49 pages • 1 hour read
Mike LupicaThe Underdogs
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Power of Teamwork for Achieving Goals
The novel conveys the clear message that impressive victories are not won alone. While each player wants a winning season, conflict within a team presents barriers to success. Will and his teammates reach their goal only by learning the value of teamwork and applying what they learn in game situations. The Bulldogs’ win over Castle Rock in the championship indicates how accepting and acknowledging the strengths of team members is necessary to win.
One clear example of how the team’s cooperation results in winning comes through Hannah. While the boys initially harbor stereotypes against girls playing football, the boys come to recognize that she is just as good as them and that in some ways, she may be better. For example, her skill as a kicker is unmatched, giving the team an extra advantage through her particular strengths. It takes strong encouragement from Will—and a subtle ultimatum from his father—for the majority of the team to warm up to Hannah’s involvement. Once her skills are permitted on the field, she proves herself in each game. The way the boys drop their preconceived notions once they see Hannah’s skills demonstrates their commitment to a unified team. The boys’ acceptance of Hannah contributes to their subsequent successes, which shows the importance of respecting all members of a team and defying stereotypes.
In another example, the discovery of Toby Keenan’s strong throwing arm is a reminder that one’s teammates may be goldmines of uncovered talent. When quarterback Chris Aiello breaks his ankle, the team doesn’t even consider Toby for the position. Luckily, his random after-practice throw gets their attention. The hidden talents and crucial skills Toby brings to the table demonstrate the need for open-mindedness and open communication among team members. Toby’s role in the championship as their new quarterback conveys the importance of mining one’s talents and potential contributions; it also demonstrates how making assumptions about teammates’ strengths and weaknesses may result in missed opportunities.
Finally, the novel shows how teamwork is strongest when individuals acknowledge their personal limitations and the need for assistance. This is seen when Will’s fumble almost costs them the championship; Hannah’s kick saves the day, showing that even though Will has grown as a player, it’s his new stronger team that results in victory. Will’s father calling on Mr. Keenan to help develop an effective defensive strategy in the Cannondale game is another example. Acknowledging one’s limitations and looking to others’ strengths leads the Bulldogs to success. Overall, the novel shows how working as a team rather than focusing on one’s own strengths is essential for achieving one’s goals.
The Challenges and Rewards of Leadership
The team’s members and coaches all have important skills and likable attributes, but early in the story, none of them present much leadership potential. Will is encouraging, but he feels most comfortable leading quietly behind the scenes. Joe Tyler has the skillset to coach but initially harbors so much bitterness toward football that he refuses the job. Mr. Keenan’s negativity hurts his son and brings down everyone around him. However, each of these characters becomes an effective leader after surmounting the personal challenges that go with the job. Through Will, Joe Tyler, and Mr. Keenan, the novel reveals that leadership requires stepping out of one’s comfort zone to conquer challenges and become an effective and inspiring force.
Will’s letter to the newspaper is a prime example of his growth as a leader. He is happy to help guide the team but struggles to take charge, rarely speaking up and never taking an authoritative tone with his friends. While his initiative gets the team its initial funding, he remains hesitant throughout the novel. This is clear even when writing to the editor, as he needs to first float the idea by Hannah. Initiating the pep rally and putting his written words in front of hundreds of people are not typical Will moves, but he recognizes that these uncomfortable steps are necessary to get his team their symbolic 11th player. The reward that Will reaps is a pep rally that inspires the team on game day and a spirited crowd that is engaged in their win.
Joe Tyler is burdened by loss early in the story; he associates football with his unfulfilled dreams. When asked to lead the team as coach, his initial refusal symbolizes the wall he has built between his past experiences and his future potential: “I can’t. As much as I try to love football watching you play, I’ve just hated it for too long. It took too much from me, kid” (89). Will’s father is unhappy behind this wall, but it is a safe place for him to hide. He displays courage when he steps into the role of coach; there, he rediscovers his tenacity, love of the game, and passion for teaching, all rewards of leadership. This helps him not only lead the Bulldogs to victory but also lands him a new job as the high school football coach—the fulfilling career that has evaded him all his life.
Finally, Mr. Keenan demonstrates awkwardness when leading the Bulldogs’ defense. He regresses a few times, even after proving his strategy talents; for example, when he belligerently hollers at his son in the championship, Will must remind him that they are all struggling, not just Toby. Mr. Keenan’s setbacks symbolize how surmounting personal challenges is not a linear journey. As Will says, Mr. Keenan is “still kind of a work in progress” (225). No matter how rough Mr. Keenan’s transition to coach is, no one can deny the benefits of his defensive leadership. Along with Will and Joe, Mr. Keenan demonstrates that stepping into a leadership role may offer personal challenges, but the outcome is fulfilling for both the leader and the team.
The Impact of Economic Hardship on Youth
Lupica makes the ways that hard economic times impact the town of Forbes evident: The factory’s closure uproots families and causes youth football programming to be slated for cancellation. Looking deeper, it becomes clear that while adults such as Joe Tyler, town council president Nick LeBlanc (Tim’s father), and former coach Mr. Carrington are largely reactive to the town’s socioeconomic struggles, middle graders such as Will and his teammates are more proactive and motivated to avoid the negative impacts. Will in particular represents a youthful, dreams-can-come-true dynamic that contrasts with the cynical resignation of the older generation. Unsurprisingly, it is Will who motivates his team to action. Crucially, the members of the Bulldogs are mature enough to recognize the impact of economic hardship on Forbes; combined with players’ youthful optimism and perseverance, those observations motivate key actions in the novel.
As an astute seventh grader, Will knows that he cannot offer repayment to Mr. DeMartini when he seeks patronage for his team. He also recognizes the realistic costs of running a team despite Tim’s hyperbolic statements on the topic: “But the ten thousand may as well be a million right now” (17). While Will understands that $10,000 is the bare minimum it takes to run the team, he remains optimistic, knowing that by working hard, he can build his team and lead them to victory. The impact of economic hardship prompts Will to turn to his playbook, and like all Hail Mary passes that succeed, his last-minute move invigorates the team.
Based on their keen observations, Will’s teammates rally to action. Though the town struggles, they have the gift of opportunity and make the most of it: They seek new players and coaches, value the new uniforms and field improvements they can finance, and eventually welcome Hannah as a team member. These actions show how the rough financial situation in Forbes informs the team’s attitude and gratitude toward every advantage and positive event. When Tim must leave the Bulldogs because his father is relocating for work, the remaining 10 forgo the bitterness they have grown used to seeing in adults and focus on winning to make Tim proud. Key actions like this demonstrate how young people have the innocence and hope to channel the distress caused by economic impacts into opportunities for success.
To the preteens in the novel, economic impacts are clear when they compare Forbes’s situation to Castle Rock’s opportunities. Will’s wistful daydreams about playing football there and Carlos Estrada’s decision to play Castle Rock soccer instead of Forbes football represent the allure of a wealthier town with more resources. Forbes’s ultimate victory over Castle Rock repudiates the idea that success can be bought. While advantages like better funding can’t be overstated, Lupica asserts that striving against the odds builds grit, which is part of the winning spirit.
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