Jump Ball

Book excerpt: A.J. starts sixth grade with a big secret: She is too worried about her family falling apart to care about seeing friends and meeting new teachers. Jump Ball is the coming-of-age story about Adrianna, an athletic, artistic girl forced to grow up early and deal with serious issues. Over the summer, her parents came home drunk one night and had a terrible fight, ending with her dad hitting her mom, knocking her down and leading to a trip to the emergency room. A.J.'s dad was arrested, and the family, which includes her brother and grandfather, didn't see him for months. Her brother took off in the car, got high and crashed. He survived but was sent to rehabilitation. A.J., who always had a strong relationship with her brother and played basketball with him, even thinks about giving up the sport. A.J. must rely on her inner voice and strength to work things out. At times she stumbles, going down the wrong path. She starts to use alcohol and gives up on basketball. She takes her mother for granted, and her grades start to slip. But through court intervention, the help of her beloved grandfather and some counseling, she begins to straighten out. A.J. discovers talents she never realized she had and redevelops her love of sports. She is allowed to live with her father and brother. What does the future hold for Adrianna? Only she knows whether she has the strength to build a better life. In Jump Ball, author Vicki Drewa shows the importance of seeking guidance for life's serious problems. Instead of following a bad path on their own, those in trouble should seek help from someone they trust, whether it's a coach, guidance counselor, family member, religious leader or neighbor. Vicki Drewa grew up in a small town in northeastern Wisconsin. She fit in most when playing sports, starting with summer sports when she was 9. She played basketball from sixth grade through high school and was on the track team from seventh grade through college. Drewa was fortunate to have a coach from junior high through high school who helped keep her focused, showing her she could use her talents to move forward in life. After graduating from college, Drewa coached several teams in her hometown. A few years later, she moved to Chicago and earned a teaching degree. Drewa has been an elementary school teacher since 1999 and continues to coach.