reserves for the positions that are graduating trained up," her twin explained. Each supporting Ark under an arm (which had the helpful effect of lifting him clean of the ground) the twins began to transport him back towards the school.
OOC I will continue this in the hospital wing either later tonight or first thing tomorrow. Right now, I have to keep packing my entire life (and I seem to have had a remarkable amount in the last two years) into boxes :-s
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The Craven Twins
Joining the action. And leaving it...
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The Craven Twins
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