THE BOY AT THE FENCE: A Soccer Story for Boys Ages 9–14 | One Boy. One Dream. One Chance. | Inspiring Middle Grade Sports Fiction (First Eleven)

The gate was always open. He just had to decide he belonged on the other side.

Marco Rivera has a trophy on the shelf and a summer with no schedule. He made it through the gate. He earned his place. He won. But the summer after winning is stranger than he expected. Carlos has an offer from a bigger club, Lucas is out for nine months with a torn ACL, and the team that won together is already starting to look different.

Then every morning, a boy named Jay Cross starts showing up at the park.

Same chain-link fence. Same field. Same look on his face that Marco knows from the inside, because three years ago, that was him. Standing outside. Watching. He asks himself the same question.

Marco knows exactly what that looks like. He also knows that leaving the gate open isn’t enough.

Someone has to say something first.

For parents: Book 3 shows the series growing up. It’s still fast and full of soccer, but now it explores bigger questions about loyalty and responsibility, making it more meaningful for boys 9–14 who love the series.

The Boy at the Fence is Book 3 of the First Eleven series, a soccer chapter book series for boys ages 9–14 following Marco Rivera from the streets of East LA to FC Porto across six complete books.

Authentic middle-grade soccer novel about loyalty and what winning costs, designed to engage reluctant readers with its fast-paced, emotionally rich story that appeals to boys ages 9-14.

Perfect soccer book for boys who love team dynamics and real stakes

Themes of responsibility, friendship, and passing on values help boys aged 9-14 see themselves in the story, encouraging engagement and reflection.

Ideal for youth soccer players ages 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14

The complete kids soccer book series follows Marco Rivera’s journey from Book 1 through Book 6, with Book 3, The Boy at the Fence, being a key installment. It’s best enjoyed after Book 2: The Deep Position, ensuring readers follow Marco’s growth and story development.

A great gift for boys who love soccer stories with emotional depth

For every player who was once on the outside. And everyone who dared to open the gate.

Book 3 of the First Eleven series — soccer books for boys ages 9–14. Best enjoyed after Book 2: The Deep Position.

From the Publisher

The Work Belongs to You. Not the Place.

No coach. No schedule. No park with a gate that opens at six.

The summer belongs to Marco and his teammates — and the question nobody asks out loud: will they keep working when nobody is watching?

The wall on Cesar Chavez doesn’t care about the season. It gives back whatever you bring to it.

Jay Cross Is at the Fence.

Marco knows what it means to stand outside a gate and watch.

Jay Cross has been watching the Eagles for three weeks. Every session. Same spot. Same fence.

Marco remembers what it felt like to be on the other side.

The gate is open. The question is whether he’ll say so.

The Book Your Kid Won’t Want to Put Down

For Kids Who “Don’t Like Reading”

Short chapters. Fast pace. A story that reads like a game — it doesn’t slow down long enough to lose them. Boys who haven’t finished a book in years finish this one in a week. Then ask for Book 2.

For Kids Who Live for the Game

Marco doesn’t just play soccer, he thinks it. The tactics, the reads, the moments before the ball moves. Kids who play recognize it immediately. This is the game they know, written the way it actually feels from the inside.

The Gift That Actually Gets Read

Each book is a complete story — no cliffhangers, no frustration. Start anywhere. But most kids start at Book 1 and don’t stop until Book 6. Makes the perfect birthday, holiday, or end-of-season gift for any soccer kid ages 9–14.

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Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars 26

5.0 out of 5 stars 4

5.0 out of 5 stars 2

5.0 out of 5 stars 1

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Price

$13.99$13.99 $13.99$13.99 $13.99$13.99 $13.99$13.99 $13.99$13.99 $13.99$13.99

Series order
Start here 2 of 6 3 of 6 4 of 6 5 of 6 6 of 6

Marco’s journey
Street kid → first tryout New player → new role Eagles captain On trial for his future Academy recruit FC Porto first team

Key theme
Starting from zero Learning to read the game Friendship & loyalty Performing under pressure Elite environment Europe & identity

Best for readers who love…
Underdog stories Tactics & teamwork Coming-of-age High-stakes moments Academy life International football

The lesson
The wall always gives back The deepest position sees everything The work belongs to you, not the place Don’t play their game — play yours What got you here won’t develop you further The reading works in every language

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0GWJ21WZN
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Independently published
Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 7, 2026
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Print length ‏ : ‎ 160 pages
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 979-8255377732
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.6 ounces
Reading age ‏ : ‎ 9 – 14 years
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.37 x 9 inches
Book 3 of 6 ‏ : ‎ First Eleven
Best Sellers Rank: #52,094 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #46 in Children’s Soccer Books (Books) #55 in Soccer (Books) #4,372 in Biographies (Books)
Customer Reviews: 5.0 5.0 out of 5 stars (2) var dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction; P.when(‘A’, ‘ready’).execute(function(A) { if (dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction !== true) { dpAcrHasRegisteredArcLinkClickAction = true; A.declarative( ‘acrLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault”: true }, function (event) { if (window.ue) { ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrLinkClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } } ); } }); P.when(‘A’, ‘cf’).execute(function(A) { A.declarative(‘acrStarsLink-click-metrics’, ‘click’, { “allowLinkDefault” : true }, function(event){ if(window.ue) { ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”, (ue.count(“acrStarsLinkWithPopoverClickCount”) || 0) + 1); } }); });