Ride High with the Wave

By Sharon K Solomon

Hiro Kojima and Ted Richman are backstroke rivals on the Dolphins, their swim team. Hiro is the new boy in town and Ted dislikes him. Reluctantly, Ted agrees to work with Hiro to solve their mutual problem, attending swim meets on Saturdays. Ted and his family attend Sabbath services and Hiro goes to Japanese School. The rivals join forces to ch

• Language: English
• Publisher: Gettier Group LLC
• Release date: Apr 13, 2018
• ISBN: 9780986088247

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Copyright @ 2017 by Sharon K. Solomon

All rights reserved worldwide. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

For information about permission to reproduce selections from this book, write to Permissions, Gettier Group, LLC, 21348 Small Branch Place, Broadlands, VA 20148.

Library of Congress Control Number: 2017956234

Publisher’s Cataloging-in-Publication data

Names: Solomon, Sharon K., author.

Title: Ride high with the wave / Sharon K. Solomon

Description: Broadlands, VA: Gettier Group, LLC, 2017.

Identifiers: ISBN 978-0-9860882-5-4 (pbk.) | 978-0-9860882-4-7 (ebook) | LCCN 2017956234

Summary: Backstroke rivals Hiro Kojima and Ted Richman join forces to change the demands of their swim team with the values of their families.

Subjects: LCSH Family--Juvenile fiction. | Swimming--Juvenile fiction. | Family--Juvenile fiction. | Jews--Juvenile fiction. | Judaism--Juvenile fiction. | Japanese Americans--Fiction. | BISAC JUVENILE FICTION / General | JUVENILE FICTION / Sports & Recreation / Water Sports | JUVENILE FICTION / Social Themes / Religion & Faith

Classification: LCC PZ7.S69612 Ri 2017 | DDC [Fic]--dc23

First Edition

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Cover design by Daniel F. Bridy

Printed in the United States of America

by Gettier Group, LLC (www.gettiergroup.net)

To all those dedicated swimmers who practice and compete on swim teams.

Ride high!

Table of Contents

Title Page

Chapter 1 - The Conflict

Chapter 2 - A Bumpy Road

Chapter 3 - Stand Tall

Chapter 4 - The Reply

Chapter 5 - Traditions

Chapter 6 - The Meet

Chapter 7 - East Meets West

Chapter 8 - The Plan

Chapter 9 - A New Year

Chapter 10 - West Meets East

Chapter 11 - The Delay

Chapter 12 - Life Isn’t Fair

Chapter 13 - Hang Loose

Chapter 14 - The Vote

Chapter 15 - The Resolution

Chapter 16 - A Fresh Start

About the Author

If You Liked this Book

Chapter 1

The Conflict

Hiro Kojima felt the water support him as his arms flew behind his head like propellers. When he swam backstroke, Hiro was in another world. He counted his strokes and focused on his kicks. Nothing else mattered.

When he wasn’t swimming, Hiro was like a fish out of water. Moving from California to Pittsburgh hadn’t been easy. He left behind everything he knew—his neighborhood, his school, and his swim team. Although there were many other Japanese Americans in California, here in Pittsburgh he was the only Asian on his swim team.

No one on the Dolphins spoke to him. Not hello, not get lost, not who are you, except for Ted Richman. They were rivals for the best spot in the relay for the backstroke. Ted just said, Watch your back, Kojima.

Hiro smiled when he remembered meeting Coach Woodson for the first time. Hiro told her how his great-grandfather was on the Japanese Olympic swim team at the 1932 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. Coach’s eyes widened when he explained how the Japanese photographed and studied world-class swimmers and their strokes. And it paid off because Japan’s swim team won almost every Olympic swim medal that year. Great-Grandfather did not get a medal, but he told his son who then told his son, Hiro’s father.

Imagine using underwater cameras in 1932! I didn’t know that! Coach said.

Hiro didn’t speak to anyone on the Dolphins except the coach. And in school he rarely raised his hand even though he always knew the answer. Hiro was waiting to fit in. He knew he wouldn’t ever look like the others. He wasn’t a class clown. His only hobby was art, which he did by himself or with his grandmother. Sometimes he thought it was hopeless. He’d never be one of the guys.

Coach blew her whistle, and Hiro was brought back to reality: the PAC, the Pittsburgh Athletic Club, with its underground pool in a windowless room. His teammates stood like dripping candles while Coach spoke. Listen up, Dolphins. Due to last week’s blizzard, I’ve rescheduled the meet for this Saturday. I’ll see you all Thursday for practice.

Oh, no! Now it really was hopeless. Hiro slumped on the bench in the lobby waiting for his father to pick him up. The cold December air made it impossible to wait outside. His damp hair would freeze and his feet would turn to blocks of ice. What am I going to do? he thought.

When he saw the black Jeep with the license DOCTOR K., Hiro opened the front door and slid in next to his father. He tried to be cheerful.

How was your practice today, son? Did your timing on the backstroke improve?

It was better, Father. I remembered what you taught me and held my arms straight as they entered the water. That did improve my speed. Does it really matter? What good is it if I can’t go to the Saturday swim meets? Hiro thought.

Great! Sunday we can work on it together. It brings back memories of my swimming days.

I know, like your father and your grandfather. But Great-Grandfather did not go to Japanese School like me.

He didn’t have to. He was born in Japan. You were born in California. Here in the United States we are Americans, but we must hold onto our culture and traditions. That’s why you need to go to Japanese School every Saturday.

I want to make you and our family proud of me, but Coach Woodson just changed last Sunday’s meet to this Saturday. Can I go, please? Hiro crossed his fingers behind his back.

Saturday mornings are for Japanese School. It is not negotiable, Hiro. Learning the language and customs is important. You don’t want to fall behind the rest of the class. I am disappointed you asked me this question.

I am sorry, Father, but I already missed one meet. Coach eats, breathes, and sleeps swimming. And she expects us to do that, too.

I can call her if you’d like, said his father.

No, Father, I am eleven years old. I will tell her myself at tomorrow’s practice. If I don’t do the backstroke in Saturday’s meet, she’ll put in Ted Richman. What’s the use of practicing if I can’t compete?

After his father slowed down and pulled into the garage, he patted Hiro and tousled his hair as if to say, Hang in there, buddy.

I’ll ask Grandma and see if she has any ideas, Hiro thought.

Ted Richman counted to ten. He bit his lip. Then he flung his swim bag against the wall in the locker room. He slammed lockers.

Keep it down, Ted, his friend Josh said, before Coach hears!

Ted stopped his hand midway before hitting another locker door. Forget the shower, he thought. He threw on his clothes and walked upstairs to wait for the familiar red station wagon. Then he noticed Hiro sitting on the bench. He looked away. Guess he’ll be doing the backstroke Saturday instead of me.

When his mom pulled up, Ted hopped in the front and slammed the door.

What’s up, Ted? asked Mom.

Coach changed the date of the swim meet to Saturday. What am I going to do? Now she’ll pick that new kid Hiro to take my place in the backstroke.

I’m sorry.

Ted sulked. After a few silent moments, he asked, Since I missed one meet already, can I go to this one? Please, Mom?

"I know how much this new swim team means to you, but we go to temple on Saturday mornings. You know it’s the Sabbath, our day of rest. You’ll just have to miss this