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***cake307*** · 01-23-2024, 03:58 PM

4S Ranch Sports Park had transformed for today. More commonly used for basketball, soccer, or tennis, it was today home to something a little different; an inline roller hockey tournament. After all, San Diego had little to claim in the way of cold, much less ice, but something about hitting a puck with sticks spoke to people. So, teams from all over the county, and even a few from Los Angeles, had made their way for a full day tournament in Escondido.

Of course, a wanna-be superstar, self-proclaimed prodigy of hockey couldn’t miss out on a local tournament, possibly the last she’d ever make. That was why Alexa Johansen was here… and also because her father had been an early proponent of inline hockey in the area, and had been invited as a special guest. She didn’t know where he’d gone off to, though, and it hardly mattered. She could take a guess, if she wanted, that he was already sitting in the stands, hot dog in hand, because he’d always loved doing just that when she was playing in the past.

Alexa took a look around her team. They had already all finished getting ready, except her, in their light pads, skates on, jerseys reading Padres, just like the MLB team. The MLB team that would surely, surely, win the World Series this year, Alexa believed in them just like she believed in herself as she pulled her jersey on. Fourteen players, a full team for this event. Of course, with only four skaters on the rink at a time, the offense was going to fall more on her shoulders, and Alexa was fine with that. She relished it, even, unable to stop a small grin breaking out as the intercom announced the teams, and she skated out.

It was early in the morning, a sunny day by all accounts, balmy and perfect. Alexa waved to the crowd as she skated out, spotting her father Nils. He was eating a hot dog, the predictable old man, and she chuckled as the opposition skated out too. The Vaqueros, a team she knew well. If they hadn’t been meeting in the first round, she almost would have bet they’d have met in the championship round, but instead she intended to send some cowboys home quickly.

“Ey, chica!” A skater on the other team shouted at Alexa. She recognized him, Miguel Acosta, something of a minor rival of hers as long as she could remember. “Shouldn’t you be busy getting your hair did?” He asked, his team roaring with laughter.

“Already did, hermano,” Alexa shot back. “I wanted to look pretty for my picture when we win the tournament. Don’t worry, Mickey,” she grinned. He despised that nickname, and thus she loved it. “I’m sure they’ll have an award for ‘most disappointing performance’ for you!”

“You wound me, chica!” Miguel replied as the teams got in position. “So I’ll just have to send you home with your papa early!”

As soon as he finished speaking, the puck was dropped by a ref, the faceoff happening. It went first to the Padres, and with that, the game was off…

Alexa loved this part, and it was obvious by the massive grin on her face as she got the puck. She was off like a shot, leading the charge of her team, blowing past Miguel. The next challenger, though, was a little harder to face, a dedicated defenseman she’d dueled with before, Mateo Cruz. And, as usual, here he was, skating backwards almost as fast as she went forwards.

“How do you do that?” She grumbled under her breath, not even flicking her eyes as she sent a rocket pass across to her partner in attack. She did always miss having a center when coming back to roller hockey, but the rules were the rules. Still, she’d dumped the puck off and that meant she could move more freely now, taking a sharp turn towards her right. Ice skating techniques didn’t always work on roller skates, even inline ones, but she’d figured out how to replicate at least these kinds of turns.

She skated behind her partner in attack, the puck dropped off to her to make a shot while he blocked the goalies view. This was their classic one-two, a set up play that had contributed heavily to her twenty-one shooting percentage for the last inline hockey season.

“GOAL! ALEXA JOHANSEN!” The announcer, who was really just a college student with access to the PA system, announced. “Only one and a half minutes to kick it off, folks!”

Alexa pumped her arms, skating back into position. She took a moment to stop, grinning at her rival. “I can't wait to show you my MVP trophy, Mickey!”

“Screw you!” Miguel replied. Right then, the ref dropped the puck for another faceoff, this time with the Vaqueros winning. Alexa groaned slightly, trying to keep herself between Miguel and his teammate. She hated this part of the game, and would really admit it was her biggest weakness. It hasn't helped, either, the first time she'd tried ice hockey and an opponent had slammed her into the boards, something she'd never experienced in roller hockey.

And it was something she couldn't make use of now, either, even if she really wanted to as Miguel muscled his way past her to grab a loose puck. She was able to keep on him, just slightly, but not enough to get the puck back, letting him pass again.

“GOAL, TOMMY WISEMAN!” The announcer informed the crowd a moment later.

“When I send you home, want a photo of me holding the trophy?” Miguel taunted Alexa as they lined back up.

“I'll let you take one if it'll make you stop crying after I win,” she responded as the puck was dropped again.

The puck dropped again, play starting again. To Alexa, it seemed like no time passed at all before the ref blew their whistle for the end of the quarter, each team skating back to their own bench to hydrate and catch their breath. It was still one to one, which made Alexa grind her teeth a little when she was told she'd be sitting out the whole second quarter fifteen minutes. ‘It's a full day of playing, you need to keep your energy up,’ was what she had been told, and she knew it was correct, but watching Mickey go out there and score a second goal for the enemy sure didn't make her feel good.

Finally, though, the third quarter started, and Alexa was back on the rink. As the play started again for the final fifteen minutes of the game (why did they call them quarters when there were only three, she always wondered,) she burst off the line at max speed. She wasn't going to let the game end here, no way and no how.

The puck was hit right ahead of her by her strike partner, just in time, too, as she nearly flew past an unready defense, slap shooting the puck right into the goal.

“GOAL, ALEXA JOHANSEN!” The announcer exclaimed, a large section of the crowd roaring. “Less than a minute this time, for her second goal, to tie it all up! We've got a finals worthy match in round one, folks!”

Alexa returned to her team's side of the line, a fire in her eyes now. She was going to pull her team through this, even if she had to do it alone.

The puck dropped again, this time the Vaqueros winning the face off, and they were off. Alexa was glad she wasn't currently lined up against Miguel, she actually didn't know the name of this new forward, but it didn't matter. She was faster, she was stronger… if only she could get her stick in, but the puck seemed glued to his. She grit her teeth, leaning in a little more, then rammed her shoulder into his.

Alexa instantly hissed as the whistle was blown. She hadn't even done it on purpose, she knew better, but she'd accidentally used her ice hockey training on roller hockey. “Four minute penalty for hard checking, number sixteen Alexa Johansen!”

With a groan, she skated herself to the penalty box, which was really just a little section outside the rink. She sat there, watching the game progress. They had taken the triangle well, and somehow even gotten the puck back. In this way, before she knew it, the penalty had been killed, and Alexa was back in the rink, flying back into action. Less than ten minutes were left to score before this went to OT.

Luckily, her team had the puck, and Alexa was more determined than ever to score. As she came back, she linked up almost instantly with her team, a series of rapid passes seeing them press the attack. Alexa couldn't help it as she began to grin, the puck barely on her stick for a second before she passed it again. There was nothing the Vaqueros could do but try to get in the way of shots as she and her team patiently worked their way around them. Even missed shots were coming right back to the Padres.

Finally, though, with only a minute left, Alexa saw it. The left defenseman was out of position, a little too far to the right. She cut across the rink, whistling. Just like they'd practiced, the puck was dumped backwards to her, as the teen was off like a shot to the left side, shooting before the Vaqueros could recover.

“GOAL! ALEXA JOHANSEN, HAT TRICK!” The announcer shouted as the crowd erupted. Alexa barely even noticed, the blood pounding in her ears as she returned to position. The puck had barely dropped when the end of game was whistled for. 3-2, Padres win, and a hat trick.

------

The tournament had taken all day, the floodlights on by the time the championship match started. But Alexa was sitting alone in the stands, looking at the night sky. For all her boasting… they had lost in the finals. She had scored a goal and gotten two assists, a good showing, but not enough for herself. Losing 4-3 would never be enough.

Someone clearing their throat interrupted Alexa's thoughts. When the girl looked down to them, she saw a slight man, short blonde hair swept back. “Hi! My name is Richard Sharpe, but you can call Rick, if you'd like,” he introduced himself, climbing a little up the bleachers to offer her his hand. “I'm an agent for athletes. Don't worry, I spoke to your father and got his blessing to discuss with you first!”

Alexa's eyebrow raised even as she shook the offered hand. “Discuss what?”

“Well, I can tell,” Rick said, sitting next to her and handing her a business card. “You've got a lot of talent, and a lot of skill too. And most of all, you have fire. You hate losing, don't you? Do you think this loss was your fault?”

Alexa nodded as she took the card. “I missed four shots, three in the final quarter. I killed our momentum.”

“But you had three points this game alone,” Rick pointed out.

“I could have thirty points, it doesn't matter if we lose!” Alexa scowled as she replied. “Of course I want to play well, but if I'm playing at my best, then we would have won. If it had been those twins from Norway, they would have won for sure. And I'm going to be better than them!”

“... good! That's exactly what I wanted to hear!” Rick smiled. “Good enough isn't good enough for anyone who reaches the top echelons of anything. And seeing you've got that fire, it makes me think you're a solid bet.”

“Thanks?” Alexa asked. “Did you just come here to make me feel better about myself?”

“No, I came to make you an offer,” Rick said. “You've got the talent, the skill, and the drive. I want to represent you as your agent, and help you get into the SHL. With a stop in the SMJHL first, of course.”

“Wait… really?” Alexa sounded shocked.

“Listen, you're ready kid, and you're old enough,” Rick nodded. “I think you should declare for the draft. But think about it, and call me at the number on that card if you decide to take the shot. I've already spoken numbers with your dad, a shrewd man, that one!” The agent laughed as he stood, and walked off.

------

Hockey Fanatic Breaking News

Alexa Johansen, senior at Monte Vista High School, has declared for the SMJHL draft. Her team was runner-ups in the San Diego County Roller Hockey Championship just a few months ago, and she's also got experience with ice hockey, being a first-line forward on the Lemon Grove Penguins team that won last year's Southern California U-18 Ice Hockey Invitational League, and a member of the U-18 US hockey system.

Reports say that she is determined to show what she has no matter where she ends up, though she would be happy if she was somewhere she could see her father relatively often. She also has been reported to believe she is good enough to step right into the first-line of most SMJHL teams, but knows she has a lot to learn from veterans.

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Word count: 2,250

***boom*** · 01-23-2024, 04:34 PM

This is incredible! Hope to see you keep writing Smile

***cake307*** · 01-23-2024, 09:42 PM

01-23-2024, 04:34 PMboom Wrote: This is incredible! Hope to see you keep writing

Thank you!

*NaomiMannequeen* · 01-24-2024, 04:13 AM

Well, you know I already read it the first time you asked, but I had to go check and read it again! Lovely story cake!!! Can't wait to see what Alexa brings to the league!

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