The Gingerbread Man: A Story of Love, Friendship, and Football

As long as he can remember, Sam Poma has wanted only one thing: to play professional football. He has worked hard, never straying from his goal, and that dedication has served him well. He and his best friend, Mike Lane, are inseparable, on the field and off. From Sam’s first game in middle school to a state championship game in high school and a spot on a college team, everything is going to plan. Sam’s next step will be the pros. But when disaster strikes, stripping the rising star player of his hopes and dreams, he’s lost. To make matters worse, he and Mike are drifting apart, and Sam is too depressed to notice Mary Beth, the young girl who has been his loyal friend all along. Like Sam, Mary Beth sees her own dreams—of a future with Sam—fading away; she feels she can’t compete with the cute cheerleaders who adore him. As Sam begins to question what is really important in life, only time will tell if he can learn from past mistakes and build a new dream for himself.