Narrative

=__**Can I Do It?**__= Today is the day that I finally am going to get looked at by the Bruins scouters. If I, Charlie Stansel, am put on the Bruins, or even on the Providence Bruins, their minor league team, it will be the best day of my entire 18 years on this Earth. If I’m not, I just don’t know what I’ll do. I’ve been on varsity hockey at the Green Spring high school since my freshmen year, and it’s now the end of my senior year. I’ve always wanted to play for the Bruins because I have loved them since the moment I set eyes on them at my first game when I was 5. I always dreamed of being like one of the greats of hockey, but Steve Yzerman is my absolute idol, even if he played for the Detroit Red Wings. I have been playing hockey since I was able to skate at about 6. I’ve always tried to get #19 because that was Yzerman’s number. There was only one season that I didn’t get it, once everyone saw how in love I was with Yzerman nobody else has ever tried to take it from me. My dad even got me a signed puck from him! That was one of the best days of my life, I have no idea how he even got it.

My friend, and team mate, Brad walked up to me in the parking lot and said “Hey man, are you as pumped about this Bruins scouting thing as I am?”

“Of course I am! This is my life long dream to play for them! How could I not be?!”

Brad and I have been best friends since we started playing Pee-wee hockey together when we were 6. We’re more than best friends actually, we’re more like brothers. We both always dreamed of one day making it big in the NHL, especially if we were on the Bruins. The day that we both made varsity last year was one of the most amazing days of our friendship.

“This is better than when we made varsity last year!” I said to him eagerly

“This could be the starting moment of our careers in the big leagues. This is either going to be the best or the worst day for us.” Brad said

“We should probably head to the rink around now so we can get dressed and warm up before the scouters come.” I said as I unlocked the door to my rusty red pickup truck.

“Can you give me a ride? My dad has the car today and he has to get my little brother and I have no other way of getting there.......” said Brad as he looked at the ground, embarrassed.

“Sure, throw your stuff in the back and let’s roll.” I said while I tossed my bag in the back with his.

The only downside to having a pickup truck is that when it rains the truck bed gets soaked and I don’t have enough room anywhere else in the car for my bag. This car was my dad’s before it was mine and he didn’t alway take such good care of it, that’s why its all rusty. My dad is the only other person I have besides Brad that I trust. My mom walked out on us before I can even remember and Brad’s mom walked out on them too. Brad’s dad got remarried and had another son, his 8 year old brother Tim, but my dad still hasn’t had a steady girlfriend for a long time. Brad and I both share our love for hockey and the Bruins which is why we became best friends. My dad loves hockey just as much as Brad and I do and he almost made it all the way to the NHL. He played in the minor leagues for a while before his knees gave out and he couldn’t skate very well anymore.

“Stansel! Are you just going to sit there daydreaming or are you going to drive?” Brad yelled making me jump.

“Sorry, sorry. I will.” I muttered as I put the keys in the ignition and stomped on the gas to get it started.

“What were you thinking about anyway?” asked Brad

“I was just thinking about how amazing it will be if we make it onto the Bruins. Especially both of us together.” I said hopefully

“I know. I can’t believe that we even have this chance to get looked at. If they choose us to start training over the summer do you think we’ll get to meet any of the players?” Brad said with his fingers crossed

“This is it. Our time to make it or break it.” I said nervously as we arrived at the rink.

Brad and I walked through the doors and were soon hit with the familiar smell of sweat and fried food from the snack stand. Our feet squished into the floor meant to keep anyone from having to walk on tile with their skates on. This place was like our second home we spent so much time here. As we walked into the locker room we could see the other guys from our team pacing or putting on their gear. We were all really nervous and excited at the same time. Even our goalie, Erik Chattin, was trying out in the hopes that he could become at the very least a back up goalie in the NHL or a starting goaltender in the minors.

“Hey Erik, how’s it goin’?” Brad said as they high-fived.

“Alright, I’m sort of nervous though. How about you?” Erik said as he sat back down to finish tying up his skates.

“Same. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.” Brad said as he put down his bag and unloaded his uniform.

Brad and I had known Erik for a long time. In fact, we had known most of the guys here since we all started playing together when we were little. We each knew so much about one another because we grew up together.

“Stansel! Hurry up and change!” Coach Bob yelled at me. “You don’t want to be late do you?” We called basically everyone by their last name or a nickname. I’m always called Stansel and Brad is always called Moose. That’s not even his last name, but he’s so big and powerful that’s just what he’s called.

“Moose! That goes for you too!” Coach Bob yelled again.

Brad and I quickly changed into our gear and just had to put the finishing touches on. We had to tape our sticks with our lucky tape. The lucky tape is a roll of green tape that Brad and I found last year right before varsity tryouts. We used the tape and made varsity! So, the tape has become lucky and we hesitate to use it. But we needed it today.

“Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” Coach Bob shouted as we walked out of the locker room and skated on to the ice.

The ice felt as smooth as ever. When I skate, I feel like I’m flying, there’s no other way to describe it. Before we start anything we all have to go and tap Erik’s leg pads for good luck, no one knows who started the tradition but it’s just what we do. As soon as Erik gets in between the pipes we all skate over and that’s the only thing you hear for 5 or so minutes. Tap, tap, tap.

“Alright we need defensemen over here with Don,” one of the scouters who’s name tag said Mark. “and all of the wings and centers need to come over here with me.”

I skated over to be with Mark because I play left wing. Brad also skated over because he plays right wing. Coach Bob always says that if the two of us weren’t on the same shift we wouldn’t win as many games as we do. Brad and I play with Bryce Hunter in between us as the center. I personally agree with Coach and think that we all make a pretty good team together.

“Okay here’s how it’s going to work: we’re going to run a few drills, mostly to see how well you skate, how you handle the puck and how good you are when you’re being pressured from behind or the side. For the last 10 or 20 minutes we’ll scrimmage.” Mark said

As we ran through the drills I began to feel more confident and less nervous. I really hope I make the team. I hope at least Brad makes it from our team so we can be together. When we scrimmaged I scored a goal and so did Brad.

“Great job guys. I think we’ve seen enough, we’ll get back to you with the results in a few weeks, a month at the most. If you do make the team we’ll see you during the summer for training camp. Then we’ll put you on the Providence Bruins for a little while until you prove that you can play at a higher level and we might bring you up to play for the Boston Bruins.” Don said enthusiastically

Brad and I both were anxious to find out if we made the team or not. So were all the other guys, but we had just finished our tryout which meant we wouldn’t find out for another few weeks.

A few weeks later

Today is the day we find out if the scouters liked us. Brad, the rest of the team and I had been talking about it all day and the teachers kept yelling at us. It was also an exciting time because we were in the last few days of senior year. Next year we would be going t college or playing for the Bruins, maybe even both. The list was going to be posted on the website later this afternoon or tonight. Because of all of our nerves the team decided that we should go play a pick up game at the rink and focus on something else besides the tryouts.

“Hey! Everyone! Get in here! The results are posted!” Erik yelled from the coaches office. “Yeah!” “Awesome” “I hope I made it” were the shouts from the guys as everyone ran to where Erik was sitting.

“Move over!” “Did I make it?” “Is my name there?” the rest of the guys yelled as they barreled into the office.

“Hunter, Schultz, Sandy, Looch, Fiery, Moose and Stansel are some of the people that made it.” Erik said

Did he just say what I think he did? Brad made it. And so did I. I MADE IT!

“I MADE IT!” I shouted. “I can’t believe it! Brad, we made it!” I said as we celebrated together.

“I know! I can’t believe it either! This is the most amazing feeling ever!” He shouted as loudly as he could.

I made it. That’s all that kept running through my head for the past few hours. I can’t believe it and neither can Brad. That’s all we’ve been talking about constantly. Our dads are proud of us but you can tell they’ve started to get annoyed with our constant shouting and whooping and running around. I still can’t believe it.

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