The Wrong Cheerleader Coach

All right, Alyssa, one more time. You got this!

Whew!

All right, Alyssa, that's really good work.

You're getting so much better.

Thanks. It's just...

I've seen the other girls, and it comes so natural to them.

So I want you to go home,

and next week, I want to see you

with all the confidence in the world.

All right, I'll see you next week, Alyssa.

Ciao, baby.

What are you waiting for?!

Don't worry. Don't move a muscle. I got it.

Hoo! Oh, God. I feel like I've been...

inside of one of these boxes the last 10 hours.

You're just getting old.

That is true. I am.

This place looks smaller than in the photos.

Well, I wouldn't complain.

At least we got a house.

We could've ended up in a corporate apartment.

Or they could've not made you move at all.

Ah, stop that. We've been over this a million times.

I don't want to hear any more about it.

Sure we can't just get back in the car

and head back to Chicago?

Hey, honey, let me tell you something.

You are going to be... very happy here.

Why?

Why? Uh, why.

Why, because, uh...

because I am going to let you choose

whichever room you want in the house

for your bedroom, that's why.

I'm going to choose the biggest one.

Th-That's what, that's what I figured!

Um, I would expect nothing... nothing less!

Dad, be careful with my trophies!

I know, I know. I'm a pro.

I'm a professional. I got this.

I just kind of forgot how...

heavy these things were.

Geez.

Okay, uh...

I'll be back as soon as possible.

Where are you going?

Um, I gotta go by your school,

drop off all your registration forms.

But school doesn't start until tomorrow.

Yes, that's true, but the staff is there today,

and they want all of your forms ahead of time, before you start.

I will see you back here before dinner.

- Okay. - Okay.

All right.

It's gonna be fine, I promise.

Everything's gonna be fine.

All right.

Bye.

Ohh! Oh.

- Sorry. - Hello.

I'm just trying to find the main office here

and get my daughter registered for school.

Oh, I assume she's a freshman?

Senior, actually. We just moved here from Chicago.

Today, as a matter of fact, if you can believe that.

It's a good thing you allowed yourselves plenty of time.

Yeah, yeah, no doubt.

It wasn't by choice, I can tell you that.

It's all work-related and very last-minute.

Yeah, well, I'm sure she'll enjoy her senior year here.

I'm Janice Burke, one of the physical ed teachers here,

- And this is... - Devan Walters.

Jon Thompson. Daughter's name is Hanna.

- Hanna. - Yeah.

Well, as far as the main office, it's--

I was actually heading that way.

I could show Mr. Thompson where that is.

Oh, okay. Well, thank you, Miss Walters.

- A pleasure to meet you. - You too.

- All right, well, take care. - Thanks so much.

- Come on, this way. - Sure, thanks, appreciate it.

You're not a teacher here, are you?

- No. - You a student or...

Oh, you just made my day.

I'm actually on the faculty. I'm the cheerleading coach--

Well, assistant coach.

Coach Burke is actually the head coach

as well as being a phys-ed teacher.

Oh, who I just met. I wish I would have known that.

My daughter's a cheerleader. She's pretty good too.

Well, I hope she tries out for the team.

Oh, she definitely will be.

Don't worry. I'll keep an eye out for her, I promise.

It's my first year at Lincoln too,

so we have something in common.

Oh, okay. Well, I appreciate that.

- That sounds very nice of you. - Yeah, no worries.

So is it just you, your wife, and your daughter?

Uh, well, no. My wife's no longer with us.

It's just Hanna and I, yeah.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that.

I guess that's something else we have in common.

My father raised me alone as well.

Oh, uh, yeah.

Well, it's, uh...

- Glad to meet you. - Must be fate.

Hey, that's certainly a way of putting it, all right.

So you see the double doors right there by the flagpole?

- Yeah. - You're going through there.

Okay, all right. I owe ya.

And I intend to collect.

- Push. -

Doin' good.

Don't forget to breathe.

Nice! Good job. Two more than last session.

I really needed this workout.

You're a lot more fun to work out with

than my regular clients.

I'm getting tired of telling blue-haired old ladies

how to turn on the elliptical.

So what is it? What's bothering you?

Oh, nothing. It's complicated.

Of course it is, or else it wouldn't be bothering you.

It's just... the father of one of the cheerleaders I coach.

What, are you seeing him or something?

Like I said, it's complicated.

Well, that's your first problem right there.

- What is? - Dating an old man.

You need somebody your age, somebody that can hang with you.

You think because you have perfect biceps

and that your hair isn't yet gray

and that your chest is as smooth as a baby seal

that you're so much better than him?

- What are you talking about? - Let me tell you something.

You want to know what older men have?

They have class.

They have experience.

They have sophistication.

You can't find any of that on the lat bar.

I didn't mean anything by it. It was a joke anyway.

Well, it wasn't funny.

You could learn a thing or two from older men.

Now, come help stretch me out.

I have to keep up with a bunch of teenagers.

This is not pizza.

You know, it's... Pizza's not, uh...

bad.

Sure, if you've never tasted pizza before.

Oh, there is a rumor that there is a proper Chicago-style parlor

down the street from the office, okay?

I'll believe that when I taste it.

I, myself, am looking forward to experiencing

the culinary delights that this town has to offer.

Sure, if you like tofu and meatless burgers.

Oh, now, that is a complete myth.

You saw when we were driving through town.

There's a taco shop, a hamburger joint,

a hot dog stand on every corner in this town.

Hey, babe, you gotta give it a chance.

I just wish I wasn't going into my last year of high school.

Well, honey,

unfortunately, I am the only architect at the firm

that they trusted to oversee this project.

You could've said no.

Not with college coming up next year, I couldn't.

If I go to college.

If? Hey!

You know how important education was to your mother.

I know, I know. I was only kidding, Dad.

But it doesn't mean I'm gonna spend the rest of my life

in college like Mom did.

She didn't spend her whole life in school.

Now, granted, it did take a long time for her to get her PhD,

but, you know, research was important to her.

Yeah, a lot of good it did her.

Hey, that's enough of that. Come on.

Just relax. Enjoy your night.

Stay fresh for school tomorrow, okay?

- Yeah, you're right. - All right.

As for me, I'm beat.

That's it. I can't take anymore I'm gonna turn in.

All right.

I'm gonna hang out down here for a little while longer.

- Okay, babe, not too late. - I know.

- Love you. - Love you.

Oh!

I completely forgot.

I ran into your cheerleading coaches today.

- Both of them. - For real?

Yeah, the head coach and the assistant coach.

I think the assistant one is just new to the school as well.

What was she like?

To be honest, I don't remember. I was I was very distracted.

But she did say that she would look out for you.

Well, if that's what it takes for me to make the team,

then I'm in big trouble.

Oh, come on, honey. Honey, you'll make the team.

You know why? Because you, you're great.

You've always been great.

- Love you. - Night.