Wale arrived at the stadium with Coach Peller to participate in his first ever pickleball competition and he felt disappointed immediately when he saw an almost empty stadium.
"Why aren't people here to watch us? I thought there was an advert about the under-12 pickleball competition," Wale said to Coach Peller as they went into the dressing room.
"Watch you when they barely watch the senior players competition, this sport isn't one of the appreciated ones on this side of the world and you should know that by now," Coach replied.
"Yes, I know but they should at least appreciate us. Aren't we sportsmen too?" Wale asked and the coach just sighed.
The few attendees were the parents or guardians of the players participating and Wale felt more disappointed remembering that his parents chose his brother's school inter-house sport game over his first competitive match.
"I thought your family would join us here," Coach Peller said as they did a few exercises after they stepped back into the stadium.
"Today is my brother's school inter-house sports day and they prefer to be there. I am not surprised because they have never supported my interest in pickleball. I am fine though," Wale replied as he shrugged his shoulders.
Coach Peller felt sorry for Wale and he could relate to how the young boy was feeling. Wale picked interest in pickleball after seeing some adults play the game, he found it quite fascinating and never gave up becoming a star of the game someday even though 99% of the country population have no interest in it.
Wale returned home after the match with a medal but no one among his family members cared to ask how the game went. He dragged himself into his bedroom and returned to join the family for dinner.
"Ade, how was the inter-house sport?" Wale asked his brother.
"It was fine. Blue house got the third position and I won gold in the 200 meter race," Ade replied.
"Wow, that's cool. I also defeated my opponent at the pickleball competition," Wale replied.
"You boys shouldn't talk while eating," Wale's dad interrupted the boys chat and Wale got the message. Mr Johnson doesn't like to hear anything about pickleball, he had tried stopping Wale from playing but the young chap was adamant.
"He took after you, always adamant or am I wrong?" Mrs. Johnson replied to her husband after he complained about Wale's addiction to pickleball.
"Is that all you have to say? Always finding a way to hit back at me," Mr Johnson replied.
"I have told you to leave this boy, he will quit when he gets tired. I am sure of that," She replied. Mr Johnson thought about it and agreed to his wife's conclusion.
"He will quit when he's tired. Among the sports in the world, he chose that forsaken pickleball. Let him continue," Mr Johnson muttered.
Wale didn't quit playing pickleball and he kept excelling in the sport. Years passed and Wale competed in the senior championship which brought him the opportunity to participate in the Olympics.
Coach Peller broke the news to Wale and he just couldn't hold the joy back even though support wasn't coming from the government.
"Mom, I got an invite to the Olympics. That's a dream come true," Wale said excitedly as he broke the news to his mother.
"Congratulations! Your father left some cloth for you to press," Mrs Johnson replied.
"Aren't you happy for me?" Wale stuttered.
"I am and how else do you want me to show it other than saying congratulations?" Mrs Johnson answered sharply.
"It's okay Mom. I have to attend coaching in preparation for my examination so I will press the cloth when I return," Wale replied and just left the house immediately.
"Congratulations Wale, we are happy for you. Go make us proud buddy," Kemi said to Wale immediately after he broke the news to his mates at the coaching center.
"Thanks, buddy," Wale replied.
"I just hope you don't come back like other athletes that represented us at the Olympics, don't give us false hopes. Don't fall out hands," Segun replied and the other students burst into laughter.
"I understand guys and promise not to let you down. Just keep supporting me," Wale replied and they started cheering him.
Weeks passed and Wale was set for the Olympics even though his dad didn't approve of it. Wale arrived in Europe with Coach Peller and he felt great to have come that far with pickleball.
"This is the time to give your best and you mustn't let us down," Coach Peller said to Wale while preparing for his first match and he felt charged up.
"I won't let you down sir because this is an opportunity to prove my family wrong," Wale replied.
"This is not a game to prove anything wrong or right, just play for the love of the game and make us proud," Coach Peller replied and patted Wale on the back before he stepped into the stadium.
Unfortunately for Wale, he started the competition against the previous year's runner-up and everyone thought he would be kicked out from the beginning but that wasn't the case.
The match turned out to be one of the longest in the history of pickleball and Wale came victorious at the end. It was an unbelievable start for Wale and the victory put his name on every news headline across the globe.
"Wale won his first match at the Olympics," Ade told us parents and they just snubbed him.
Wale progressed into the semi-finals and the world poured love out for Wale as his story drew attention and love to the game of pickleball. He was interviewed just after the quarterfinals and his parents couldn't prevent themselves from watching the interview. They watched their boy put smiles on faces across the world but they could see the sadness in his face.
"He is not happy," Mr Johnson said while the family was watching the interview.
"How can he be when his family is thousands of miles away and the only family face he knows in the foreign land is Coach Peller shouldn't we be out there supporting him?" Ade cuts into the conversation.
"Will you keep quiet?" Mr Johnson replied and Ade just walked out to put a call across his brother.
Wale's parents thought about it thoroughly and regretted not supporting Wale from the moment he picked interest in the game.
"I am sorry son," Mrs Johnson muttered as she browsed through Wale's collection of trophies and medals hung in his room.
"We are going to Europe," Mr Johnson said to his family at breakfast the next morning and they were happy to finally show support as a family.
"Don't tell him, let's make it a surprise. Okay?" Mr Johnson said to Ade and he agreed.
The traveling was delayed and they couldn't meet up to see the semifinals which really pained them. Wale's parents put a call across to him to congratulate him after the semifinals and he was happy to hear their voice.
Wale prepared for the final and it was challenging as the thought about facing the five-time pickleball Olympic champion but Coach Peller didn't stop encouraging him.
Mr Johnson and the rest of the family arrived at the airport and were excited to see many people from their place who also wanted to support Wale in the finals. They arrived in Europe but couldn't get to Wale since they landed a few hours before the finals.
They checked into a hotel to keep their luggage and went to the stadium immediately. Since they couldn't meet Wale, they tried calling him but his line wasn't reachable. They sat among the supporters and waited patiently to see Wale step out to the stadium.
Wale finally came out and the crowd cheered him, a lot supporter found his journey inspiring and wanted to see him win the finals.
The match started and Wale just couldn't handle his opponent. He struggled against Wenger and at the end of the first half he was trailing.
Ade thought of getting Wale's attention so he got a cardboard and wrote on it, "Your family loves you." He started doing some funny dances to get attention and soon, the camera picked him up as Wale stretched his body before the second half. He noticed Ade and insisted the Coach went to bring his family to the front row. He was excited to see them and it fueled his motivation to win the finals.
Wale went into the second half with so much determination and he ended Wenger's dominance in the Olympics. His parents apologized and Wale didn't have a choice but to forgive them. They couldn't thank Coach Peller enough for believing and supporting Wale as he became the first Olympics medalist from their country.
