On and Off the Rink

Chapter Four: Tryouts

My head banged against the inside of my helmet for the tenth time this game as another one of the guys slammed me into the boards after stealing the puck away from me. The guys team had two points and we had only one. I had just been yards away from the goal post with a wide open stretch before some defender crashed into me. I iced the puck, but sadly their goalie grabbed it before I could regain my balance.

We were nearing the end point of the third period which meant I had four minutes left to score. I stood back up off the ice and immediately started skating towards the defender who had slammed into me. The goalie passed him the puck, and instead of checking him, I intersepted the pass and headed back towards the goal. I skated around the net just to be hit even harder by the other defender. That's when the whistle blew. "Two minute penalty for number twenty nine, Zach, for a check from behind."

I got up off the ground and made my way to the circle for a new face off. Yet again I won passing it behind me, just to get the puck returned straight to me once I had made my way behind the goal. I looked down the rink and saw Cameron skate up to the empty side of the defense zone. I passed her the puck and she took control of it in a matter of seconds. The other defender who was still on the ice went right after her, but not before she could shoot the puck to our other forward, Sadie. She then passed it back to me, and right before the buzzer ticked off to zero I hooked the puck into the goal tying the game at the last second.

The guys coach started yelling at his players, saying they should be ashamed of the way they all played today. This must have hurt sense there were chances of getting cut after practice today.

"Nice goal Ciara!" Cam and Sadie both came up to me, capturing me in a huge group hug. Our two defenders, Alayna and Sophia also joined in, followed by Rose.

"I wouldn't have been able to make it without your all's great passes!"

"Oh your just being modest." Sadie pushed my shoulder lightly once the giant hug had broken apart.

"Speak for yourself Sadie, my pass was pretty brilliant." Cameron was looking off into the distance, remembering what had all just occurred.

"Oh come on, not this again!" I looked over at Sadie after yelling this to Cam and she nodded right back. We both lunged forward tackling Cam to the ground into a pile of giggles.

"Nice game ladies, hope to see you out on the ice next practice." We all abruptly stopped our laughing and looked up from our position from the ground. Parker, Lucas, and the other forward Thomas, looked down at all of us with a sour look on their faces. I stood up followed by Cam then Sadie.

"Right back at yah. You all played pretty well." We all slipped off our helmets then stuck out our hands, ready for a formal handshake, but it never came. The guys turned and walked away towards the locker room without another word. They were obviously annoyed that they didn't win, but they didn't loose either, so I really couldn't see why they were so upset. Our coach glared at the boys as they exited the ice. He had obviously forced them to come over to us, which they obviously hated.

I then looked over at Cam and Sadie who had turned their outstretched hands into the middle figures aimed at the guys backs, and I joined them. "Ladies! Nice game! You all played extremely well and cuts will be placed on the door outside my office by the time your all ready to leave. No matter what happens you are all welcome back to our practices, because you'll always be part of our family as long as I'm still here." All twelve of us ran up to coach and gave him a huge team hug. I knew cuts had to happen, but I couldn't stand loosing anyone on the team.

We all slowly fell apart, starting smaller conversations amongst the group. Everyone's conversations were all surrounding the cuts for the new team though. I knew my team better than anything and I knew that I wasn't the only one worried about this.