Fifteen-year-old Skyla lives to play soccer. The other team members call her the ‘playmaker’ because she directs the other players during the game, making sure they work together well to capture the ball, defend and score goals. When she’s picked for the district team, she sure it’s only a matter of time before she’s picked for regionals as well. Her future as a soccer player seems secure. But during the school holidays, Skyla contracts COVID, and life is suddenly not so certain. Even by the time school starts again, she’s still so tired. Her brain is foggy, her body aches and she’s dizzy all the time. Then she’s diagnosed with long COVID or possibly chronic fatigue syndrome and everything changes. With help from her friends, Skyla manages to keep up with some schoolwork at home and take the end of term exams, but how can she play soccer? Who is she without it? What is her direction, now soccer can no longer be her focus?
