Shooting Stars

Monday morning came too quickly and soon I found myself on the ice in practice gear. My skates were too tight, but I didn’t want to look like a fool, so that was how they stayed. Practice was hard. I wasn’t going to lie. It was more exercise than what I was used to, so I was the one getting the most water. Coach Q didn’t care, he knew it was hard on the first day. And when it came time for sprints, he offered to let me sit them out. But that would’ve been a weak move, so I toughed it out and did ten sprints across the ice and back. Some of the practice squad fell over panting, but I stayed standing, barely.
“You did great, Sophie!” Corey congratulated me later that day in the car on the way home.
“Thanks. I think I’m still catching my breath.”
“Sprints are the worst, aren’t they?”
“Yeah. They suck.”
“Well, it can only get better. Maybe this time next year you’ll be on the team? You never know.”
“You’re right. Thanks for the support, I expected some of the guys to be total downers, like the practice squad, but the team is really cool about me playing. So that makes me a bit happier.”
“Just try your hardest!”