Prompt 1 - Somehow, for some reason, Duncan Mackenzie has been selected to the Up and Comers team. It was a shock to be joining players like Alexis Saint-Michel, fellow Knight Leons Breidis, Greyson Cooper and Grogu Mandosson on a team designed to show the old guard what can be done with a little youth and enthusiasm. It was easy to settle in with the folks I recognized from my time in Kelowna or the training camps with the Calgary Dragons. The others that I only recognized by my time hunting them down on the ice for hits were a bit different.

The first practice started at a very high intensity and went upwards from there. The coach made one thing clear, we cannot beat the Superstars with our skill, the Grizzled Vets will beat us with treachery and wiles and the Hall of Famers will just be happy to be playing and not be dead. The big advantage we have is our energy, so every shift will be played at the maximum and that starts in practice. Hits come fast and furious. Grogu lines me up and just eases off at the last second, avoiding plastering my brains over the ice. Then bag skates start. Once the first guy pukes, the intensity then begins to ramp up. It is going to be a loooooong training camp.