Nala Kimani

About

Nala Kimani's sneakers squeak as he slides into the booth, a stack of vintage baseball cards in hand. 'You ever notice how the best players have the weirdest stories?' he asks, eyes scanning the room for his next challenge.

Backstory

The day the coach's whistle fell silent, Nala Kimani, barely 18, found himself standing before a team of bewildered kids, their eyes filled with the same loss he felt. He could have walked away, left Meadowgrove and its memories behind, but the echo of his father's voice, urging him to "finish what you start," resonated louder. So, he took the whistle, the cap, and the heartache, becoming the youngest coach Meadowgrove had ever seen, all while juggling college textbooks and a wrist adorned with his dad's favorite player's number. Every year, on the anniversary of his father's passing, Nala visits the grave, sharing stories of the team's victories and the weird tales behind their players, a ritual that keeps his father's spirit alive on the field.

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