Changing on the Fly
The Draft
"Ciara Lynn, quit your pacing." My sister yelled at me in our hotel room.
"Sorry Elaina, I can’t sit still." I said as I continued pacing while I waited for my dad to finish getting ready.
"Well, have you eaten anything today?" she asked me and I quickly responded with a shake of the head.
"I am too nervous to eat."
"C, everything is going to be great." My sister said to me as my father walked out of the bathroom in his brand new suit.
"You look nice sweetie." He said noticing my new outfit that I bought for this special occasion. "Let’s go, we can’t be late to this." He told me us he ushered Elaine and I out the door.
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"Ladies and gentleman it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2008 NHL Draft." Commissioner Gary Bettman opened up the draft. "So let’s get started. The first selection in the 2009 Entry draft belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins."
"Well this is going to be a draft to remember." One of the three T.V commentators said.
"You are completely right Mark. This year is a turning point in hockey."
"With all this young talent here tonight there is one player who stands out the most. This player is being compared to the likes of Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky. They even go as far as saying that she is better than Sid the Kid and the Great One." John said.
"For all of you listener out there, John did not make a mistake when he said she, he meant she, as in Ciara Hartmann. She is 5’10” and 178 pounds of pure muscle. Ciara is from Pittsford, New York and played for the London Knights, as the only girl on the team and in the league." Mark stated.
"She broke multiple records while leading her team to multiple championships." Adam added.
"Here come Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle, and Ray Shero now." The commentators said as the camera went back to the draft room.
"Thank you Gary." Ray Shero started. "It is a thrill for the Pittsburgh Penguins to be standing in this position today. It’s a very, very, very lucky day for our organization, our city, and our fans worldwide. On behalf of Mario Lemieux and the entire ownership group the Pittsburgh Penguins select from London in the OHL Ciara Hartmann." The camera pans to Ciara and her Dad and sister.
"So Ciara the 3 time OHLplayer of the year is the first overall draft pick and is on her way to the NHL."
"She knows how to make good plays, John, that make the players around her better, just like Crosby. However Ciara’s ability is much better at beating guys one on one. She knows how to finish every play and find an opening out of nothing, yet she knows how to defend just as well. She loves to play the game hard, she is tougher than most guys she has ever played against and is not afraid to drop the gloves, and there is no way I would ever want to be in a fight with her. She is an all-around player who knows what to do and how to do it depending on the situations instantly." Mark said.
"Yes, Mark she is and with the team that she is going on they have all the players necessary surrounding her to help them win the Stanley Cup this year. She is going to be one of the best players in the National Hockey League if not the best. And with some players that have been in the League for a few years surrounding her this is the definitely the team to beat, there is no doubt about it."
"Now here is Adam with Ciara herself." Mark said before the camera showed Adam and Ciara.
"Ciara, I know that many youth hockey players dream about becoming an NHL player. Now that you have made it this far and have the jersey on did it live up to your expectations?" Adam asked.
"Well I don’t really know because I didn’t have any expectations. I was told that there was a chance of playing in the NHL but I was also told that I would never be drafted. But at the time I didn’t care, as long as I got to do the thing I loved to do which is play hockey that is all that matters. Now though after I got the call that I was going to be drafted nothing could change the excitement, and gratitude I feel for being able to wear this jersey and call myself a Penguin." Ciara answered honestly.
"Now as the first girl in the NHL people are expecting a lot of different things from you, some good some bad. How are you handling those expectations?" Adam asked.
"Well the only way to handle the bad expectations is to prove myself on and off the ice. I can’t let other’s negative thoughts and attitudes mess with my game, but fans hatred toward opposing players and teams is part of the game and I will feed off of their negative energy. The same goes for the good expectations, I just have to prove what I can do on the ice and if I don’t meet expectations I will do my best to meet those expectations the next chance I get."
"Congratulations, that jersey looks good on you." Adam said finishing off the interview. “Ciara Hartmann, the first NHL Pick in the 2008 Draft.
*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*
"Is this Ciara Lynn Hartmann?" Matthew asked into the phone.
"Depends on who wants to know?" I joked with him.
"Your brother wants to know."
"Is this the same brother who couldn’t make it to the NHL draft?" I said knowing that he couldn’t miss his summer classes.
"You don’t know how bad I wanted to be there C."
"I know, but your schooling is top priority Matt."
"But how many times does your sister get drafted into the NHL?" he asked sadly.
"Well then, I guess you have to make it up to me by coming to my first NHL game." I said as if he wasn’t going to go to it anyways.
"Done deal." He said before adding. "But you know that you wouldn’t have had to guilt me into going to your first game if you were drafted by the Sabres,"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, but hey at least I was drafted man."
"Your dreams have come true." Matt said before someone else’s voice came in, in the background. "Stop talking to the enemy."
"Shut up Jason." I yelled at my cousin. "Or I will pummel your team when I play them." I said knowing I would get a reaction out of him.
"Did you just call them my team? Since the day you were born and up until a couple of hours ago they were your team as well." Jason said taking over the phone.
"Yeah, that was before I was drafted."
"Well then cuz of mine let it make for an interesting season." He said before hanging up.
A few seconds later my phone rang again.
"Mr. Lemieux, hello" I answered.
"Hi, Ciara sorry to call so late but I wanted to let you in on some of our plans for you,"
"It’s no problem sir" I smiled into the phone.
"Good" he said before filling me in. "Ray and I were talking and we think it’s best for you to train in Pittsburgh, so you can get to know the lay of the land and get the fans to know you. Also it will help us know what we have to do in order to gear up for the season."
"Sounds like a plan to me." I said excited to open the new chapter in my life.
"Good can you come back to Pittsburgh in a week?" he asked hopeful.
"Sure" I said.
"Good, I will contact you with more information and travel plans, throughout the week." He said before adding, "And Ciara welcome to the Pittsburgh Penguins."
"Sorry Elaina, I can’t sit still." I said as I continued pacing while I waited for my dad to finish getting ready.
"Well, have you eaten anything today?" she asked me and I quickly responded with a shake of the head.
"I am too nervous to eat."
"C, everything is going to be great." My sister said to me as my father walked out of the bathroom in his brand new suit.
"You look nice sweetie." He said noticing my new outfit that I bought for this special occasion. "Let’s go, we can’t be late to this." He told me us he ushered Elaine and I out the door.
*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*
"Ladies and gentleman it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 2008 NHL Draft." Commissioner Gary Bettman opened up the draft. "So let’s get started. The first selection in the 2009 Entry draft belongs to the Pittsburgh Penguins."
"Well this is going to be a draft to remember." One of the three T.V commentators said.
"You are completely right Mark. This year is a turning point in hockey."
"With all this young talent here tonight there is one player who stands out the most. This player is being compared to the likes of Sidney Crosby and Wayne Gretzky. They even go as far as saying that she is better than Sid the Kid and the Great One." John said.
"For all of you listener out there, John did not make a mistake when he said she, he meant she, as in Ciara Hartmann. She is 5’10” and 178 pounds of pure muscle. Ciara is from Pittsford, New York and played for the London Knights, as the only girl on the team and in the league." Mark stated.
"She broke multiple records while leading her team to multiple championships." Adam added.
"Here come Mario Lemieux, Ron Burkle, and Ray Shero now." The commentators said as the camera went back to the draft room.
"Thank you Gary." Ray Shero started. "It is a thrill for the Pittsburgh Penguins to be standing in this position today. It’s a very, very, very lucky day for our organization, our city, and our fans worldwide. On behalf of Mario Lemieux and the entire ownership group the Pittsburgh Penguins select from London in the OHL Ciara Hartmann." The camera pans to Ciara and her Dad and sister.
"So Ciara the 3 time OHLplayer of the year is the first overall draft pick and is on her way to the NHL."
"She knows how to make good plays, John, that make the players around her better, just like Crosby. However Ciara’s ability is much better at beating guys one on one. She knows how to finish every play and find an opening out of nothing, yet she knows how to defend just as well. She loves to play the game hard, she is tougher than most guys she has ever played against and is not afraid to drop the gloves, and there is no way I would ever want to be in a fight with her. She is an all-around player who knows what to do and how to do it depending on the situations instantly." Mark said.
"Yes, Mark she is and with the team that she is going on they have all the players necessary surrounding her to help them win the Stanley Cup this year. She is going to be one of the best players in the National Hockey League if not the best. And with some players that have been in the League for a few years surrounding her this is the definitely the team to beat, there is no doubt about it."
"Now here is Adam with Ciara herself." Mark said before the camera showed Adam and Ciara.
"Ciara, I know that many youth hockey players dream about becoming an NHL player. Now that you have made it this far and have the jersey on did it live up to your expectations?" Adam asked.
"Well I don’t really know because I didn’t have any expectations. I was told that there was a chance of playing in the NHL but I was also told that I would never be drafted. But at the time I didn’t care, as long as I got to do the thing I loved to do which is play hockey that is all that matters. Now though after I got the call that I was going to be drafted nothing could change the excitement, and gratitude I feel for being able to wear this jersey and call myself a Penguin." Ciara answered honestly.
"Now as the first girl in the NHL people are expecting a lot of different things from you, some good some bad. How are you handling those expectations?" Adam asked.
"Well the only way to handle the bad expectations is to prove myself on and off the ice. I can’t let other’s negative thoughts and attitudes mess with my game, but fans hatred toward opposing players and teams is part of the game and I will feed off of their negative energy. The same goes for the good expectations, I just have to prove what I can do on the ice and if I don’t meet expectations I will do my best to meet those expectations the next chance I get."
"Congratulations, that jersey looks good on you." Adam said finishing off the interview. “Ciara Hartmann, the first NHL Pick in the 2008 Draft.
*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*87*
"Is this Ciara Lynn Hartmann?" Matthew asked into the phone.
"Depends on who wants to know?" I joked with him.
"Your brother wants to know."
"Is this the same brother who couldn’t make it to the NHL draft?" I said knowing that he couldn’t miss his summer classes.
"You don’t know how bad I wanted to be there C."
"I know, but your schooling is top priority Matt."
"But how many times does your sister get drafted into the NHL?" he asked sadly.
"Well then, I guess you have to make it up to me by coming to my first NHL game." I said as if he wasn’t going to go to it anyways.
"Done deal." He said before adding. "But you know that you wouldn’t have had to guilt me into going to your first game if you were drafted by the Sabres,"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, but hey at least I was drafted man."
"Your dreams have come true." Matt said before someone else’s voice came in, in the background. "Stop talking to the enemy."
"Shut up Jason." I yelled at my cousin. "Or I will pummel your team when I play them." I said knowing I would get a reaction out of him.
"Did you just call them my team? Since the day you were born and up until a couple of hours ago they were your team as well." Jason said taking over the phone.
"Yeah, that was before I was drafted."
"Well then cuz of mine let it make for an interesting season." He said before hanging up.
A few seconds later my phone rang again.
"Mr. Lemieux, hello" I answered.
"Hi, Ciara sorry to call so late but I wanted to let you in on some of our plans for you,"
"It’s no problem sir" I smiled into the phone.
"Good" he said before filling me in. "Ray and I were talking and we think it’s best for you to train in Pittsburgh, so you can get to know the lay of the land and get the fans to know you. Also it will help us know what we have to do in order to gear up for the season."
"Sounds like a plan to me." I said excited to open the new chapter in my life.
"Good can you come back to Pittsburgh in a week?" he asked hopeful.
"Sure" I said.
"Good, I will contact you with more information and travel plans, throughout the week." He said before adding, "And Ciara welcome to the Pittsburgh Penguins."
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