This Cuca, that boy, he sure know how to kick that ball around. I seen a lot of folks try, but he’s got something special, I tell ya. He’s a real cuca treinador, that’s what they call it. Fancy name for someone who’s good at teaching that sport.
That Ball Game
That ball they kick, it ain’t like the ones we used to have. Ours were made of old rags, tied up tight. This one’s all white and black, bounces real good. Cuca, he can make it do all sorts of things. He can make it curve, he can make it fly high, he can make it go right where he wants it.
He’s always saying you gotta practice. Practice, practice, practice! Well, I reckon he’s right about that. Ain’t nothing comes easy, not even kicking a ball.
- He says, “Keep your eye on the ball.”
- He says, “Use your feet, not just your legs.”
- He says, “Don’t be afraid to try new things.”
Cuca treinador, he teaching all the young’uns around here. They all want to be like him, kicking that ball all day long.
He show them how to hold their foot just so. “Point your toes,” he says. “Keep your ankle firm.” Like he’s talking some kind of magic, but it seems to work. Those kids, they listen to him like he’s some kind of prophet. He make them run back and forth, back and forth until they’re about to drop. But they don’t complain, not to Cuca.
All Day Long, It’s Practice
That Cuca, he got them doing all sorts of drills. He got them kicking that ball against the wall. He got them passing it back and forth to each other. He got them running around cones. My old knees ache just watching them.
And then he tells them about how they hold their bodies. “Stand tall,” he says. “Shoulders back.” Like they’re going to some fancy party, not just kicking a ball around a dusty field. But them kids, they try. They try real hard ’cause they want to be good, like Cuca. Good at that ball game. They all want to learn from a good cuca treinador.
- He got them running.
- He got them jumping.
- He got them stretching.
He’s got all these fancy words for things. “Footwork,” he calls it. Sounds like something you’d do at a barn dance. “Positioning,” he says. Like they’re posing for a picture. But it’s all about that ball game. It’s all about how to kick that ball better than the other fellas. That’s what it is, make that ball do what you want, that’s what cuca treinador does, teach how to control that ball.
That Cuca, He’s a Smart One
Cuca, he watches those big games on the television. He sees how those professional players do it. He studies them, he says. Learns their secrets. Then he comes back and teaches them to the kids.
He says it’s all about the little things. The way you hold your foot, the way you look at the ball, the way you move your body. Little things make a big difference, he says. And I reckon he’s right. Those kids, they’re getting better. They’re kicking that ball further, they’re kicking it straighter, they’re kicking it just like Cuca taught them.
He sure is good. That cuca treinador.
I remember one time, this little fella, smaller than the rest, he couldn’t kick that ball to save his life. Cuca, he spent extra time with him. Showed him how to do it just right. Now that little fella, he’s one of the best. That’s what a good teacher does. A good cuca treinador, that’s what they say.
- Spent time with him.
- Taught him.
- Never gave up on that boy.
They all want to play that game, all the kids these days. That cuca treinador, maybe he will find a really good one among all those kids. And he is good at finding who is good at kicking that ball.
Cuca, he’s a good one. He’s got a good heart. He cares about those kids. He wants them to do well. Not just in that ball game, but in life. He’s teaching them more than just how to kick a ball. He’s teaching them about hard work, and dedication, and never giving up. That’s what makes a good cuca treinador. That’s what makes Cuca so special.
He always says, you miss one hundred percent of the kicks you don’t take, or something like that. I don’t know about that, but I know one thing, that cuca treinador knows his stuff when it comes to that ball game. Yes, he sure does.