The Game

By Ryan Turkmen

Ryan Stich, or Stich as his soccer teammates and friends call him, felt a short but sharp wave of excitement as he laced up his cleats for the annual State Game. The opponent that had been chosen by the league was from a school that Ryan knew nothing about because it was in the opposite part of the State. To Ryan, however, this game felt like a gateway into something much bigger than what was offered in the small town.

Next to Ryan was his best friend, Dalton Miller, also dressed in a red jersey with white trim. Both boys were thirteen years old and had grown up together in Dewhurst. They stood in a line of players waiting for the game to start. Their names and numbers were painted on the inside of the doors. The team had changed uniforms; this time, they wore long-sleeved jerseys instead of short sleeves.

The hazy morning sky suddenly shifted to a crystal-clear clarity, revealing the ancient hieroglyphs etched into the door--a secret code of some mysterious message from years ago. The air was electrified with the pungent scent of rain-soaked soil and newly sprouted leaves, mixed with the gritty smell of gravel and concrete. 

Linda Stich, Ryan's mother, was watching from the sidelines with a mixture of pride and worry. She had always been supportive of Ryan's passion for the game, but this match felt a little different. It marked a transition for Ryan and Dalton from eager children to young adults with their futures at stake.

• Language: English
• Publisher: True American Publishing
• Release date: Aug 13, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223322023

Ryan Turkmen

As early as five years old, Ryan had only one dream. That dream was to one day play professional soccer with Real Madrid Club de Fútbol, a Spanish professional football club based out of Madrid, Spain. Now playing in a highly competitive league in Toronto, Canada, Ryan, who's now fourteen years old, can see his future more clearly than ever. "Staying focused is the key," says Ryan "it's how you achieve your passion and your future dreams." You can also check Ryan out at his podcast TurkmenLive.com

Book preview

Ryan Stich, or Stich as his soccer teammates and friends call him, felt a short but sharp wave of excitement as he laced up his cleats for the annual State Game. The opponent that had been chosen by the league was from a school that Ryan knew nothing about because it was in the opposite part of the State. To Ryan, however, this game felt like a gateway into something much bigger than what was offered in the small town.

Next to Ryan was his best friend, Dalton Miller, also dressed in a red jersey with white trim. Both boys were thirteen years old and had grown up together in Dewhurst. They stood in a line of players waiting for the game to start. Their names and numbers were painted on the inside of the doors. The team had changed uniforms; this time, they wore long-sleeved jerseys instead of short sleeves.

The hazy morning sky suddenly shifted to a crystal-clear clarity, revealing the ancient hieroglyphs etched into the door—a secret code of some mysterious message from years ago. The air was electrified with the pungent scent of rain-soaked soil and newly sprouted leaves, mixed with the gritty smell of gravel and concrete. 

Linda Stich, Ryan's mother, was watching from the sidelines with a mixture of pride and worry. She had always been supportive of Ryan's passion for the game, but this match felt a little different. It marked a transition for Ryan and Dalton from eager children to young adults with