Daija, grade 7, had a chronic attendance problem. She often missed days of school at a time. It was not clear she would be able to move on to the 8th grade. When the season started, Daija was informed she would not be allowed to play on the team if she did not improve her attendance. Daija’s attendance improved dramatically. She went from missing school two to three times a week, to missing only one half day of school the entire two month season. She understood the importance of being there for her team and had found her own motivation to engage in the school community.