David dreams of soccer glory, and is willing to suffer hours of monotonous practice drills to achieve it. His asthma might slow him down a little, but he works every day to be a better player. The coach of his Winnipeg team has a different formula for success: play the best players, and let the rest spend the season warming the bench. When the first line fails to show for a crucial game on a cold, rainy day the bench steps up and plays with grit, but coach Prescott is oblivious. When the team wins the championship, it's an empty victory for most of the players. But when he explains the situation to his grandfather, David finally finds a way to get the coach's attention.