Rink Rivalry
By Jayden G., 7th Grade
Upon arrival, Jayden spotted his opponents staring daggers at his team in the parking lot. The rink was high up on a mountain, and the stench of the player-occupied locker rooms lingered in the air. Loud music blared from the speakers as both teams jumped onto the ice to warm up, skating laps and taking hard shots to loosen up their goalies. After this intense warm-up, both teams’ motivation was elevated due to the upcoming competition.
As both centermen took the starting faceoff, their sticks clashed, creating a reverberating clang throughout the quiet arena. Both teams then roared as the game commenced, each getting to work firing shots and blocking ones zooming toward their net. The crisp aroma of the ice sheet filled the players’ noses, refreshing them as they raced for the puck and scrambled into positions. The sound of skates aggressively and quickly cut through the ice echoing throughout the match.
The game was extremely intense and physical, with the score still tied at zero halfway through. As time progressed, the game elevated to a new level. Players started taking cheap shots at each other, including whacking shins, cross-checking, and trash-talking. Some were called as penalties, giving teams an advantage, and increasing the drama of who would score first. However, some were not called, causing parents and coaches to angrily shout “What are you looking at, ref?” and “That’s terrible, ref!” at the referees. This also happened when Jayden’s opponent uttered unkind phrases as they fought over the goal. Jayden showed no response but vowed to win against him no matter what. Soon after, the puck came to where the two were fighting for position, and the battle began. Jayden, fueled by the competition and the earlier trash talk, gained the upper hand by using his body to box the other player out. He won the puck and chipped it out of the zone. “Haha, you lost, buddy,” taunted Jayden as both players started sprinting up the ice.
Eventually, Jayden’s team recovered the puck and scored seconds later, making it 1-0 in favor of the Colonials. A few minutes later, another goal was scored when a clean pass was made cross-ice. The receiver shot the puck high into the top left corner, making a clank as it hit the back post. The opposition scored off a rebound, but the Colonials remained unfazed and kept pushing for another goal. Eventually, the opportunity came when a forward had a breakaway, moving quickly from forehand to backhand to score the final goal of the match.
On the car ride home, Jayden reflected on his performance during the game. The win was uplifting, but there was a more important lesson he learned. He won many battles against his opponents because of his high motivation to get the puck. In the moment against the player in front of the net, he was fueled by the heat of the competition and the challenge at hand. The clash taught him that his willpower grows in the face of obstacles. The adrenaline from the moment aided in the energy that was required to push himself further.