Synopsis[]
The Backyard Sports kids have an awesome hockey team, but Tony is definitely the star player. When Tony's older brother Vinny invites Tony to play with his hockey team, Tony thinks he can handle playing with his Backyard Sports team and Vinny's team. But it's a lot tougher than Tony thinks! And when he realizes that both teams are playing big games on the same day, he has a tough decision to make. Will Tony choose his friends or his brother?
Summary (Spoilers)[]
The story starts with Tony's team, the Penguins (Vicki, Joey, Achmed, Pablo, and Ernie) playing against the Panthers (Ricky, Arthur, Pete, Dante, Sam, and Marky). Vinny, Tony's older brother referees the game as he watches how good Tony plays. After winning the game, Vinny comments how well he plays before leaving for his own team's game. Tony's teammates on how Tony is their "hotshot" before leaving the rink.
During the team practice, Vinny arrives to make an offer to Tony to play on his team. Tony is excited and agrees to play on his team. The Penguins assumed that Tony would be leaving their team but Tony reassures that he could play on both teams. He couldn't wait to play along aside with his brother.
When Vinny's team, the Seals, practice arrives, Tony realizes that he is no longer an " all-star" player as he is playing with the bigger kids now. At first Vinny's teammates give him a hard time but his brother sticks up for him. Tony starts improving and playing better. After the Seals' practice, Tony races to the Penguins' practice just before they started.
However, things get harder for Tony when he is late for the Seals' practice. He focuses on practicing with the Seals until Vinny points out that it was 1 o' clock which was the same time the Penguins' practice was. Tony told his brother that he had to leave. Vinny gets mad at Tony for cutting practice early and Tony leaves to go to the Penguins ' practice. Tony did not make the practice in time as Joey and the rest of his teammates were upset with him. Tony promises that he won't be late for them again and encourages his teammates to come for his game with the Seals.
When the Seals' game arrived, his teammates came to support him as Tony was playing for the team well. Tony thought he would be able to make the Penguins' game in time. His teammates left to get ready for game before the Seals' game is over. The game went into the overtime. Tony stayed to help the Seals' win the game, but he ended up nearly missing the Penguins' game. All his teammates were mad at him as they were playing five players at the side before Tony arrived. Tony repeatedly apologizes but the rest of the teammates didn't want to hear it. After losing the game, the teammates wanted to know if Tony still wanted to be on their team. Tony reassured that he will play on two teams.
Things get worse for Tony as the Seals' practice went over the Penguins' practice. Tony didn't want to get his brother angry again. Tony races to find his friends at the Leaning Tower of Pizza. Tony apologizes again but this time, his friends got concerned for him and noticed he was "wearing himself out". Playing on two teams was not working out for him as Tony like for it to be. After talking with his friends, Joey reminds the team that there is a game against the Panthers on Sunday at one. Tony got stressed since the game was at the same time as the Seals' game. Tony had to make a choice between two teams.
On the day of the games, Tony avoided Vinny around the house, trying to decide on what to do. He was afraid of his brother's reaction and waited until before the game started to tell him his decision. Vinny allowed Tony to make a choice and asked him, "What are you going to do?"
The Penguins's game were starting soon. His teammates started to believe that Tony was not going to make it at all. Pablo reassured that Tony will make their game. To their surprise, Tony did show up as he started that would "never let his friends down". He told his friends that Vinny and him worked it out. Tony explained Vinny would still let Tony come to the Seals' practices and some of their games when Penguins don't play at the same time. The team was happy for Tony to be back as they went to play their game against the Panthers.
Trivia[]
- Tony's sister, Angela did not appear or was mentioned in the book.