Heard some kids buzzing about Burlington High Hockey practice after lunch today. Thought it sounded cool, so I went straight to Coach Miller’s office to ask what’s the deal with this team.
Step 1: Figuring Out What This Hockey Thing Is
Coach sat me down real quick. Said Burlington High Hockey ain’t like pond hockey with buddies. It’s official school team competing against other districts. Full gear, ice time, drills – the whole shebang. “Skating’s just 20% of it,” he laughed. “Rest is hustle and not puking during conditioning.”
Step 2: The Nuts and Bolts of Joining
Turns out you gotta jump through hoops like a circus poodle:
- Physicals first. Can’t touch ice till doc signs papers saying your heart won’t explode.
- Dig out birth cert. Gotta prove you ain’t some ringer from another school district.
- Gear up nightmare. Helmets, pads, skates – list was longer than my arm. My wallet already cried.
- Practice? Brutal. 5 AM ice slots three days a week plus weight room after school. Coach said “Sleep is for offseason” with a scary smile.
Step 3: My Brilliant Plan (That Went Nowhere)
Got all fired up, right? Rushed home, dug through basement boxes for my old skates. Dust bunnies flew everywhere. Found ’em crusted with some mystery brown stain from 7th grade. Mom took one look: “Those things smell like dead raccoons, kid.” Then she dropped the bomb – insurance co-pay for physicals costs more than our grocery bill.
Reality check hit hard. Between stinky gear costs, crack-of-dawn practices, and doctors wanting fistfuls of cash? Yeah… nah. Might grab nachos at their Friday home games though. Way more my speed.
