Skate on Over

The sun was setting in California, and it was a beautiful sight to see, but I couldn't help but think about the night we had in front of us....

"Kaylynn! Get on the bus!" my best friend Jordyn yelled from her window seat. I could also see my other best friends, Carmen, and Alexis, giving me a strange look. These girls are seriously the best teammates and roommates I could ever ask for. In a few short weeks we will be back on the field to play the game we love the most: Softball. But, tonight, we get to watch one of our favorite sports: hockey. Our coach Kelly Inouye-Perez, always takes her team to a professional sporting event for team bonding. Being that we are the UCLA Bruins softball team, we had no problem getting the opportunity to meet both the LA Kings and the teams they are playing later tonight: The Chicago Blackhawks.

"The Blackhawks captain is sure a cutie!" Alexis said to me as she pulled off her white Northface jacket.
"Oh yeah he is! Kay, you should totally go for him!" Carmen was smacking her gum and giving me one of her very big Latina smiles.
"He has a fiance guys. I reminded them, plus there are a bunch of hotties on the team!"
The list of names went on from Patrick Sharp, to Brent Seabrook, to Duncan Kieth, and finally to the one we claimed as the hottest, Patrick Kane. He was a cutie. His accent was absolutely adorable on camera, and I couldn't imagine how it sounded in person. Only 15 more minutes and we'll be at the Staple Center to root on the Kings, and to look at the Blackhawks.
"Clearing!" I turned around at the sound of my last name and saw my coach waving a finger at me.
"Yes coach?"
"I really want you to have some fun today kid, you've been through a lot these last couple of months, and I want you in the right mindset for the season."
"Absolutely coach, I'll enjoy my time. I promise." I smiled and jogged back up with my teammates who were just as pumped as I was.
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The puck wouldn't drop until 7pm tonight, so that means we have 4 hours to meet some of the players and get some food. My senior year of college started out right, I went to all the football games, even though we aren't very good, and now I'm drinking beers with my older teammates and enjoying the times we have left before softball takes over.
"Kaylynn?! How old are you again?" One of the assistant coaches called when he saw me holding my beer.
"I was born June 10, 1988. I'm good!"
*Note: the date setting for this story is December 2010
He shook his head in disbelief and walked away with a smile on his face.
"Hey, girls! Its time to meet the Kings!"
We went into the lockerroom and took dozens of pictures with the player, and I swear one of our freshman, Natalie, got a phone number. We got signed tshirts that we would wear as we sat by the boards during the game. All the guys were nice, but soon we had to move on.
The Blackhawks came into the rink about the same time we did, and we had the opportunity to see them before stepping on the ice. Broadcast cameras were everywhere, and we knew we were gonna be on ESPN, and for us that wouldn't be the first time.

As we entered the hallway, leading to the doors of the visiting locker room, I couldn't help but get super excited. Coach Perez reached the security guard that open the door that would change my life forever.