I give myself a hard stare in the mirror. “Listen up, motherfucker. This was just a diversion from our plan. You got to fuck a girl you had been crushing on for a while. So what if she ran out of here like the fucking house was on fire? Taryn did you a favor. Now you can focus on summer training, the hockey season, and your senior year. Eyes on the prize and no more distractions, you hear me?”
My tone sounds adamant, and I nod, renewing the promise I had made to myself. As long as I stick to my plan, everything will be fine.
Then why is it that my eyes look for her the second I walk back into the party? She’s nowhere in sight, and I decide that I’ve had enough.
I walk back to my room where I can be alone and convince myself that I’m not lying to myself and that Taryn Beets isn’t my new obsession.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
TRAINING CAMP
TARYN
Carole Sawyer is the director of the new Star Cove Shooting Stars cheerleading team.
I would have known that she has a background in dance even if I hadn’t googled her. It’s something in her posture and in the way she carries herself that gives it away.
According to Google, Carole is a Star Cove College alumna who started her career in the early 2000s as a professional cheerleader and worked for a few NFL teams. During that time, she met her husband. Ironically, she didn’t marry one of the football players she used to cheer on the field, but fell in love withNHL Hall of Famer Albert Sawyer.
Our director retired after four seasons as a professional cheerleader and spent the last twenty years raising her family. Now that her children are all grown, she’s returning to dance, her first love.
“Girls,” her brown eyes go from one to another of the forty-two dancers who passed the rigorous selection process that started last week. “I’m extremely excited to be here to welcome you into training camp today. When our mayor Scott Hunterand our old family friend, Brett Bergen called me to talk about the idea of a professional cheerleading team, I could have never imagined we would be here today.” She gestures around her to the ice rink below us.
We’re at the top of the stands. This is a relatively small facility, mostly designed for training, and has only room for a couple thousand spectators. “The Cove Knights,” Carole explains. “Have an arena on campus that can welcome over ten thousand fans. That’s where you’ll be performing once the hockey season begins. But this summer, we’re going to use this facility to perfect the dances we’ll learn in the dance studio. Our sponsors have organized a summer tournament with local teams and some teams coming from within the state. The games will happen here and you’re going to perform on these stands, dancing your way down these stairs all around the arena.”
Dancing on a gradient like this won’t be easy. I can imagine that most of the choreographies will have us dancing on a designated spot, but it’s moving from one of these spots to the other that will be challenging.
“There is also going to be a platform that will be lowered onto center ice, and a group of you will dance in the middle of the arena. There’s one platform that is being installed in the arena on campus and one will be installed here too by next week, so we’ll be able to practice.”
“Sounds like the dancers on the platform will be the center of attention,” Jodie whispers to me and Talia.
I elbow her subtly when I spot one of the film crew, that is here to document our first official day of training camp, turn their camera in our direction.
“This,” Carole continues. “Is something unprecedented. Professional cheerleaders are well known in football, basketball, and baseball. Some teams have become famous worldwide. Hockey has been lagging severely behind when it comes to cheerin a professional capacity. The co called ‘Snow Girls’ are often tasked with hyping the crowd, but they also have other duties like cleaning the ice during the intermissions between game periods. The dance skills usually required to be selected as a Snow Girl are fairly limited. The Shooting Stars are going to change the way cheerleading is done in hockey. Every single one of the forty-two women I’m looking at is a terrific, world class dancer. The duties of the thirty-two dancers who will be selected by the end of the next eight weeks won’t have to clear the snow or be selling merchandise. Your duties will be to perform a selection of the dances you’ll learn during training camp, and you’ll be the face of the Cove Knights. Ambassadors of the team’s brand. This will mean paid engagements during the off season with our sponsors and in different capacities within the community. We’re partnering with Star Cove Hospital, the local animal shelter and many other places within our community where you’ll bring support on behalf of the team.”
An excited low buzzing spreads among us and the cameras capture the moment.
“You’ll begin with the Cove Knights, but the reason this team is being formed is no secret.” Carole looks at us with excitement sparkling in her eyes. “We’re part of a bigger plan to bring a new NHL team to Star Cove. We don’t know how long this might take, but the mayor and Mr. Bergen vouched to have the new expansion team within two years. They’re already building a much bigger arena in preparation for that, and we’re going to be an important part of that project.”
“I can’t wait!” Gen giggles with her clique.
Carole smiles at the excitement that ripples through our group, but the next piece of information she gives us changes some of the smiles into preoccupied frowns. “One thing I want to make clear is that we expect continued excellence from each and every one of you. This means that the contracts you will beasked to sign in the next few weeks end with the hockey season with an automatic extension in case the Cove Knights make the playoffs.”
Madison, one of Gen’s minions, raises her hand.
“Yes, Madison?” Carole nods in her direction, and one member of the film crew runs to her with a microphone.
We’ll be fitted with microphones during certain times, but today the filming is focused on our tour of the training facilities.
“What happens after the playoffs? Will we be offered new contracts?”
“No. You’ll be invited to re-audition for next season as veteran candidates.”
A collective groan echoes in the arena.
“I understand this might come as a disappointment,” Carole’s tone softens. “But we strive to be and remain the best of the best. What we’ll be asking of each of you is a big commitment. From maintaining the initial weight that will be recorded this week as you get measured for your uniforms, to always maintaining a pristine appearance and conducting yourself with poise and professionalism on and off duty. And the physical demands of being a Shooting Star aren’t any less important. You’ll train five days a week in the evenings throughout the season. We understand that this isn’t for everyone, and the level of commitment we want can make holding another job or going to school a challenge, even though it’s possible, and we do encourage you to continue pursuing your goals outside of the team.”
There’s a beat of silence as Carole lets what she just said sink in.
