Total pages in book: 124
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115838 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 579(@200wpm)___ 463(@250wpm)___ 386(@300wpm)
“Sounds good,” he says as we go down the roster and make a plan of attack on who to watch out for. “We are going to have to cut five defensemen and ten forwards.” I get up from my chair, grabbing the list and putting my notes back in my binder and closing it shut. As I head toward the locker room, I see the first round of players getting ready for their time on the ice, while the second-round ice players are getting ready to hit the gym, and the third round are getting ready to do off-ice training, which focuses more on balance and coordination, agility and strength training.
“Hey,” I say to Jaxon when I see him walking down the hallway. His face goes into a smile.
“What’s up, Coach Man?” he says, holding out his hand to me.
I shake his hand. “What’s up, C Man,” I call him since he’s the captain. “How we doing?”
“Good.” He nods at me. “Good to be back but sad to leave the summer behind.”
“Did you have a nice vacation?” I ask him.
“Nice enough, spent time with the family. What about you?” He looks around and gives a couple of chin-ups to some of the guys he sees.
“Good, busy. Spent the summer going over everything that I needed to go over. Got ready for this year,” I answer. “We’ve been at it for the last month, going over rookies and prospects.”
“I heard,” he says as Kirby and Knox both arrive behind him.
“Hey, Coach,” Knox greets first, and then Kirby holds up two fingers to say hello as he drinks some light-pink drink from his water bottle.
“What time are you guys on the ice?” I ask them.
“Next round,” Jaxon says for them. “We are doing video training.” I nod at them.
“I’ll see you out there.” I turn. “You guys better fucking bring your A game.” I look at them. “Show the young kids what it’s all about.”
“Yes, Coach,” they snap out at the same time.
“On it, Coach,” Kirby adds.
“You got it, Coach,” Knox states next. “I’m in tip-top shape this year,” he says, making fun of himself two years ago when he came back to training camp twenty pounds heavier and a fuck ton slower. Then last year he came back after learning his wife was fucking his sister’s husband.
“You look lighter,” I joke with him as I head to the locker room to change into my skates.
Cam is already there lacing up, while Eric sits down with his bottle of water in his hand. “What’s going on?”
“Cam wants to go out on the ice,” Eric replies. I look over at Cam then back to Eric, who gives me a look like “it’s fine.” I just nod my head as I lace up my own skates, grabbing the nylon track jacket that is hanging on the hook with my name on it. I push my hair back on top of my head before grabbing my helmet and heading to the ice. “You forgot the whistle.” Cam chuckles and I turn back to see Cam grab it and put it around his own neck.
“I got it,” he announces, walking past me and heading to the ice.
“This is going to be fun,” Eric deadpans, doing a chin lift toward the door.
“It’s a learning curve.” I give Cam the benefit of the doubt. “He’s been at it longer than I have.”
“Which means he would have gotten the job, if he was qualified enough,” Eric states, getting up. “I’ll go and talk to the guys about the plays on the ice.”
“Thanks,” I reply quietly as I walk out and grab my stick before making my way to the ice. Cam is there on the side, chatting it up with some of the guys.
“Coach,” a couple of them call out.
“Why aren’t you on the ice?” I ask them, my tone tight, and a couple of them look down and head to the ice. I look up and see we are supposed to start in two minutes. “Whoever isn’t on this ice by the time I start will not be allowed to practice, and your practice will be over!” I shout down the hall, knowing the word will get around. It takes a full minute before everyone who is supposed to be on the ice is on the ice.
“Gentlemen,” I look at the guys in front of me, “you have one hour and a half to impress the shit out of me. Make every single minute count,” I urge. I would blow my whistle at this point, but instead, I bang my stick on the ice. “Positions.” I skate to the side and watch them break up into pairs like we did the past couple of days.
I stand to the side with Cam beside me, and when I see a play that isn’t being played right, I look at him. “Are you going to use that whistle or just watch them fuck up things?” I ask him. He smirks before he blows the whistle, and I skate to show them what I want on the ice.