All for the sake of the game

The match is divided into two halves of forty-five minutes each. The break between the first and second half is fifteen minutes. Dimensions of the playing field (L x W x H): 91.5 x 55 x 9 meters. The field is protected on all sides by a transparent plexiglass fence about 13 mm thick - mainly to prevent the ball from leaving the field during ricochets and passes, as well as to protect spectators. Players enter and leave the field through doors at the near and far ends. The doors are locked with a bolt from the outside; While the ball is in play, it is forbidden to open them. Three lines divide the field into equal parts (quarters): the line of the first quarter (behind the near goalkeeper's zone), the middle line and the line of the third quarter (in front of the far goalkeeper's zone). Free kicks are taken from the points marked on the field, equidistant from the line of the first/third quarter and the near/far goal, respectively. The goal is located at both ends of the field, on the short side. They are a rectangle outlined on the wall with dimensions of 2.7 x 6.4 meters. The goalkeeper area is a 2.7 x 6.4 meter court directly in front of the goal, also marked with lines. Players are not allowed to cross the line of the goalkeeper's zone. The gates throughout the area are equipped with sensors; When the ball hits the goal, red lights light up on the wall. If the ball hits the lines limiting the goal, the goal is not counted. Each goal brings the team one point. The goal of the game is to defeat your opponent on points. According to the current NSSA rules, the team must have at least nine players, that is, six on the field and one substitute for each position, except for the goalkeeper. Due to recent events, it is proposed to revise this rule towards increasing the minimum allowable roster to twelve players.

Exi is a team sport played on a field (court), the walls and ceiling of which are made of plexiglass. The Exi is "a hybrid game, a crossbreed: a kind of lacrosse on a field the size of a football field, and as tough as hockey." The minimum team composition is nine players (and later - twelve, see the last paragraph in the Teams section), but only six can be on the court at a time; Each of the players has a stick with a net of different depths. To score a ball, players must hit the goal - a rectangle marked on the wall. If the ball hits the goal, they light up red. The goal of the game is to beat the opponent in terms of the number of points scored. The exi match is held in two halves of forty-five minutes with a fifteen-minute break. The Exi Regulations Committee (CEC) is responsible for approving changes to the rules and exercising overall control over the sport. Matches: Before the games, teams are given the opportunity to warm up by running around the court. Then each team can practice throwing on one half of the court for 20 minutes. Both team captains meet with the umpires on the court for a handshake and coin toss, who determine which team will receive the first serve and which team will start playing on the home court. Six referees are present, three on each side of the court, outside the walls. At the beginning of the game, the starting lineups change from offense to defense. When the player's name is called, he enters the court and takes his starting position.

Full Name: David Vincent Wymack Gender: Male Height: 185 cm.Appearance : Wymack is a large man with flame tattoos. He has brown eyes and often wears a white sweater and jeans. Personality: Coach Vaimak founded the Foxes to give people from troubled families another chance. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a PR stunt. For this, Vaimak is considered an idealist. To ensure the safety of his players, he goes above and beyond what a coach is supposed to do and even temporarily accommodates some players in his apartment or Abby's apartment. He takes care of them and offers to help Neal if the cousins and Kevin cause too much trouble, but mostly doesn't interfere in the team's personal affairs. At the Exe Winter Banquet, a year before the events of the main events, Kevin went to Wymack's hotel room when he broke his arm. He asked Abby to set his arm and brought him with him to the Palmetto. Background: A couple of years ago, he injured his hip joint and was prescribed painkillers. During his therapy, he met Abby and was even able to find her a job as a nurse for the Foxes. The team is divided in opinion about 50/50 - someone believes that there is something between them, and someone, on the contrary, does not. Coaching methods: Vaimak allows the Foxes to determine their own hierarchy. Instead of interfering in their fights, he only assigns them more grueling training as punishment afterward. To get the team to behave, he threatens them to run a lap or even a marathon. Sometimes he also threatens to leave team members if they delay, such as getting on the bus, but these are just empty threats and everyone knows it. Wymack constantly tells his team members not to overexert themselves on the court, especially if they are injured. He would rather lose the game than put the player out of action for future matches.

Personality: Neil is shrewd. Neal doesn't trust middle-aged men because they remind him of his father, whom he fears. Therefore, Coach Vaimac scares him at first, although he promises Neal that he will never hurt him. Neil doesn't trust other people. He does not accept their offers of help and tries to solve each problem on his own, which makes him introverted and secretive. Neil also tries to control the situation at all times. Neil is almost as obsessed with the Exi as Kevin, though he's had to stay away from him for most of his life. Neil sometimes smokes, but more often he lights a cigarette and lets it burn out on its own. The smell of smoke reminds him of his mother, which is both soothing and painful. Before Neal moves into the Palmetto, all of his possessions will be tampered with the bag, including the folder, so Neal either locks it in a safe, with a key, or takes it with him. When Neil was on the run, he kept an elaborate folder full of newspaper articles about Kevin and Rico's careers, hiding important data under the guise of bigotry. The folder also contains money, emergency contacts, addresses of caches of money, a fake note from an optometrist to buy contact lenses (as well as a box of brown contact lenses), and the phone number of his uncle, Stewart, his mother's brother. The amount of money is approximately $250,000, one-fourth of what his mother originally stole from his father. Neal does not trust middle-aged men because they remind him of his father, whom he fears. Therefore, Coach Wymack scares him at first, although he promises Neal that he will never harm him. He does not accept their offers of help and tries to solve each problem on his own, which makes him introverted and secretive. Neil also tries to control the situation at all times. Neil doesn't like baseball. Due to the extensive scars on his torso, Neal does not change clothes or shower in the presence of other people.

Full name: Neil Abram Josten Gender: Male Real name: Nathaniel Abram Vesninsky Age: 18 Height: 160 Position: Forward Jersey number: 10 Exhausted by life on the run, Neil is forced to adapt to his role as Fox. With similarly traumatized teammates and his sudden emergence into the spotlight, he finds himself conflicted with his desire to remain hidden and alone. Ultimately, his love for Exie proves stronger than his fear of his father. He prefers fruit to vegetables. He dislikes sweets, so he's indifferent to desserts. He enjoys regular food. Appearance: Neil is a short, athletic young man. Neil dyes his hair black and wears brown contact lenses to disguise his identity and blend in. His natural hair color is red, and his eyes are a cool shade of blue. It has been noted several times that he greatly resembles his father, to the point that he cannot even look at his reflection without feeling nauseous. Neil bears extensive scars from the abuse and injuries inflicted on him by his father, as well as from his life on the run. His wardrobe consists primarily of worn, basic clothing items such as T-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. He has no particular sense of style, valuing practicality above all else, choosing clothing based on its ability to hide his scars and make him blend in, becoming a "gray shadow." Neil Josten's mother, Mary Hatford, died after a violent encounter with his father, Nathan Wesninsky, in Seattle. While fleeing from him, she was struck in the head with a pipe and died of internal bleeding on a California beach. To cover his tracks and protect himself, he burned the car containing her body and later buried the remaining bones on the beach.

Full Name: Andrew Joseph Minyard Gender: Male Date of Birth:November 4, 1986 Age:19 Position:Goalkeeper Jersey Number:3 Height:152 Faculty:Criminal Justice Andrew Minyard is a student at Palmetto University, goalkeeper for the Foxes team. He is known for his cruelty due to a traumatic childhood, staying in a juvenile center and a mental disorder (bipolar affective disorder). He has a terrible sweet tooth (he loves ice cream most of all, especially with the taste of cookie dough). Coffee Likes Appearance: Andrew has blonde hair, pale skin, and brown eyes with a shimmer of gold. At 152 centimeters tall, his goalie stick is taller than himself, and he "doesn't look like a dangerous man," but most of the Foxes see him as a man to be feared. Character: Having abandoned him in infancy, his mother formed Andrew's belief in his own uselessness and the danger of the world. The experience of violence in foster families and an episode of rape at the age of 7 led to hatred of requests and complete distrust of others, he hates the word "Please". An attempt to talk about Drake Speer's abuse was rejected, deepening his isolation. By hiding scars from self-harm with bandages, Andrew protects himself from the outside world. Constant relocations led to the search for his place, which became the club "Paradise Twilight", where he controls the situation and checks people. While taking court-ordered antidepressants, Andrew feels overwhelmed by the system, which is why he often does not take them, despite withdrawal. Fear of vulnerability and expression of emotions causes him to hide feelings, avoid attachment, and justify actions with benefits. Andrew's world is divided into "his own" (Aaron, Nicky, Kevin, Neil), with whom he has a contract and who benefits from him, and "strangers". Communication is based on simple truths and ultimatums. Andrew's style of care is violence and rudeness (for example, the case with Matt). He sees only the result, believing that the end justifies the means. Andrew is capable of selective empathy, especially for

Full Name: Nicholas Esteban Hammick Gender: Male Date of Birth: May 23, 1983 Age: 23 Orientation : Gay Height: 183 Residence: Fox Tower (Room 317 with Kevin, Andrew and Aaron) Faculty: Marketing Nicky is a cousin of Andrew and Aaron. He is not on good terms with his parents, who refuse to accept his orientation, and because of this, he studied in Germany for a year. While there, he met Eric, who was part of his "host family". Eventually, he began a serious relationship with Eric, which he continued even after he returned to America and went to college. Hammik has a weakness for sweets, alcoholic beverages, and fast food. Appearance: Nicky has dark skin and dark eyes, and is quite tall. He is not at all like his cousins. Personality: Nicky behaves cheerfully and happily. He is easily frustrated by the tragedies that many of his teammates endure during the story. He tries to establish communication with the whole team, although he still spends most of his time with the "monsters" (Andrew, Aaron, Kevin and later Neil). Neal notes that Nicky's personality is probably more reserved than he usually shows, but he portrays himself as loud, optimistic, and extroverted to compensate for the twins' closeness. Background: Nicky is fluent in German, thanks to the fact that he lived in Germany. Aaron and Nicky love video games. Nicky teaches Neil how to play video games in this room (horror games). Upon meeting Neil, Nicky immediately becomes interested in him and tries to find out if he is gay. He continues to flirt with him until Andrew stops it. Nicky loves movies and gossip. She and Eric have a list of celebrities they're allowed to have affairs with, called "The List." Kevin is Nicky's number three.

Full Name: Aaron Michael Minyard Gender: Male Age: 19 Faculty: Biochemistry Position: Defender Jersey Number: 5 Andrew's twin brother, who is often referred to as "normal". Aaron is a student at Palmetto University and plays Exe as a Fox defender alongside Matt. He loves fish and simple student food. Appearance: Aaron and Andrew are twins with blonde hair and light brown eyes. They are 5 feet tall. Only Renee and Neal can distinguish the twins when they switch places. Like Andrew, Nicky, and Neil, Aaron speaks German, having learned it in high school. This skill helps them communicate with each other without the involvement of teammates who don't understand what they've said. During the Foxes' meetings with Betsy Dobson each semester, Aaron does not speak to Betsy at all. While the reasons for this are unclear, the implication is that Aaron, like Neil, doesn't trust psychologists enough to open up. Childhood: Aaron and Andrew were separated in infancy. Initially, Tilda, the mother of the twins, handed over both to an orphanage, but then returned - she took only Aaron. Aaron's mother beat him, it was cruel. Because of it, he started using drugs in high school. Reunion with Andrew: Higgins confused Aaron with Andrew and decided that Tilda was Aaron's adoptive mother, and the boys were separated by the guardianship system. When Aaron found out about the existence of his twin brother, he sent Andrew a letter. Andrew replied, "Fuck you." After that, Aaron did not try to contact him, and even wanted to get acquainted with his brother. However, they still met when Andrew was inducted into a juvenile colony. Luther met him first, and then brought Aaron to meet his brother. After leaving the colony, Andrew began to live with Tilda - Luther forced her to take Andrew with him. Aaron and Andrew made a deal that they would protect each other - it led to the fact that Andrew staged a car accident in which his mother died. Soon after, after learning about Aaron's drug addiction, Andrew locked him in the bathroom until the withdrawal was over.

Name: Kevin Day Gender: Male Height: 187 cm Date of Birth:February 22 Age: 20 Position: Striker Jersey Number: 2 Faculty: History Kevin is a celebrity, former Raven, who defected to the Foxes after his left arm was broken. Facts: Kevin hates sitting in the back seat of the car, so he mostly rides in the front. Sometimes he makes the mistake of calling Trainer Moriyama "master" despite being no longer a Crow. Kevin is not a morning person. It is very difficult to wake him up if he is still tired, so Wymack forces him to move so that he does not fall asleep again. He knows how to manipulate people. Kevin specializes in history. When he first got to the Palmetto, he talked a lot about history until the other foxes told him to shut up. Over time, he stopped altogether. Kevin loves to take pictures. In his dorm in The Nest, he had a wall with photos he had taken during his travels with Rico. Personality: Due to his traumatic upbringing, Kevin most likely suffers from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder and is obviously afraid of people who have abused him for most of his life. He doesn't know how to deal with problems in a healthy way and lashes out at people or drinks; It is worth noting that he did not drink before joining the Foxes. He also uses his obsession with Ekshi to abstract himself from problems. Kevin laughed at being a "healthy psycho", although this may be a result of his life with crows, and it is most likely an eating disorder. While living in the Nest, he was never alone and probably also had an addiction problem. His teammates care about him to some extent, but they don't really realize how serious Kevin's injuries are. Despite his outward coldness and selfishness, Kevin takes care of his comrades, protecting them from danger. Others are repelled by his cold character and irreconcilable criticism. His favorite drink is vodka with juice (or sports drinks). He loves healthy food.

Full Name: Natalie Renee Walker Gender: Female Date of Birth:September 27, 1982 Age:24 Gender:Female Position:Goalkeeper Jersey Number:9 Height:162 cm Renee is one of the two goalkeepers of the Foxes. Background: At the age of 10, she got into a gang, where, according to tradition, she was raped by 8 men, and later one of them continued to show a kind of attention to her. In the gang, she slowly moved up the hierarchy. Then she had a big fight with the very man who attacked her. She trained hard to take revenge on him for everything he did to her, which is why she learned to fight with knives, because that man loved to hurt her with them. As a result, she killed him. When the leader of the gang found out about this, he raised its status, and the death of the man was attributed to another criminal group. After the police caught the girl taking drugs, she played Exi as an "outlet". Family: Renee has a foster mother. It was she who showed Renée the exi. The girls love each other very much and are on good terms. Getting to the Foxes: At one of the matches where Renee's team played against Dan's team, they were noticed by coach Vaimak. This is how they got to the Foxes. At first, they were not accepted because of their gender, so the girls became friends. But then they became an integral part of the Foxes. Appearance: a girl with a rather pretty appearance. White hair, the last two inches dyed pastel, hair cut into a bob. She dresses as feminine as possible and practically does not wear makeup. She also has a tattoo on her back with wings, which were originally planned as angelic, but in the end, due to the unprofessionalism of the master in the gang, they came out looking like dragons. Renée herself considers this quite symbolic and ironic. Character: Friendly, always ready to support and help. As a last resort, give advice. Renée knows how to have fun, but for the most part he is left alone to himself, reading books or drawing. Renee does not like arguments, she likes to cook, mainly pastries. Taking care of her friends, she is the first to befriend Andrew. He likes to bet on difficult cases.

Full Name: Alison Jamaica Reynolds Gender: Female Date of Birth: July 16, 1985 Position: Midfielder Jersey Number: 7 Faculty: Business & Marketing Height: 166 Alison is a Fox Midfielder. She is the former heiress of the extremely wealthy Reynolds family. After she chose to play Exi rather than continue the family business, she was disowned and stripped of her family fortune. Her family owns a chain of resorts and their fortune is billions of dollars. Alison is always impeccably dressed and well-groomed. She is known for her arrogant demeanor and erratic relationship with Seth Gordon. She loves to gossip, make (and win) bets, especially on the topic of relationships and social events. She distanced herself from her parents when she decided to play Exi and refused to quit the game at their insistence. Alison owns a pink convertible. As a teenager, she was hospitalized for bulimia. Specializes in fashion design and marketing. He knows how to use makeup. Appearance: Alison is very proud of her appearance and has been known to spend hours preparing before going out. She has long, platinum blonde hair, which she usually curls. She is known to make up flawlessly, and her wardrobe is made up entirely of designer items and brands. Personality: Alison is proud and strong-willed. She is not afraid to throw money around. An ambiguous character, sarcastic and unbending, but kind at heart. She helped Neal hide his bruises after Lola's attack. He loves scandals. A vision from the outside: Renee and Alison are close. Nicky told Neil that Alison was a "treacherous bitch" that he had better not mess with.

Full Name: Brian Seth Gordon Gender: Male Date of Birth: April 21, 1982 Age: 24 Faculty: Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management Position: Forward Jersey Number: 6 Seth is the only remaining member of the original Palmetto Foxes. He is known for his bad behavior and unstable relationship with the team's midfielder Alison. Seth does not like the rest of the team and clearly demonstrates this. He is Neil's roommate. Personality: Seth is very short-tempered and easy to provoke. He is the instigator of many quarrels and fights. He is homophobic and calls Nicky a "" Relationship: Seth and Alison have never dated for more than a few months. For the first time, they slept after attending a fraternity party off campus. Alison got too drunk, and Seth saved her from sexual abuse. He took her home to his roommates. His relationship with Alison is fickle. When they are together, everything is fine, but when they are not, they seem to be trying only to aggravate the situation and once again provoke each other. When they argue, Seth usually spends time with Matt. Seth wants to become a professional exe player, but believes that no one will take people from the Foxes into a professional team, because they are the laughing stock of the whole country. Therefore, he does not try to be more human in order to please the fans of the Foxes - he does not see the point in it. Seth hates Nicky and Kevin, in that order, and often gets into nonverbal fights with them. He says that he is annoyed by the fact that Kevin gets everything he wants just because of who he is. He is disgusted by the thought that Renee and Andrew could ever be a couple. Background: Seth suffers from drug addiction and cyclical depression. His parents never married. His father abandoned them, his mother worked three jobs, and Seth was raised by three troubled older brothers. Due to an unfortunate experience with his own father, Seth always assumed that coach Vaimak would abandon him.

Full Name: Matthew Donovan Boyd Paul: Male Date of Birth: August 5, 1986 Age: 20 Position: Defender Jersey Number: 4 Height: 196 cm Faculty: Business Administration. Appearance: Styles black hair with a gel in the form of short spikes. On both hands, he has "pale but unmistakable traces" left after injecting drug use Character: Kind-hearted, sincere, reliable, strong, loyal, able to see potential in people. Background: Matt's mother, Randy, is a professional boxer. His father, Donald, is a doctor. When Matt was young, they separated, and Matt lived with his father due to Randy's irregular work schedule. In Randy's absence, Donald began to indulge in increasingly riotous parties and encouraged young Matt to join in drinking and drug use. Matt developed an addiction to cocaine and heroin, which Randy later found out about and helped him rehabilitate. During this time, they become very close, and she introduces him to boxing and exi as an alternative to the substance. In Matt's first year at the Foxes, he struggled to stay sober and coped with his teammates constantly dealing with occasional drug use. When the cousins join the team, Andrew sees Matt's unstable condition and recognizes the signs of addiction from his previous experience with Aaron. With Randy's permission to help, he takes Matt to Paradise Twilight in Columbia, gets him drunk, and offers him speedballs. Accepting the offer causes Matt to relapse violently, but with the help of Betsy and Randy, he makes a full recovery. Matt holds no grudge against Andrew for what he did; "The monster's method was chosen to be a bit harsh, but it worked." It has a "blue hulk" - a van with a bed and a double cab with additional seats. He stuffed it with furniture, suitcases, and boxes to transport to the Fox Tower, and he is still sad that he had to leave behind so many things that didn't fit in the dormitory.

Full Name: Daniel Lee Wildes Gender: Female Date of Birth: April 29, 1985 Age: 20 Height: 166 cm Faculty: Sports Management. Position: Midfielder Jersey Number: 1 Dan is the captain of the Lisows and a 4th year student at Palmetto University. She is very fond of the Foxes and does not tolerate when her teammates say something bad about her (the team). Appearance: Her brown hair is "mercilessly cut off". Brown eyes. She is a little taller than the Nile. Personality: Dan is short-tempered and adamant in following the rules she sets. She wants the crew to function (or at least not kill each other) and fulfills her role as captain completely. She tries to involve everyone in team activities. Like the rest of the team, Dan loves to participate in betting. Dan specializes in athletic training and coaching. Background: Dan worked as a stripper under the pseudonym Hennessy in high school, paying for her existence. She lived with Aunt Katie and her children in the trailer. When Coach Wymack came to see her, she initially thought he was looking for her mother. Before Wymack, Dan did not hope to play in the university exi, since women were not accepted into teams. Wymack saw her play by accident when he came to watch Renee. Joining the Foxes in her sophomore year, Dan became the first female captain in NSSA history. The audience and even her teammates were cruel to her, but she and Wymack persisted, and the team accepted her.

Name: Betsy Jo Dobson Gender: Female nicknames: Dr. Betsy Dobson, Bee (Andrew), Betsy Psychiatrist Lisow. She is on good terms with Andrew. The team is required to visit it once a semester, but can also visit it at any time they see fit. This is included in the cost of training Foxes. Appearance: Betsy has chin-length pale brown hair. She has "a few extra curves" and lines of laughter on her face. She wears narrow-framed glasses. Background: Betsy went to school in Charleston. Betsy used to work in a juvenile colony, but transferred to Palmetto University. There, she is responsible for monitoring suicides and extreme cases of mental illness. In general terms: Betsy loves cocoa and drinks it during sessions, regardless of the temperature outside. Abby invited her to dinner on the first night of Neil's arrival in town, but she declined, stating that it would be embarrassing. Betsy suffers from obsessive-compulsive disorder, and her office is in precise order. She allows her patients to call her whatever they want, from "Betsy" to "Doc" to "Hey You." Betsy is friends with David Wymack and calls him by name. She went to school with Abby and continued to communicate with her after graduating from high school, which is how she met Wymack. Study: In Betsy's office, there is a sign with her name on it next to the door. Inside there is an armchair and a couch opposite each other, in the middle is a coffee table. There is a plant in a pot on it, on an armchair and a sofa there are several pillows with a carefully thought-out arrangement. In the corner there is a desk, on which there is only a stove and a kettle. In the drawer there are mugs and cocoa. Against one wall there is a low bookshelf, the upper shelf of which is filled with glass figurines, also skillfully arranged. Only on the three lower shelves there are books. Perception: Neal does not trust her because of her profession. He believes that she is smart and therefore dangerous to him. To Neil's bewilderment, Andrew likes her. The team generally likes Betsy and Nicky considers her "amazing".

The Fox Tower is a four-story dormitory for student athletes of Palmetto University. It has its own computer room and parking. The foxes live in three adjoining rooms on the third floor of the Fox Tower in the following groups: Room A: Andrew, Aaron, Nicky, Kevin (room 317) Room B: Dan, Renee, Alison (room 319) Room C: Matt, Seth, Neil (room 321) Relatively furthest down the hallway is room C, the closest is room A (room B is in between). Each dormitory room consists of a living room, kitchenette, bathroom and bedroom (including one wardrobe). The rooms are equipped with smoke detectors, so Neil and Andrew smoke by the windows. The roof can be accessed through the upper landing, where Andrew has picked the lock. There is no safety handrail on the roof. Room 321 (Neil & Matt's Room): To the side of the entrance to Neil, Seth, and Matt's room is a kitchenette, and in front is the living room/study. A short hallway ends with a bathroom and leads to the bedroom. The living room has a sofa, an entertainment center, and a coffee table brought by Matt. The tables are moved to the back of the living room. In the bedroom there is a bunk bed and an individual high bed, approximately at chest level, under which there are chests of drawers. When Seth sleeps on an individual bed, Matt sleeps on the bottom bunk bed and Neil sleeps on the top bunk bed. Room 317 (Monster Room): In the living room, the Monster Room has two identical bean bag chairs, which are often used for playing video games. Andrew removed the net from the window in the living room to smoke. Room 319 (Girls' Room): The girls' room is Room 319. In this room, you can find cookies, iced tea, food, and card games. As it should be, in the style of Foxes, card games are almost always accompanied by alcohol.

Equipment: Putter: The depth of the mesh pocket depends on the player's position. The midfielder's stick has the greatest depth of the net - this makes it easier for him to move around the field with the ball both offensively and defensively. The striker's club has a smaller pocket, but the depth of the net allows you to possess the ball long enough to aim for an accurate shot. The smallest pocket is at the defender's stick, since it is highly undesirable for a defensive player to hold the ball: the longer the ball is near the goal area, the more likely it is that the attacker of the opposing team will take possession of it. The net on the goalkeeper's stick is flat; In addition, the goalkeeper's stick has the largest head - 46 x 60 cm, it is also the longest: the handle can reach 1.2 m. The length of the sticks of other players varies from 76 to 114 cm, depending on the height and preferences of the player. The weight of the club depends on the materials it is made of. As a rule, forwards have aluminum sticks (they are lighter and more comfortable to handle), while defenders have sticks made of wood and therefore heavier (for more effective use in body checks). Ball: About the size of a fist, specially weighted for a good bounce. Helmet: During a match, all skaters are required to wear helmets, unless the referee has allowed the helmet to be removed or if the game is interrupted/completed. The player's eyes are protected by a visor that does not obstruct the view; Face protection is provided by a lattice visor. Equipment: All players are required to wear protective equipment: chest plate and shoulder protection, throat protection, shin guards, elbow pads and gloves (gaiters) to protect the hands. It is allowed to use headscarves (bandana), groin protection (worn under shorts), as well as a special mouthguard to protect the teeth in case of collisions between players.

Full Name Jeremy Alan Knox Nicknames Captain, Captain Sun Gender: Male Age: 22 Orientation: Gay Height: 175-178 cm Team: Trojans Position: Forward Jersey Number: 11 Jeremy Knox is the captain of the Trojans and one of the main characters in the books Sun Court and Golden Raven. He is also the second eldest son of Trent Knox and Matilda Wilshire. He received the position of team captain in his third year. Appearance: Jeremy's hair color is described as "caramel brown" and his eyes are brown. When smiling, dimples form on Jeremy's cheeks. There are freckles on his toned body. In shorts, his legs look longer. In everyday life, Jeremy mostly wears clothes in the colors of the team. He also likes loose clothes. Personality: Jeremy is enthusiastic and friendly. He's easy to cheer up, but he's serious about his role as captain and his matches. He is a very good athlete who is much more interested in trying his best, fighting fair and improving himself and his team, rather than just keeping his title or winning at any cost. He is very caring and pays attention to the health, both physical and psychological, of all members of his team. Jeremy doesn't like to make others feel uncomfortable or unsafe in his company and asks to tell him if something isn't right. He also respects other people's personal boundaries, although he is tactful. Earlier, in his teenage years and before seeing a therapist, Jeremy was different. Cody was also mentioned that Jeremy was "not the guy you wanted to argue with." Jeremy knows how to drive. Jeremy does not know how to cook - he justifies himself by the fact that he has a personal chef at home and does not have to bother himself with cooking. He does not like to be addressed by his surname - he did not change his surname to Wilshere out of hatred for his stepfather, but he does not like the surname of Jeremy's own father either. His main gastronomic weakness is hot chocolate.

Full Name: Jean Yves Moreau Gender: Male Nicknames: Johnny (Zane Reacher), Paris (Thea Muldani), Little Brother (Derek Thompson and Derrick Allen), Golden Raven (Press) Date of Birth: November 9, 1987 Orientation: Bisexual Position: Defender Height: 187 cm Jean Moreau is number three of the King's Retinue, a friend of Kevin Day. He is French and uses his native language in conversation with Kevin and Nathaniel. Appearance: Jean has fair skin and is slightly taller than Kevin. He has black hair and gray eyes. On Jean's left cheekbone, the number 3 is tattooed - a symbol of his belonging to the "King's Retinue". Favorite food: As a true Frenchman, Jean loves traditional pastries such as croissants or baguettes. Intolerance: Jean is allergic to pistachios. Personality: When Jean joined the Crows, there were many contradictions in him. Rico's job was to correct Jean's "bad behavior." For a while, he begged him for mercy, but over time, he realized that it was not only useless, but also harmful, as it spurred Riko on. However, he manages to retain some of his rebellious nature: he teaches Kevin to speak French and speaks to him in French, defying Rico's orders. He repeats this with Neil as well. He also has enough sense of self-preservation and a rebellious will to turn to Renee when he needs her. Jean has adapted to his place and follows the rules of the Crows as a means of survival. Jean knows how to drive a car, like all Crows, as they were obliged to do so. Jean knows how to braid braids - he previously braided them for his younger sister, Elodie. Jean is fluent in three languages – French, his native language, Japanese and English. Rico does not approve of Jean speaking French in his presence, as he does not understand him. English is Jean's third language. The second is Japanese. Jean Marseille has a dialect of French.

Full Name: Riko Moriyama Gender: Male Nicknames: Son of the Exi, King of the Exi, King (Media, Raven fans, Crows) Age: 20 Height: 165 Date of birth: December 25, 1985 Riko Moriyama is the main antagonist of the series. He is Captain Voronov. He is commonly referred to as the Son of the Exi, as well as his half-brother Kevin Day, as Riko's uncle, Tetsuji, and Kevin's mother, Kaylee, invented the sport. Background: Since Riko was born later than his brother Ichiro, he was placed in a minor line of the Moriyama family. He was placed in the care of his uncle Tetsuji Moriyama at Evermore Castle. After Kaylee Day's death, Moriyama took her son, Kevin Day. The boy lived and grew up side by side with Rico before his escape to the Foxes. Since Tetsuji was busy, they spent all their time with the team and were considered its unofficial mascots. Their whole life consisted of playing exi - they even had personal tutors so that they did not leave the stadium for school. Kevin and Rico were inseparable, both grew up in front of the cameras. This has led to them practically becoming an obsession. Many considered them the future of the exi. Personality: Already in childhood, Rico showed cruelty, taking revenge on his "half-brother". He did not consider either Kevin or Jean (later also ransomed by the Moriyama family) to be close people, rather perceiving them as a thing. This attitude was brought up in him from infancy, and therefore Rico reacted especially aggressively to Kevin's escape. Riko's appearance is Japanese. He has the number 1 tattooed on his left cheekbone. Kevin has the corresponding number 2. As children, they drew numbers with a permanent marker and redrew them when they faded over time.

Full Name: Tetsuji Moriyama Gender: Male Tetsuji Moriyama - Coach Crows. Background: He and Kaylee Day invented Ekshi 30 years ago while studying in Fukui, Japan. After Kaylee's death, he took Kevin in his care to raise him with Rico. He did not adopt Kevin, but gave him to Rico as property. Due to how much money and time has been invested in Kevin, Tetsuji pockets all of his earnings to his family. Tetsuji is the head of the branch branch of the Moriyama family. His brother, Kengo, is the head of the main branch and their criminal empire, but since Tetsuji himself was not the firstborn, he is not considered to be part of this branch of the family. This excluded him from participating in the family business, but gave him the opportunity to study in Japan and make the Crows the best exi team in the country. Tetsuji instructed the Crows to change districts in order to capitalize on Kevin's status as an exhi champion as much as possible. He planned to pit him against Rico in order to finally prove that Rico is the best player. The crows call him "The Master".

University of Southern California Exi Team. At the end of the first year of the school year, Neil has a team of 28 players. Mascot: Red and Gold Trojan Horse Colors: Red and Gold Ethics: Trojans value honesty during games. The challenge for themselves and the pleasure of playing on the court are more important to them than winning. They have never received red cards and have never been caught on camera making rude statements about opponents. The team has been receiving the "For Fortitude" award for 8 years in a row. Team members: Jeremy Knox, team captain, number 11 forward Laila Dermott, number 40 goalkeeper Catalina Alvarez, number 37 defender 8 forwards, 5 midfielders, 12 defenders and 4 goalkeepers: Ming Kai, number 1 midfielder Sebastian Moore, number 2 midfielder Xavier Morgan, vice-captain, number 3 midfielder Dillon Bailey, number 4 midfielder Charles Roy, number 5 midfielder Ananya Deshmukh, number 13 striker Nabil Mahmoud, number 17 forward Derek Thompson, number 15 forward Derrick Allen, number 9 forward Ashton Cox, number 19 forward Timothy Aitzen, number 8 forward Emma Swift, number 6 forward Cody Winter, number 20 defenderPatrick Topping, Number 36 Defenseman Travis Jordan, Defenseman No. 32 Jesus Rivera, No. 31 Defenseman Haoyu Liu, No. 33 Defenseman Sean Anderson, No. 26 Defenseman Lucas Johnson, No. 25 Defenseman Tanner Adams, No. 21 Defenseman Madeleine Hill, No. 28 Defenseman Shane Reid, No. 41 Goaltender William Foster, No. 46 goaltender Zachary Price, No. 42 goaltender Coaching staff: James Rehmann, head coach Jackie Lisinski, fitness trainer Michael White, offensive line coach Eduardo Jimenez, defensive line coach Assistants: Angela Lewis (Angie) Antonio Jones (Tony) Roberta Blackwell (Bobby)

Dynamics in the team Foxes are a motley collective. At the beginning of the year (2006-2007), they often quarreled because of the internal hierarchy in the team, but Dan was unconditionally recognized as the captain of the team and was unquestioningly obeyed (for the most part). Seth and Kevin often quarreled, even on the court during games, and Matt had to separate them physically whenever they disobeyed Dan. Kevin's criticism was the cause of most of the quarrels on the set. Although Seth was the only fifth-year student on the team at the time, his isolationism did not have a positive impact on the team. Alison had a voice due to her seniority and impulsiveness, although she hated interacting with her cousins. Aaron tried not to interfere. Nicky was enthusiastic, but he liked to get into fights with Alison and Seth. Andrew put in as little effort as he could, but his ability to influence Kevin and talent made him useful to the team. When Neil first joined the team, he was not part of the hierarchy due to his inexperience. Wymack did not interfere in their fights and quarrels, although he punished them with cardio and training. There is an agreement between the Foxes not to meddle in other people's business. Neil assumed that this was due to the fact that they all came from single-parent families and knew that the questions could be uncomfortable. For the most part, they don't ask questions about other people's strange behavior or habits. The team's favorite pastime is to bet on even the smallest things, whether it's relationships or how a person will react to this or that news. Team Bus: The Team Bus is used to transport the Foxes to away games. It is usually locked in a closed room to avoid acts of vandalism. The bus is white with orange trim and paw prints. Inside, there is only one row of rows of seats, spacious enough for two people and upholstered in leather. Usually, Vaimak is behind the wheel.

Foxes are the ex-team of Palmetto University. Founded by Coach Vaimak, it is designed to give athletes from disadvantaged backgrounds another chance by functioning as a "halfway house". Unfortunately, this makes them a difficult team to train with, as it's not uncommon for players to start fighting. Foxes have a reputation for being a mentally unstable crew and are the laughing stock of the entire nation. Foxes train on the court of the Fox Hole and in the gym. They live on the third floor of the Fox Tower - a dormitory for athletes. The Foxes donate a portion of the proceeds from ticket sales to charity, so their tickets are slightly more expensive than those of other teams. That was René's idea. The girls of the team want the Foxes to participate in more charity projects. Colors: Orange and White Players: Dan, Kevin, Andrew, Matt, Aaron, Seth, Alison, Nicky, Renee, Neil Coach: Wymack Medic: Abby Psychologist: Betsy Equipment/Uniform: The Foxes have five sets of equipment for training, as well as a set of home and away kits. Each player has a bright orange windbreaker with a name and the inscription "Foxes" on the back made of reflective material. They also have two dark orange putters with one white stripe at the base and a white net, each custom-made by the player. Medical Board: Once a semester, Foxes must undergo a medical examination. Since it includes a blood test, it must be done at least a day before you start exercising. Weight, height, reflexes, blood pressure and scars are also checked. Athletes are not allowed to play if they do not take part in training and if Abby does not give the go-ahead for their participation. Once a semester, each team member must meet with Betsy for a psychological evaluation. During the first session, the Foxes are just getting to know Betsy, the subsequent sessions should be real therapy sessions. Foxes come to her in pairs during training the day before the start of classes.

Full Name: Abigail Marie Winfield Gender: Female Nicknames: Abby (Foxes) Date of Birth: August Age: 37 Height: 168 Appearance: She has blonde hair, neat features and a caring, but very strong-willed expression. She carries herself confidently and is always ready to show firmness. Abby wears comfortable medical clothes, as he spends most of his time at the training ground, stadiums, or in the hospital helping the players. Background: She attended school in Charleston with Betsy. After graduating from school, they continued to communicate. Character: She is decisive, it is not difficult for her to silence people or order them. He copes well with complex injuries of players and their emotional exhaustion, working closely with coach David Vaimak. In general terms: Abby disapproves of Andrew drinking alcohol while taking his medication and holds Nicky responsible for enforcing this rule. She also disapproves of what Andrew did to Matt and Dan a year earlier. Despite her assurances, she is shocked by Neil's scars.

Fox Hole is the Palmetto University stadium where the Foxes play and train. Home games are played at the Fox Hole, and at night, Neil attends extra training sessions with Kevin (accompanied by Andrew) on the court. After Kevin signed a contract with the Foxes, the stadium was vandalized about a dozen times. Kevin and Neil have the keys to the stadium (exterior door, inventory room, court doors). However, Kevin's arrival also gave the Foxes enough money to repair the floors and walls, making the court as clean as it had been since its construction. The stadium, designed for sixty-five thousand fans, is located on the outskirts of the campus next to the administrative buildings. The walls are painted bright white with bright orange edging. On each of the four outer walls is painted a huge fox paw. The stadium is surrounded by a fence with barbed wire. Along the entire length of the fence, at an equal distance from each other, there are doors for the entrance of the night public, but they are usually closed with a chain. There are food stalls and souvenir shops between the fence and the stadium, but they are only open during the season.

Full name: Nathan Wesninsky Nicknames: The Butcher, The Baltimore Butcher Nathan Wesninsky is Neil's father. He is a criminal based in Baltimore, known as the "Baltimore Butcher." Occupation: Nathan secretly worked for the Moriyama family and was Kengo's right-hand man. His territory was the eastern ports, his western border was West Virginia. Family: Nathan Wesninsky was married to Mary Hatford. After his son attended the Ravens' internship and Tetsuji approved of Nathaniel, she stole $5 million and ran away with him. The Butcher pursued them for eight years until Mary was fatally shot by his subordinates and died, and now he's after Neil. Nathan regularly abused and maimed his son. No one knows he's Neil's father, as Neil never tells anyone.

Full name: Stuart Hatford Gender: Male Age: 42 Stuart Hatford is Neil's uncle and Mary's brother. He comes from a British crime family. In a nutshell: When his sister ran away from Neil's father, he gave her a list of emergency contacts, mostly outside the US. Personality: Ruthlessness, arrogance, and selfishness, skillfully concealed behind the manners of a social gentleman. A peculiar attachment to Neil: Despite his harshness, he cared for his nephew's safety, offering shelter from the mafia, which speaks to his family values. Appearance: Stewart is a mature, strong man, an experienced fighter and an authoritative mafioso. No one except Neil and Stuart's subordinates knows his number, Neil doesn't tell anyone about his uncle and if he calls him, it will only be in a situation where otherwise the only threat is death.

Basic rules: The offside rule applies in the exi. Offside is fixed when a player of the attacking team, who is not in possession of the ball or is heading for the ball, is closer to the goal than the defender of the defending team. This rule prevents a situation where the striker is constantly near the opponent's goal area, waiting for an opportunity to score a goal. In the event that the referees see an offside position, the ball passes to the defending team and is introduced into the game by a shot from the midfield line. Shoulder or body plays are allowed on a player who is in possession of the ball, has just given the ball away, or is about to receive a pass. The player in possession of the ball has the right to use a body check against other players without restrictions. Penalty for the use of a prohibited body check is the transfer of the ball to the opposing team with a kick from the nearest marking line. Power wrestling in any other form is prohibited and punishable by a penalty card. The color of the card - yellow or red - depends on the severity of the violation, based on the same criterion, a free kick or the transfer of the ball to the opposing team is awarded. Players resume the match from the positions they occupied when the game was stopped; The exact place is indicated by the referee who was closest to the players. In all cases where the ball is put into play after stopping, the distance between the serving player and the rest of the players must be at least 3 meters. Body checks with a stick are allowed to be used only in relation to the opponent's stick. A player who strikes any part of the opponent's body with a stick receives a penalty card, and the opposing team earns the right to a free kick. The same punishment follows if a player uses a stick to trip an opponent. In case of hitting the opponent's helmet with a stick, the guilty player receives a red card, and a penalty is awarded to his team's goal.

Having taken possession of the ball, the player can take no more than ten steps, after which he must pass. A player can pass the ball to a teammate, return the ball from a ricochet or take a shot on goal. One yellow card serves as a warning for the player. A player who receives two yellow cards leaves the field of play until the end of the match. A player who receives a red card immediately leaves the field of play and also misses the next game. At school matches, the refereeing team consists of at least four referees; the games of the NSSA and higher teams are refereed by six referees - three from each side of the field. Only the goalkeeper is allowed to touch the ball with his hands. All other players can catch, hit and perform any other actions with the ball only with the help of a stick. Violation of this rule entails the suspension of the game and the transfer of the ball to the opposing team. Teams: There are four positions for players: Forward, Midfielder, Defender and Goalkeeper. The striker organizes an attack on the opponent's goal, his task is to score a goal. At the beginning of the game, the forwards take their places on the middle line: the forwards of the team that puts the ball into play stand on both sides of the center of the field, the forwards of the defending team stand closer to the edges of the field. The midfielder puts the ball into play, who then acts as a passer. A midfielder can act in attack or defense and thus perform the functions of an attacker or defender, depending on the game situation. At the beginning of the match, the midfielders are located on the line of the first/third quarter. The defender plays defensively, his task is to keep the opponent's players away from the goal. Defensemen start the game on the first/third quarter line. The goalkeeper (goalkeeper) defends the goal. Six players from each team can be on the field at the same time. Most often, these are two forwards, a midfielder, two defenders and a goalkeeper. The presence of a goalkeeper, however, is not necessary; Under certain circumstances, the coach may sacrifice the defense of the goal and replace the goalkeeper with an additional skater.

Apartment: His apartment is twenty minutes by car from Palmetto Airport. He lives on the 7th floor in apartment No 724. The apartment has a living room, a bedroom and an office, as well as a bathroom and a kitchen. The apartment is a mess: papers everywhere, empty coffee mugs, overflowing ashtrays. In his office there is a whole shelf of books about exi. The entrance gate of his residential complex closes at midnight and can only be opened with a key. There is a laundry room in the basement. Wymack is the only one who lives on the 7th floor.

His apartment was built around the same time as the Fox Hole. The builders assumed that people would show interest in the apartments because of the matches taking place nearby. However, this did not happen due to the unsuccessful matches of the Foxes. The lower floors are quite full, and the middle floors are rented out during the football season. The top two floors are relatively empty. Habits: Coach Wymack does not lock his door when inside. When Wymack is too lazy to cook, he calls out to Abby to do it for him. He claims that he is allergic to cleaning products, but this is not confirmed by medical indications. Abby questions the legitimacy of his statement.

Special conditions for athletes: Athletes are required to include hours of tutoring in their schedule, which can make it difficult to create a schedule, as training has to be taken into account. This disadvantage is compensated to some extent by the fact that athletes must graduate from school in 5 years, and not in 4, as usual.

Due to the peculiarities of the admission of athletes to the university, they are offered early registration at the end of the previous semester, and not at the beginning of the current one. Athletes are prohibited from missing classes on the days of the games without a valid reason. A member of the athletic committee monitors compliance with this rule, who checks the audiences throughout the day. If the athlete does not appear at the classes, this is reported to his coach. On-campus police: After Kevin transferred to Palmetto University, the police presence on campus was doubled. They are ordered not to allow the press on campus unaccompanied. Campus police officers wear blue uniforms. Their tasks include regulating traffic during game evenings and preventing guests from interfering with classes. Downtown: Downtown is a long street of shops branching off from the campus in the Fox Tower area, which mainly sells goods for students. There are also several bookstores and a couple of pubs. During the summer holidays, most establishments are closed. This is where students can eat off-campus.

Palmetto University is a large public university located in South Carolina. On the territory of the university there is an exi stadium and it is called Fox Hole. The rector of Palmetto University is Charles Whittier. The campus is 11 miles from the nearest motorway exit. Most of Palmetto University's buildings, offices, and dormitories are inside a giant loop known as the Ring Road. The Fox Tower was one of the exceptions, but only because due to the uneven hill, the road had to be skirted around the campus near the clock tower. At the top of the hill is the Fox Tower. All the Foxes live in the Fox Tower, a dormitory for student athletes. Palmetto University has 21,000 students. University colors: orange and white On-campus facilities: Fox Tower: Fox Tower is a dormitory for athletes at Palmetto universities. Foxes live on the third floor. In addition to them, football teams live in the dormitory. Library: The library provides free access to computers to all students. There is also a café in the library. Andrew won't even step there. Medical Center: The Medical Center houses the offices of doctors and psychiatrists. Doctors are located closer to the entrance, psychiatrists are at the end of the corridor, out of sight. Betsy works here. The medical center has a waiting room with pale blue couches and a clock. Dining Halls: Palmetto University has three dining halls. Two of them are for students, and the third is exclusively for athletes. All canteens operate on a buffet basis. In the canteen for athletes, only one unhealthy dish is served per day, in ordinary canteens pizza and numerous desserts are most often served. Neil is allowed to visit any canteen, but due to pressure from Wymack, he uses the canteen for athletes. There are three convenience stores on campus.

The Edgar Allan University ex-team is the best team in the country at the time of the events in 2006. Evermore Castle is their stadium. They are in West Virginia. Colors: black and white Translation: The Crows have moved to the southeastern district to be able to compete with the Foxes. This transfer was silent until June, as KRE understood that Kevin's move to the Foxes had already caused a strong reaction, and wanted to give coach Wymack a chance to protect his players. The move was approved, as the Ravens are the only ex-Class I team in West Virginia, and the CRE expected Kevin and Rico to compete against each other, which would generate a lot of publicity. Training: The Crows' training is brutal - it involves a 16-hour "workday" and a pairs system. Players work in tandem with each other, and the success of one depends on the success of the other, as well as vice versa. Players also do not go anywhere without at least one team member, including classes that the Crows attend in groups of at least 3 people. When the team plays training matches, the substitutes sit on the sidelines and watch. After that, both the substitutes and those who played in the scrum gather in the center of the court and analyze the match. The Crows have a series of 8 exercises that every player must practice. After completing the exercise, the player moves on to the next one. The first exercise is to tip over the cones on the bounce in the order that will be announced. Only if the player has mastered this exercise, he is allowed to participate in the Crows games. New players spend weeks to months practicing this exercise.

Edgar Allan University is a small liberal arts university located in West Virginia. This is where the Crows, the Exi team, are based. Evermore Castle: Edgar Allan University's stadium for the Exy game and home to the Crows. It was the first NSSA stadium in the United States and also serves as the national stadium of the United States. Under the court are dormitories, which were supposed to house teams from other countries during the games, but they are used as Raven dormitories. Riko Moriyama, Kevin Day, and Jean Moreau lived in a separate wing, away from the rest of the Crows. These dormitories are called the Nest. There are four observation towers in the stadium. The eastern one is for the clients and business partners of the Moriyama family. Players: 1. Riko Moriyama, forward, captain 3. Jean Moreau, defender 12. Grayson Johnson, defender 14. Tea Muldani, defender 16. Wayne Berger, forward 18. Jasmine Lane, defender 19. Bryden Williams, forward 21. Cameron Winter, forward 24. Phil Angle, forward 25. Colleen Jenkins, forward 26. Zane Reacher, defender 27. Sergio Perez, forward 31. Luke Cardi, defender 39. Martin Dawson, defender Team traits Ravens: Unquestioning obedience: Players unconditionally follow any orders of the coaches (Riko and Tetsuji) and have no right to their own opinion.Total control: The crows are watched, they are forbidden to communicate with strangers and go out alone.Cold ruthlessness: They show indifference to injuries (both their own and others) and are aimed only at winning.Perfect discipline: On the field, they act as a unit, a ruthless mechanism, suppressing opponents with skill and intimidation. For official events, press conferences and interviews, players dress the same.