What do you think?
Rate this book
The Benchwarmers #1
Benchwarmers
The path to victory starts on the sidelines, in this fast-paced new middle grade series from #1 New York Times bestselling sportwriting powerhouse John Feinstein.
Twelve-year-old Jeff Michaels, son of a Philadelphia TV sports reporter, is just learning to play soccer on the new sixth-grade team at his middle school. Andrea Carillo has fought her way onto the squad, but the coach doesn’t think girls should play with boys, so she’s riding the bench with Jeff—even though she’s one of the best players.
With Jeff’s help, the Philly media gets ahold of the story, and suddenly Andi is all over the news as she shows her worth on the soccer field. But amid bullies, threats, and a media firestorm, will Andi’s skills and Jeff’s perseverance be enough to save the season?
From sportswriter John Feinstein comes this action-packed novel about two kids who may be "benchwarmers," but prove themselves naturals when it comes to teamwork, friendship, and finding a path to victory.
Twelve-year-old Jeff Michaels, son of a Philadelphia TV sports reporter, is just learning to play soccer on the new sixth-grade team at his middle school. Andrea Carillo has fought her way onto the squad, but the coach doesn’t think girls should play with boys, so she’s riding the bench with Jeff—even though she’s one of the best players.
With Jeff’s help, the Philly media gets ahold of the story, and suddenly Andi is all over the news as she shows her worth on the soccer field. But amid bullies, threats, and a media firestorm, will Andi’s skills and Jeff’s perseverance be enough to save the season?
From sportswriter John Feinstein comes this action-packed novel about two kids who may be "benchwarmers," but prove themselves naturals when it comes to teamwork, friendship, and finding a path to victory.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 27, 2019
28 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
About the author
John Feinstein
75 books591 followersJohn Feinstein was an American sportswriter, author, and sports commentator.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
December 19, 2019
This is Children's fiction, so I'm clearly not in the target audience. It was definitely age appropriate so I'll add an extra star for that. It was about coed soccer in the 6th grade. This book reminded me about everything I did NOT like about being a soccer mom for 20+ years. I don't miss it....at all. This was a little too perfect though, but I get that it was for kids. So 3 stars.
January 9, 2021
This is any amazing book. It is so intresting and really teaches you about womans rights.
November 12, 2019
An all-boys soccer team is put to the test when a talented girl wants to join their ranks.
December 28, 2019
I was always one of the last kids picked in gym class. I am nowhere close to being good at sports, and yet, I love John Feinstein's books. That should say something about his ability if he can reach a non-athlete like me.
His latest book tackles the controversial issue of girls playing on boys teams. When Coach Johnson agrees to let Andi try-out for the boys' soccer team, no one realizes that he has no intention of picking her. Most of the boys know she is clearly one of the better players, but Johnson has decided girls don't belong on boys' teams. Period. Jeff, being one of the worst players picked, convinces his journalist father to write a story about it. Not an easy task since decisions about what stories to publish are based on how many internet hits they will generate. Turns out, Andi's story generates a huge following and Johnson is forced to let Andi on the team. He talks a big talk about the players treating her like a teammate, but chooses to play her the bare minimum, even after she makes winning plays. By the end, the team turns its losing season around, thanks to Andi, and both the skeptical team captain, Arlow, and the coach, genuinely change their tunes.
There's A LOT of play by play game scenes. There were times that this got tedious, even for me. I would say this is mainly a book for soccer fans. I loved kid journalist, Stevie, from Feinstein's sports mystery series making a cameo. I did not love the politics. Can't stand it when authors inject their political opinions into their books. Still a much needed soccer book in a genre flooded with football and baseball.
His latest book tackles the controversial issue of girls playing on boys teams. When Coach Johnson agrees to let Andi try-out for the boys' soccer team, no one realizes that he has no intention of picking her. Most of the boys know she is clearly one of the better players, but Johnson has decided girls don't belong on boys' teams. Period. Jeff, being one of the worst players picked, convinces his journalist father to write a story about it. Not an easy task since decisions about what stories to publish are based on how many internet hits they will generate. Turns out, Andi's story generates a huge following and Johnson is forced to let Andi on the team. He talks a big talk about the players treating her like a teammate, but chooses to play her the bare minimum, even after she makes winning plays. By the end, the team turns its losing season around, thanks to Andi, and both the skeptical team captain, Arlow, and the coach, genuinely change their tunes.
There's A LOT of play by play game scenes. There were times that this got tedious, even for me. I would say this is mainly a book for soccer fans. I loved kid journalist, Stevie, from Feinstein's sports mystery series making a cameo. I did not love the politics. Can't stand it when authors inject their political opinions into their books. Still a much needed soccer book in a genre flooded with football and baseball.
January 13, 2024
My 10-year-old daughter and I both loved this. It is about a sixth grade girl named Andi Carrillo who wants to try out for the boys soccer team at Merion Middle School because there isn’t a girls soccer team in sixth grade. Despite being very opposed to letting a girl try out, Coach J agrees she can try out but that he gets to decide if she makes the team or not. Of course, it is clear that she’s one of the better players, yet she gets cut because he doesn’t think it would be good for the morale of the team to have a girl who is better than some of the boys. Jeff, one of the boys who makes the team thinks she should’ve made it too, and he asks his sports reporter dad to cover the story of a small town middle school coach discriminating against a girl. That does not go well for Jeff at practice or for Andi with her playing time initially, but it does get her onto the team, and of course you have to know that she wins over the hearts of all the players and coaches by the end. It reads as exciting and gripping in a nail biter of a sports game way. The bully becomes a friend of sorts, the coach admits he was wrong, players from her own team all love her and have crushes on her, and players from other teams speak words of admiration to her at their matches. There’s a little crush action between Jeff and Andi, and hats sweet to follow.
I was struck by just how good these 11-year-old kids are and how they “see” plays and opportunities. I was also inspired by how encouraging they were to each other and how standing up for what’s right, while also being respectful, is something they were able to do so maturely.
I was struck by just how good these 11-year-old kids are and how they “see” plays and opportunities. I was also inspired by how encouraging they were to each other and how standing up for what’s right, while also being respectful, is something they were able to do so maturely.
October 31, 2022
Benchwarmer is a really good book That shows us the discrimination tha is happening in this world today. This book also shows the friendship of people and how sports can make really good friendships. Some of the things I like about the book is that it’s a book about my favorite sport soccer and it’s a really easy book. I also like how it shows us different people that are helpful and some people that just want to discriminate. Some of the things I didn’t like about the book is that it’s not really realistic. I really like the book but I don’t think it was necessary to add the fiction into it like the part where Jeff's dad posted the story on the website and then they did a huge deal about it. I think that would not happen in real life and that’s the only part that I don’t like about this book.Overall I would recommend this book to people that don’t really are interesting in reading because this book is really interesting and it really teaches you about discrimination in the world. This is one of my favorite books and I would recommend to everyone.
August 10, 2021
Can girls play soccer on the all boys' soccer team? According to school rules, yes, but they have to try out just like everyone else. When Andrea tries out for the team, out perform most of the boys, and is rejected, she wants to find out why. It just so happens, her friend, Jeff has a dad in sporting news. Go Andrea, the pressure from the news causes the school to put her on the team, but it can't make her play. Coach leaves her on the bench. Everyone knows she would help them play better as a team and even win, but will coach ever figure that out? Will Andrea see game time?
November 11, 2019
I really liked this book because it is a girl who is named Andrea and she loves soccer. At school there is no girls soccer but only a boys one. The boys soccer coach does not let Andrea tryout for tryouts because she is a girl. Andrea still fights back and later shows up at tryouts even if she is made fun of or even if she gets in a lot of trouble. Will Andrea make the boys soccer team or does she get cut. read to find out what happens to Andrea next.
May 12, 2020
I loved this book. I also enjoy Fienstiens books but this one was great. I quite liked that he wrote about soccer. I have been waiting a while to read one about soccer and was very pleased to finally come across one. I love the references and appearances of Stevie Thomas. If the whole book couldn’t be about him and Susan Carol I was happy they could at least be mentioned. I can’t wait for the next book by him to come out.
March 14, 2021
A quick, fun read that reminded me of the sports fiction I would read as a kid, if a bit more technical in the sports jargon than the Alfred Slote books I grew up with. I found the dialogue written for the sixth graders to be a bit mature and unbelievable, but still found the story engrossing. It brought back many memories of playing sports as a kid, even for someone as unathletic as I was, and the adrenaline of playing soccer with friends on the playground.
January 12, 2024
I loved this story. Andi is a girl who is good at soccer. Her middle school doesn't have a girls soccer team, so she tries out for the boys team. She doesn't make the team because the coach thinks it would make the boys mad to have a girl that plays better than they do. She and her friend Jeff fight back and use Jeff's dad's connections as a sports reporter to get attention for the coach's decision.
February 20, 2020
What happens when the best player on your boys' soccer team is a girl? Another good book that will appeal to sports fans and kids who just want a solid story--this one from both Andi's perspective as she tries to earn her place on the team, and from Jeff's perspective as he tries to help her and the team.
March 19, 2020
Will be a welcome addition to my elementary library collection as so much of it is boy-centered.
What I liked best was that the plot was grounded in a realistic school story format. The soccer playing details will please the soccer player and not overwhelm the non-sport reader. Fast pace will keep my reluctant readers turning the pages.
What I liked best was that the plot was grounded in a realistic school story format. The soccer playing details will please the soccer player and not overwhelm the non-sport reader. Fast pace will keep my reluctant readers turning the pages.
December 1, 2023
3.5
This is a good story for a younger crowd 4-5th graders maybe? Not too difficult to read and easy to follow. It would be a great choice for a soccer fan because there are lots of detailed plays, maybe a bit too much for those not interested in the sport. Good message about co-ed teams and sportsmanship, and I really liked how Jeff and Andi problem solved.
This is a good story for a younger crowd 4-5th graders maybe? Not too difficult to read and easy to follow. It would be a great choice for a soccer fan because there are lots of detailed plays, maybe a bit too much for those not interested in the sport. Good message about co-ed teams and sportsmanship, and I really liked how Jeff and Andi problem solved.
July 13, 2021
Age rating: 9-12
Benchwarmers is about the drama that ensues when a talented girl tries to join the all-boy sixth grade soccer team. I liked that the chapters were fairly short and there was a lot of action. I could have done without the minor romantic subplot, which felt unnecessary.
Benchwarmers is about the drama that ensues when a talented girl tries to join the all-boy sixth grade soccer team. I liked that the chapters were fairly short and there was a lot of action. I could have done without the minor romantic subplot, which felt unnecessary.
August 7, 2024
Very cool middle grade book around soccer & prejudice against a mixed gender team. Of course the ability of the girl wins the day but there is a nice progression of acceptance and the over-coming of individual feelings and misconceptions along the way.
August 29, 2019
Now this is a youth book that an adult can enjoy. I sure did. And the boy got the girl!
April 15, 2020
This book was better than I thought it was going to be. I got it from my brother, who recommended it to me. Overall, I think that this book was pretty good.
February 24, 2022
Soccer fans will love this great feel-good story! Love Andi’s spunk and Coach J’s honesty.
December 25, 2022
It switches point of view a lot.
July 17, 2023
I really enjoyed It because I like books about sports. It was very sad that things in the book happen in real life,
May 28, 2025
I read this book to see if I should read it to my kids, but I actually enjoyed it all on my own:)
June 22, 2025
Has a great message and was an easy read. Characters were likeable
May 7, 2021
I have to admit, I picked this up expecting a girls' soccer team story. There's a girl on the cover. If you look closely, the other figure's a boy. But I didn't, and I thought, because not all girls have long hair and pony tails, that the second player was a girl, too.
So I was delighted to read it was about a girl blazing the way onto a boys' soccer team to make it co-ed.
It's kinda sad that we still have to fight these battles, but we do -- and it's good to read about them in literature, as well as in the news (this link is an article about a football coach, but I'm sure she's encountered much of the same push-back).
Jeff, 11, is excited to hear his school, Merion Middle, is offering 6th grade sports teams for the first time. He resolves to try out for the boys' soccer team. The school doesn't offer a girls' team. 6th grade girls are directed to try out for a "field hockey" team instead. Except, Andi doesn't want to play "field hockey." She's good, she knows it, and she trys out for the boys' soccer team.
Coach Johnston reacts predictably -- he doesn't let her, is told by the principal he has to let her try out, and he promptly cuts her.
The story gets to the news media (Jeff's dad works for a TV station) and Coach Johnston is told by the principal to put Andi on the team.
Of course, a few key players -- including the team "star" -- act like jerks toward her, Coach Johnston doesn't play her, until they start losing. Then...well, teamwork eventually overcomes everything, doesn't it? It was a good, quick read.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
So I was delighted to read it was about a girl blazing the way onto a boys' soccer team to make it co-ed.
It's kinda sad that we still have to fight these battles, but we do -- and it's good to read about them in literature, as well as in the news (this link is an article about a football coach, but I'm sure she's encountered much of the same push-back).
Jeff, 11, is excited to hear his school, Merion Middle, is offering 6th grade sports teams for the first time. He resolves to try out for the boys' soccer team. The school doesn't offer a girls' team. 6th grade girls are directed to try out for a "field hockey" team instead. Except, Andi doesn't want to play "field hockey." She's good, she knows it, and she trys out for the boys' soccer team.
Coach Johnston reacts predictably -- he doesn't let her, is told by the principal he has to let her try out, and he promptly cuts her.
The story gets to the news media (Jeff's dad works for a TV station) and Coach Johnston is told by the principal to put Andi on the team.
Of course, a few key players -- including the team "star" -- act like jerks toward her, Coach Johnston doesn't play her, until they start losing. Then...well, teamwork eventually overcomes everything, doesn't it? It was a good, quick read.
Visit my blog for more great middle grade book recommendations, free teaching materials and fiction writing tips: https://amb.mystrikingly.com/
October 15, 2021
I liked it.
July 10, 2022
good conflict; intelligent characters.
Was looking for books my grandsons would enjoy; ended up enjoying this one very much myself. Appreciated that the author presented the viewpoints of some of the adults as well as the kids in the books. Will definitely buy the rest of the series for my family.
Was looking for books my grandsons would enjoy; ended up enjoying this one very much myself. Appreciated that the author presented the viewpoints of some of the adults as well as the kids in the books. Will definitely buy the rest of the series for my family.
March 10, 2020
I don’t usually read sports books but I really enjoyed this book
September 26, 2021
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️it was so good.
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews