Report Card

By the time Yang Yang arrived at the training ground, everyone had already gathered outside the locker room in the training building, anxiously awaiting the upcoming results. Some were so nervous their faces had turned pale.

Yang Yang shook his head, feeling that many of his teammates were too tense—caring too much only led to panic.

It wasn't that he wasn't worried himself. Before the test, he'd had his share of unease. But since he'd given it his all, there was no point fretting afterward. It was useless now. Whether he made the top three or not, he could accept it.

That was also why, as soon as the assessment ended, he'd rushed off to train at the Skate Park.

"How do you feel?" Henk Dimer didn't push into the crowd but instead stepped back to stand beside Yang Yang.

"I did my best," Yang Yang replied flatly.

He could tell that Henk Dimer was confident he'd secured first place, which was only natural. With his skill, taking first was well-deserved. Even though Yang Yang didn't particularly care for him, he had to admit that much.

"Relax, you don't need to worry about being cut. The coaching staff pulled you early for a clear reason—you're past the point of needing this assessment. Just focus on this summer's amateur matches."

With that, Henk Dimer lifted his chin at a proud forty-five-degree angle, gazing skyward. "I plan to really hone myself in those amateur games and fight to stay at De Toekomst during the Talent Day selection in August."

This wasn't just Henk Dimer's personal wish; it was what everyone, including John Rep, expected of him.

Having someone from the Youth Training Camp picked by Ajax would be a huge boost for Almere. It would help attract more talented recruits and elevate the entire youth development system.

Players were the living face of any academy.

Maybe because his attitude had softened lately, Yang Yang didn't find Henk Dimer's words off-putting. In fact, he agreed to some extent.

A professional player had to have ambition. Without it, how could there be progress?

Besides, it was just Henk Dimer showing his confidence.

Honestly, Yang Yang hadn't said it out loud, but wasn't he thinking the same thing?

As the two chatted, Head Coach John Rep came down from the upstairs coaching office, accompanied by his assistant Dick Van Pool. The players swarmed toward him like a wave, and even Henk Dimer couldn't help but rush forward. Only Yang Yang hung back at the rear.

Both coaches wore smiles as they calmed the excited players, all desperate to know their fates.

John Rep spoke first, his words mostly encouragement—urging the players not to lose heart or drive because of one assessment. Win without arrogance, lose without discouragement. Even if the results were poor and they had to leave the team, they shouldn't give up.

"Even if you leave us temporarily, the coaching staff and scouts will keep watching you. As long as you keep working hard, there will always be a day you return to Almere."

That's what he said, but everyone knew that once you were cut, the blow made it hard to bounce back.

Then Dick Van Pool gave an overview of the assessment results, highlighting that the coaching staff had added a new evaluation item based on Louis van Gaal's input, factoring in each player's growth and progress over the past period.

The final test had twenty sub-items, so adding one more wasn't a big deal. Besides, Ajax changed its assessment criteria every year, so everyone took it in stride.

After gauging the crowd's reaction, Van Pool smiled and said that to ensure fairness, the coaching staff would post all the scores on the locker room door for everyone to verify. For now, he'd only announce the top three.

Just like in league competition, the teams facing relegation drew the most attention. But out of respect for the players, the coaching staff wouldn't publicly name the three who were cut. Instead, they'd have one-on-one talks after the results were posted.

It was the same approach John Rep had used when he repeatedly tried to persuade Yang Yang to leave.

"After the final test, the coaching staff carefully and rigorously scored everyone. Combining that with your usual training and match performance, social conduct, and academic results, we conducted a comprehensive evaluation and selected the top three of this assessment."

Dick Van Pool paused, his gaze sweeping over all the players without giving any hint. No one could guess who'd made the top three, though Henk Dimer and a few others looked confident, as if they already knew.

"Third place in the comprehensive evaluation..."

As Van Pool's voice rang out, everyone held their breath. Even Yang Yang, standing at the edge of the crowd, felt his heart tighten. He thought this was the rank he was most likely to get.

But would it be him?

"...Nick!"

The moment Van Pool finished, starting right-back Nick leaped up from the crowd, cheering.

Third place meant he'd earned a ticket to Ajax's Talent Day selection.

Those around him offered congratulations, and some joked about reserving an autograph from the future Ajax star. Nick accepted it all, promising freely.

When Yang Yang heard that third place went to Nick, disappointment washed over him.

He knew his own performance. The most likely result for him was third, mainly because his fundamentals were too weak and dragged down his score badly. But now that third was Nick's, he felt a deep sense of loss.

Henk Dimer was sure to take one spot, and the two forwards were strong contenders too. Yang Yang figured he had little hope left.

But soon, he let out a deep breath and steadied himself.

A month ago, he'd been worried sick about just staying at Almere. Now, staying on the team was no longer a concern. Making the top three would be a bonus, but if he didn't, it was understandable.

What mattered most was still shoring up his fundamentals and improving his strength.

The players stirred, and Van Pool raised his hand to quiet them down, ready to announce the remaining two spots.

Many were curious, their eyes darting between Henk Dimer and a few other standout players, wondering who'd claim the other two places.

"Second place in the comprehensive evaluation... Henk!"

As Van Pool's words fell, another wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd.

Hearing his name, Henk Dimer looked visibly disappointed but quickly perked up, accepting congratulations from his teammates.

He'd been dead set on first place, so coming in second was unexpected. Still, he'd secured his ticket to Ajax.

"Henk, the reason you got second in this evaluation is that we added a component for recent progress. Your score in that area wasn't ideal. So in the coming period, keep working hard and focus on improving. Hopefully, by August, we'll see a breakthrough."

With that explanation from Dick Van Pool, Henk Dimer found it easier to accept.

He'd always been the team's top player, the midfield core—his skill spoke for itself. But over the past month or two, his progress had indeed been minimal, especially in the crucial match against Omnibus. His performance had been downright awful. If not for Yang Yang bailing him out, he'd have been the primary culprit in the team's loss.

In many cases, performance in key matches not only affects how outsiders perceive a player, but also impacts the player's own confidence.

After the match against Omnibus, Henk Dimer was dealt a heavy blow, and his performance hadn't shown much improvement since.

If it weren't for the added category of progress, he would have had no problem taking first place, but he lost points in that area and was forced to settle for second.

"I understand, Mr. Van Pool." Henk Dimer nodded with rare humility, accepting the lesson. "Several of my teammates and I have decided to participate in a middle school amateur competition this summer, hoping to further hone our skills through matches."

"Mm, that traditional tournament is very valuable for training. Perform well, and we'll be keeping an eye on you." Head Coach John Rep chimed in with a smile.

Almere's youth team had participated in this event before, but their results were poor, always stuck at the bottom. This year, with youth training players like Henk Dimer and Nick, plus Yang Yang's rise, they were confident they could make a showing.

Many in the team heard this news for the first time, but most players had enough self-awareness to know that Henk Dimer hadn't invited them, clearly because he didn't think much of their abilities. Though disappointed, they didn't dare volunteer themselves.

Everyone played on the same team day in and day out; they all knew each other's strengths and weaknesses.

After hearing John Rep's words, Henk Dimer, though disappointed with only second place, was filled with anticipation for the summer amateur competition. He longed to make a big splash, especially against strong opponents.

Ideally, he'd run into Ajax's youth team and cut them down, making a statement ahead of the Talent Day selection in August.

"Alright, now we'll announce the first place in this comprehensive evaluation."

Van Pool's words drew everyone's attention back to him.

First place wasn't just an honor; it was also the last ticket to Ajax. Who would be the lucky one?

Yang Yang had little confidence. If even Henk Dimer only got second, how could he dare hope for first? Besides, many teammates ahead of him were more skilled.

Though it stung, he consoled himself: this was already good enough. Keep pushing—if not this year, then next. As the Super Training Ground said, as long as he worked hard and gave his all, his chance would come eventually.

Whether it was Van Basten, Ronaldo, or those stars at Ajax, he'd meet them one day and compete on the same field.

With that thought, he felt much better. He took a step back and turned to leave.

Just then, Dick Van Pool finally announced the first-place winner.

"This year's comprehensive evaluation first place goes to..."

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