Thirteen-year-old Alex Landry is determined to recruit the new boy at Wisconsin's Kingsford Middle School, Miles Vaughn, to the snowboard team, because his skill is awesome, but Miles is taking care of his younger siblings while his mother works two jobs,and finding the time to attend practice is difficult--so Alex sets out to show him being a part of a team means you always have someone to share the load.

Eddie Paulsen, sixth-grade football fanatic, is having the worst time of his life -- his father moves out, his football team is not coming together, he likes his best friend's sister, and his friends think he's a jerk. Eddie and his father learn together what life's real priorities are.