Practice Makes Perfect.

That was last week. That day changed my life forever. I was able to skate on the ice, and finally sweat and not have to impress lunatic judges. I might be a little rusty from not playing ice hockey for at least a year. Roller hockey isn't quite the same, but at least it was a form of hockey. Today being Wednesday, and I was getting ready to leave the house for my very first practice. To be honest, I'm quite nervous. I haven't skated for a long time, and that... being around NHL players that I've grown up around isn't helping. But I know Dan with help.
My mom was gone already for work, and couldn't help but hold a good smile on my face. I was truly happy, finally. From my dad's death, to no more hockey, and my mother's attitude, I'm finally free without my mother knowing.
I ended up at the Consol in ten minutes, and walked to the familiar office of Dan's. No players were here yet, so that was comforting. I knocked on the wooden door, and Dan said to come on in. I did so, and I saw him holding a big smile on his face. I smiled back at him. He walked around his desk, and said,

" You ready? We gotta fit you into some gear and size your stick as well. So, ready?" I nodded furiously and smiled even larger. He chuckled and signaled me to follow him to another room. We walked through the halls and chatted along the way. We ended up and the room and he held the door open. I thanked him and walked in. My jaw nearly dropped from its place onto the floor. Gear of every size and brand was in this rather large room. Easton, Reebok, CCM. From shorts to socks, skates to helmets, to even water bottles and sticks. I was in heaven. No joking.

" Alright, time to start!" He clapped his hands. We walked over to the skates and started to size my feet. Then trying on different pairs of skates. From Reebok's Sidney Crosby Pump skates, to CCM Vector skates. I felt a lot comfortable in the CCM pair. Dan then called a man to the room and the man took my skates to cut the blade to a 3/8ths cut. Just the way I like it. I smiled, this was great.
We then got shin/knee guards, finished along with elbow pads. A pair of Reebok 05 pants, was fitted upon me. Snugging greatly around me. I gave Dan a thumbs up. We then walked over to the chest protectors. It didn't take long to find out which one was fit well. The smallest one they had fit me well. Dan then joked about me being small.

" We're going to need to put some meat and muscle on them bones!" He laughed at me. I pouted, and then laughed along. Finding a helmet that fit me was harder then expected. I was stuck between two sizes. One being to tight, but the next size being just a tad bit too large. So we stuck a piece of padding to tighten up the loose space. We then got to the gloves and I found a pair small enough to fit me. A black pair of Warrior gloves. The man who took my skates came back with them. He told me to put them on. I did so, and they felt amazing.

" A lot better than my figurine skates." I joked. Dan laughed at my joke, but the man just smiled at me. I don't mind. He doesn't know my life. After a few more details such as pelvic protectors, mouth guards, neck guards, and under armor, I was suited up, with the exceptions of my helmet and jersey. We walked to the sticks and sized one up. I came across a Bauer Vapor stick, with a curve that was used by Patrick Kane. I smiled. Dan walked up behind me.

" See one you like?" he asked me. I nodded and held up the stick. Its white, black, and green designed glared in the light. He took hold of the stick and nodded.

" You took a particular liking to this one." he stated, even though it rolled off as a question. I smiled at him and said,

" Well, the stick my mother took away, was exactly like this one. The same brand and curve." He smiled and took the stick. We walked to another room, where the players did whatever to their stick. He cut off the end of the stick and then cut off a piece of wood, to place at the end. We then taped the end, with a medium sized knob. And then finished it by taping the the curve with white tap. We took a puck along it to scratch it up and wax. He handed the stick back to me. He then backed up and looked at the gear attire placed upon me. He smiled and nodded in approval.

" Just one more thing missing." He noted. He gave me the hand gesture to hold on and stay put. He then walked to the gear room again. A couple minutes went by and he came back with a white piece of fabric. I grinned ear to ear when he placed a white Penguins practice jersey in my hands.

" Thanks." I smiled towards him. He smiled back and said,

" No problem, go ahead and put it on." I put my arms through the arm sections, then pulled the head opening over my head and pulled the rest of the jersey down. I straightened out the jersey in places and looked back up to Dan. " You look good!" he complimented. I grinned, and thanked him again.

" Thanks, I mean, for all of this. I don't really mean to intrude into your practices-" I started, but he cut me off with a "sush". Shaking his head he told me,

" Please, it's my pleasure to have you here. There is no problem. Plus I think you're gonna love it here, and I think the guys should be getting ready now." My eyes widen, I did forget that I was going to practice with them. I mentally face palmed myself. I bit my top lip on instinct. That was my bad habit. My lips take a brutal punishment, when I find myself in trouble or in embarrassment. Dan sensed my discomfort.

" Hey, don't freak out, they will love you! So don't worry. Everything will be alright. Go ahead and put the rest of your gear on and meet me by the entrance of the rink, 'kay?" He asked me. I shook my head yes, and he patted my shoulder and left to see the players. I grabbed the gloves, helmet and stick and went to the guest locker room.
I sat down on the bench, and rested for a few seconds, taking in some deep breaths. I was nervous. I was scared. Meeting an NHL player is awesome. Meeting over twenty NHL players was nerve racking. I sighed and pulled my hair up into a low pony tail. Wrapped the neck guard around my neck, placed and secured the string of my mouth guard onto one of the tiny silver bars on the helmet's shield, and put the helmet on. I secured the straps and put on my gloves, making sure I tuck in my sleeves inside of the gloves. I walked over to the mirror and took a deep breath in and out. I haven't played forever, or what seemed forever. But I was more than ready to feel the ice crunch beneath me. I walked over and grabbed my stick and walked out the locker room.
I found the entrance to the ice but waited for Dan from the players bench to finish what he was saying to the guys. Once finished, he took noticed to me and beckoned me on the ice. The guard opened the board's door and waited for me to step foot onto the ice. I sighed and stepped on the ice. All the feelings I was worried about, was gone.