Hockey

This week, I ordered tickets for next weekend's Waterloo Blackhawks hockey game. I'll be going with my boyfriend, Jordan, and our friends Phil and Paula. I am very excited and it will definitely be a good time! I really like watching hockey now, but if you would have asked me about the sport 3 years ago, I would have told you I am NEVER going to a game again! Let's just say I had a less than desirable first hockey game experience...

Three years ago, during my sophomore year of high school, I went to a Blackhawks game with 5 other girls. We were dazzled by the light show during the starting lineup and the overwhelming sound of cowbells ringing all around us. The game started, and we spent the first ten minutes attempting to just follow the puck and figure out the rules of the game. As the first period proceeded, we began to catch onto the game and started to cheer along with the rest of the fans. I watched as a Blackhawks player swung his stick and sent the puck flying up into the air. The next thing I knew, the puck was in my lap. Completely dumbfounded, I picked up the puck, turned it over in my hands and realized there was blood on it. Still utterly confused, I turned to my friend Julia who was sitting next to me. At this moment, I was suddenly aware that my ear and the side of my head were in an incredible amount of pain. I also realized that there was blood gushing at the top of Julia's head. My friend Jordan, who was sitting on the other side of Julia, suddenly exclaimed, "Julia, you're bleeding!" Julia replied with a very faint "No shit!" and proceeded to fall backwards and nearly pass out. Slowly, my hurting head pieced together the scene before me. The puck had ricocheted off of the large ventilation shaft hanging from the ceiling, made its way through a tiny gap in the netting less than two inches wide, slammed into the top of Julia's head, bounced into the side of my head, and finally landed in my lap. The other girls called for help and the events center medical staff quickly rushed to our aid. They hurried Julia off to an examination room, leaving the rest of us in complete shock. My head ached terribly, but at least I wasn't bleeding. Not knowing what else to do, we walked to the bathroom where I washed the blood off of the puck in the sink. We retook our seats and waited for news of Julia. The only adult with us, Jordan's mom, went with Julia so we were all alone. Finally, Jordan's mom called us. Although Julia seemed fine, other than the bleeding, the paramedics insisted on strapping her to a stretcher and taking her by ambulance to the ER where she got several staples in her head. When Julia and Jordan's mom finally got back, the game was nearly over. After the game, the manager took us to see the players where we got their autographs. Julia even got the player who hit her to sign the actual puck he hit her with! I ended up with a swollen and bruised ear for a week. Needless to say, none of us were too keen to go to another hockey game. Last year, however, my boyfriend finally convinced me to give hockey another shot. We went to three games last season, and even though I ducked and covered my head every time a puck flew in the air, I've come to really enjoy watching the sport.