When arriving at LAX, we all got into one van while our bags were all being delivered to our hotel and put into our rooms. Jules sat at the window seat while she snapped pictures from her disposable camera with Connie and I having our faces pressed to the window.
When arriving at the hotel, it wasn't a hotel at all. It was a giant dorm room building like for college kids near the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, "Alright everyone! I want you to go to your dorms, get your tracksuits on, and grab your gear for practice for tonight's game." Mr. Tibbles instructed us, then gave Coach Bombay a piece of paper before walking away.
"Ok! Team!" He clapped his hands together. "Fulton and Dean, 208. Dwayne, Luis, Ken, and Averman, 209. Jesse, Goldberg, and Guy, 210, Charlie and Adam, 211, Connie, Julie, and Vicki, 212, myself in 212, and Miss McKay in 213." When we all broke away, Connie, Jules, and I linked arms while going to our shared dorm.
"I'm so excited for tonight, I can already feel my stomach flipping." Connie jumped a little.
"I know right! It's like I could be sick right now!" Jules smiled, looking at Connie.
When the three of us got to our dorm, our bags were behind put down by two men in hats and sunglasses, "Thank you." We smiled, walking into the room, then gave us curt nods before walking out.
Running over to the bed near a big window, "I call the window bed!" I screamed, jumping on the bed landing on my face.
Connie and Julie laughed before dragging their bags over to their beds, a knock then came from the door, we all looked over to find Mr. Tibbles knocking on the open door to our dorm, "Hey there girls! How's the room?" He smiled, walking in carrying a cardboard box with the Hendrix logo on it.
"Great!" Connie nodded her head.
"The reason why I came by is because my assistant just delivered this just now with two other boxes for you Vicki," He walked over and sat the box down on my bed, opening up the flaps to reveal a matching Team USA varsity jacket to match Coach. "Matching coaches jacket with embroidery," He turned it around to the front to reveal white cursive letters with Junior Assistant Coach Reed on the right, then he sat it on the bed. "Sweatpants, shorts, mini skirt, tee-shirts to match the team," He held up the Team USA Hendrix clothes before setting them down on my bed. I heard Connie and Julie come up behind me to look at my clothes. "Black Team USA zip down Polo shirt, matching Polo shorts with a Polo belt all thanks to Hendrix and Ralph Lauren Polo," He held up the shirt, shorts, and white leather belt before setting them down. Connie went over to examine all my clothes on the bed. "White button-down no sleeve Lacoste dress and a matching dress in black with quarter sleeves all thanks to Hendrix and Lacoste and special Nike and Hendrix brand tennis shoes for training which are in the other two boxes which are coming up now."
Jules whistled and looked at all the specialty Hendrix clothes on my bed, "Wow, I didn't think I'd be pampered." Then I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Yes, Well that's because you coach for us and Hendrix rewards," Mr. Tibbles smiled, putting his hands in his pockets before his face went into shock when his assistant brought in the other two boxes. One was smaller than the other, "Oh! Almost forgot," He chuckled. "Coach Bombay specially requested these items for you," He took the two boxes, placing the one on the floor which I assumed were my shoes and opened the flaps to the other smaller box revealing a Team USA jersey with Jr. Coach Reed on it and a patch in the front with the letters J, A, C, meaning Jr. Assistant Coach. "Your jersey," Then he pulled out a sparkly Team USA cheer bow and scrunchie. "And your Team USA cheer bow with matching scrunchie." He held them out to show them to me.
My face lit up with excitement. I was so happy that Coach was so thoughtful to get me a jersey, scrunchie, and cheer bow, "Coach knows you all too well." Julie smiled while looking at my mini skirt.
"I know," I smiled while looking up. "He loves me too much." Poking my cheek, Jules playfully rolled her eyes.
"Alright, I think that's it, so I'll see you all at the game tonight!" Mr. Tibbles smiled before walking out the door.
Connie, Jules, and I all got into our tracksuits. I brushed my hair and put it up into a high pony, putting my specialty Team USA cheer bow in my hair before I put on my matching jacket.
The team met all down at the entrance of the dorms building while we all walked to the rink carrying our hockey duffel bags. The team led by Mr. Tibbles, walked us through the coliseum to get to the rink.
Everyone got into their gear and skated on to the ice while Coach and I stood in the middle, "I see your enjoying your gifts." He smiled before blowing his whistle, calling everyone over.
Looking over at Coach, I pulled out the whistle Mr. Tibbles gave to Coach and put it around my neck, "You know me too well Coach," Shaking my head, I waved my hand in the air. "Come on in everyone! Take a knee!" The team then kneeled in front of us.
"Ok guys, let's do some laps, ladders, and a scrimmage." Coach then blew his whistle, the team then started skating laps around the rink.
Mr. Tibbles and Miss McKay walked on to the ice over to the two of us in the center, "Looking good Team USA!" Mr. Tibbles smiled, holding his two thumbs in the air as turned to the team skating around the rink. Then I took the whistle to my mouth, calling everyone back in to the center to do ladders, "We're gonna be great tonight, right?" He then shook our hands.
"Ya know it," I chuckled. "By the way, who are we playing against tonight?"
Mr. Tibbles looked in the air for a moment before facing me, "Team Trinidad Tobago from the Caribbean."
"Right, should be pretty easy." Coach nodded, then blew his whistle for everyone to come in for the scrimmage.
"Dwayne v Averman up first." Coach threw me a puck and I sat it down in the middle of the ice.
After practice, the team all waited inside the locker room for a few minutes to air out the pads and skates. Coach Bombay went up to the benches to see what was going on before the game started. When Coach came back into the locker room, we were allowed on the ice to start warm-ups before the game.
"And there's Team U.S.A. hockey led by Coach Gordon Bombay and Junior Assistant Coach Victoria Reed. They're looking fit and anxious to begin the competition." The announcer smiled from inside the box. The crowd roared for Team USA when we came out from the locker room. Everyone smiled and held signs, waved flags, and even waved to some of the team members, calling out their names.
Coach and I went over to the benches to stand behind the wall while we watched our team do warm-ups, "Let's get ourselves off to a good start," He started, making me turn to see his smiling face. "Shall we?" He raised a brow.
"Hell ya!" I raised my hand on the air, we high fives each other before going back to watch the team practice.
We brought the team in for a team huddle and inspirational talk, "Ok team," Coach clapped his hands. "I'm not one for motivational speeches so I'll just not say anything." Coach Bombay smiled, which made the team laugh before I stepped on top of the bench.
"What Coach is trying to say is that we should go out there and kick ass!" I smiled widely which made everyone rowdy. "And also have fun," I added before the ref blew his whistle to start the beginning of the game.
Coach pulled specific people to the bench to sit while he sent in our lighter players to start out with.
We scored two goals in the 1st period within at least 5 minutes of starting the period. The 2nd period was also successful, but we only scored 1 point.
Connie, Guy, Averman, and Ken were all playing well, defending their ground on the ice and keeping their heads held high, which I applauded them from behind the benches, pacing back and forth from wall to wall of the benches while Coach leaned against the wall separating the benches and the ice.
In the 3rd period with only 4:25 left, the score was 6-0 favoring us. Connie has just received the puck from Averman who skated towards the goal and shot the puck in a weak spot of the goalies.
Team USA jumped up cheering for Connie, turning and high fiving each other, "WAY TO GO CON!" My hands clapped together while she skated back to her spot on the ice.
From next to me I could hear Jesse talking, "Then why don't ya go botha' him then?" Jesse asked, which made me turn my head.
Jesse was talking to another boy in the stands, apparently trash-talking us, "Haha! I ain't even got a little brotha'!" He smiled widely, looking down at Jesse from the stands higher up from the benches.
"Come on Jesse, quit gabbing and show me ya want it!" Coach clapped his hands together, making Jesse hop over the wall, on to the ice.
"Ya show me ya want it." The kid mocked Coach's voice and actions, clapping his hands together before Coach shook his head, smirking at him. The boy then smiled and ducked under the barrier.
Jesse hopped on to the ice and grabbed the puck, heading towards the goal, "Yes! Yes! Jesse!" I jumped in the air.
I celebrated too early because someone jumped in front of him, making him fall on his face, sailing for the goal making me wince. Jesse got up and then started roughhousing with the player who jumped in front of him, "Jesse! No!" Then I facepalmed myself as the ref took Jesse to the penalty box.
Fulton and Dean exchanged each other looked before fist-bumping and putting on their bandannas under their helmets before hopping over the wall.
Smiling and clapping for our two enforcers, "Let's have some fun, boys!"
Dean and Fulton started pushing around the other players while passing the puck back and forth, "Take it Portman!" Fulton then passed the puck to Dean who then shot it into the goal causing the crowd to go wild.
"Thank you! Thank you!" The two boys said and bowed in unison before chest-bumping, getting riled up, they skated back to the benches.
From behind me, I could hear Charlie talking to Banksie, "Hey ya gotta girl in the stands?" My face dropped from disappointment and jealously.
"Nah, man, scouts look'em," Banksie mumbled just enough for me to hear which made me look in the audience for the scouts Banksie was talking about.
When I spotted them, they were sitting next to each other, pointing to players on the ice, "Don't worry about scouts Adam," Charlie scoffed. "Just play your best." I tried keeping my eyes on the game but I was getting too distracted by what the two boys were talking about.
"Ya, I'll take ya up on that," I heard a sigh escape from his mouth. "But it's bad enough that I got one girl on my mind."
My eyes watched Luis speed skate on the ice with the puck, making my eyes follow him down to the opposing goal. When he scored, I smiled widely and cheered for him, then I caught a quick glimpse of the two boys staring at me before snapping away to look back at the ice.
Coach then sent out Banksie to put more points on the board. Banksie tried to stickhandle when one of the Trinidad's best players grabbed the puck away from him and scored a point, making the team cheer and play bongos.
Through the rest of the game, the score was 8-2 favoring us. Connie had got the puck and was almost about to get smushed by two Trinidad players when she dodged them, making them run into each other, she stickhandled around the two laying on the ice as she passed it to Ken. Ken then skated behind the goal, ducking under the legs of a player and shooting the puck. The score was 9-2 when we ended.
The team all ran out on to the ice to celebrate our victory, "That wasn't a victory, it was a statement!" Coach smiled as we all cheered and went into the locker room to shower before we all get ready for the party tonight.