Ug

Rebecca has a dismal life. Ignored by her single working mom, and tormented by her two older brothers who call her UG, Rebecca learns to fend for herself.

She lives in fear that kids at school will find out her nickname, which stands for ugly. Rebecca finds solace in practicing soccer skills on weekends with her best friend and soccer-mad classmate, Lorenzo.

When Rebecca's mother makes her quit the girl's soccer team because it conflicts with her brothers' baseball schedules, Rebecca is furious. While juggling with a soccer ball at the bus stop, Rebecca loses control and it hits a neighbor's car. Not only does her mother then ban soccer from her life but her brothers bombard her with spit balls that won't come out. Rebecca shaves her head and transforms herself into UG.

She had not reckoned with the consequences. Her mother spirals into depression, leaving her brothers free to torment her unchecked. Playing soccer in secret is the only thing that makes her happy and Lorenzo's house becomes her safe haven, thanks to the intervention of Social Services.

When Lorenzo's father gives UG a chance to play on the boy's team that he coaches, Rebecca's talent shines and she's accepted by the boys to join the team permanently. But even that is threatened when the Boys' League discovers that UG is a girl.

UG is a story of triumph and perseverance, of recognising and developing one's talent, but mainly UG is a story of the power of friendship.