Pass the Baton!

Zainab was the fastest runner in Class 3. On Sports Day, she would run in the relay race with Tomás, Ellie and Kwame. Each child would run once around the track and then pass a red baton to the next runner.

At their first practice, things went badly. Zainab ran so fast that Tomás was not ready. The baton fell on the grass. Then Ellie and Kwame bumped into each other. “We are a mess!” groaned Kwame.

Coach Rosa called them together. “A relay is not about one fast runner,” she said. “It is about four runners and three good passes.” She showed them how to hold out a hand behind them and shout “Now!” when the baton was coming.

All week they practised passing, again and again. Tomás was not very fast, but he never dropped the baton. Ellie learned to start running at just the right moment.

On Sports Day, the whistle blew. Zainab ran her best, and every pass was smooth. The team crossed the finish line in second place. They were not first, but they jumped and cheered as if they had won a gold medal.