Lincoln Mendoza is an eighth grader who has changed his home recently, from San Francisco to the suburban area of Sycamore. Like, for every kid, moving to a new place, enrolling to a new school, making new friends and leaving behind the old ones, it was not at all easy for him too. His family is the only Mexican-American people in his new society. He is a fabulous basketball player and plays for his new middle school team. Although his ability surpasses many other boys', he has to face prejudice from his basketball coach and many of his classmates because he is a minority student.
This alienation faced by our protagonist elevates at one of the basketball practices when his coach makes fun of him for caring and wiping his hurt toe. While coaches refrain players from playing he mocked about it and made him practice.
On page 22, When Yesutis notices Lincoln taking off his sock and rubbing the injured toe, he begins shouting at him. He tells him not to do so and mocks at the kid with bitter tone and gestures. He exclaims, "Who do you believe you are? Anyone special?" Lincoln still tries to cordially explain that his toe is hurt. But Yesutis again answers in a poor fashion and mocks his situation by saying, "Poor kid, he hit his itsy-bitsy toe." No other player laughed but the coach. He does this with Lincoln out of prejudice. But his personal attributes also contribute to the way he acts with the protagonist. Some of his attributes are over-ambitious behavior and demanding nature, which make him behave like he is in the middle of a real game, not practice. He wants that his players must always play really hard.
Lincoln is not able to process this and questions himself that why the coach always pokes him, even he has all the qualities of a disciplined boy who plays basketball.
