As you walked into the rink you could feel your nerves building up inside you. You carried in your skates wearing the apparel the staff gave you yesterday to wear. You landed an internship with the Toronto Maple Leafs before your freshman year of college. You walked to the bench and tied up your skates after reintroducing yourself to some of the staff. You were interning as a skating coach for the prospect development camp since that was the job you had always wanted since you started playing hockey. You transitioned from forward to defense to goalie, and had plenty of years of skating experience and you enjoyed it so much that you figured you'd pursue it.
"Go out there you can warm up if you need," one of the coaches said to you. You hopped off the bench and began to skate laps going forwards, and backward, doing crossovers and mohawks around corners, working on tight turns, and doing it all in quick time. You noticed some of the players coming out and moving to center ice to stretch before the camp would start.
"Who is she?" you heard one of the boys at center ice say to another.
"I don't know but she can skate," another said.
"And looks good doing it," the boy smiled at you. He looked about your age, but you knew you couldn't do anything because you had to keep a professional relationship to maintain your internship for the week. You looked away to hide the blush you were trying to avoid. You continued your lap and stopped at center ice snowing some of the team. They groaned and complained in annoyance from getting showered.
"Oh sorry boys," you laughed. The other coaches joined you at center ice. You stood there as they each introduced themselves. It was your turn and you didn't know what to say, introductions seemed weird for a bunch of boys your age.
"Uh hi, I'm Y/N L/N, you can call me whatever Y/N, coach Y/N, or L/N whatever I don't care, but I'm interning as a skating coach, so maybe you'll see me in a few years or maybe just for this week, but looking forward to this time with you guys," you smiled. The boys tapped their sticks on the ice as everyone stood up.
"Well this is perfect, our first day is normally reserved for skating, then end with a scrimmage so Y/N take it away," the head coach said to you. You watched some of the boys nudge each other. You took a deep breath and pulled out your coaching voice from when you helped with your brother's middle school hockey team.
"Coach, do you have cones?"
"Cones? Yeah sure they are on the bench." You skated over and took four cones, putting two on each end towards the center of the goal line creating a little path. As you reached the end where all the players were you were ready to announce. You made eye contact with the boy before you started speaking, but quickly broke it.
"Okay everyone, this drill sucks, but it really helps with turns, I hated doing it, so you're probably gonna hate me for having you do it, but it helps, and goalies don't think you are getting out of it because I first did this drill as a goalie." The players looked confused, and you felt nervous, it felt weird instructing people your age. You looked over at the other coaches who were nodding to keep going. You took another deep breath and began to talk again.
"Every line you are gonna change direction, this side is going to start forward," you pointed, "and that side is starting backward, once you get to that goal line, you are going to sprint down the middle then hop in a line on the opposite side, understood?" Everyone nodded but you were feeling confident.
"Just to be clear, you have to turn once you reach the line, no starting to turn early or late, I'll demonstrate." You started on the forward side going from the goal line to the blue line, before quickly turning, reaching the center line turning once more, then reaching the other blue line changing direction once again, before making your way to the far goal line. You sprinted down the middle all the way back to the end you started on before moving to the other side and following the same procedures. Once you got back you felt out of breath, the boys tapped their sticks on the ice for you, you took a little joking bow.
"So everyone drop your sticks at this end, and I'll send you off, three on each side." They did as you said and lined up. You sent the first group off allowing you and the other coaches to watch, you skated over and talked to the goalies saying they only had to do each side once. You went back to where you were before as the other coaches skated around motivating the players. You were focused when you felt a tap on your shoulder, it was the boy.
"Skating coach huh?" he asked.
"Yup, for now" you smiled.
"You're pretty good, some of the guys took notice," he tried being subtle.
"Yeah I heard you guys earlier," you said with a straight face, he looked embarrassed.
"What? You don't like compliments?" he laughed. You shot him a sarcastic look, letting him skate away in perfect time because he was up next. You read the names going up next. You looked at the boy then looked at your list, Cowan, Easton Cowan the pick of this year's draft. You kept that name in the back of your mind as you continued through drills. Every so often you would catch him looking as the practice continued. Once it ended you stopped him before you got off the ice.
"Cowan," you pointed and signaled him over.
"Sup coach Y/N,"
"What's your deal Cowan, making eyes at me during practice?" You asked.
"You said your an intern for the week, just the week," he smirked.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Oh come on Y/N, one date, tonight?" You rolled your eyes at his question.
"Remember Cowan I'm still your coach for the week, now get outta here go change," you said as he skated away.
"Hard to get I see how it is, see you next week," he said skating away, leaving you stunned.
