Karen

OMG! Last Post… maybe September 17, 2008

I think this is going to be my last entry for a long while because the most amazing thing happened to me today.

I finished up my private lesson this afternoon and that guy that Dylan thought was a scout showed up again. He came up to me and I though either he was going to ask about lessons or the whereabouts of another player but he was asking about ME. Dylan was half right. This guy was a scout but he wasn’t looking at him… he was watching ME.

Turns out he is a scout for the Philadelphia Fire and they want ME to join the team. And better than that, they want to sign me to the team and not send me to the minors. Sure the Fire were the worst team last year but any team can pull themselves up from there. Heck, I don’t care as long as they want me. I was told they want me to “score goals… win games”. They are even letting me keep my jersey number! Between current players and retired numbers, nine is sometimes a hard number to get.

We’ve looked over the contract and they want to give me a million dollars for the year! That’s if I last that long. Never before has a woman played hockey for a whole season. There are two other women who have played with the pro teams but they were for one game each as a one time deal. If I do well and keep up with the team, they might even sign me for a multi-year contract.

The only problem is that I have to be down in Philadelphia by Monday for the first day of camp. They are even doing my pre-camp physical that day before the first practice. They have a hotel room for me for a bit until I can find an apartment. My brothers offered to bring my stuff down to me once I find a place to live but I think they just want to hang out with the team.

On top of all this, my dad is so proud of me. He put me in hockey, just like my brothers because he didn’t know what else to do with me and it cut down on the driving if we were all going to the same place. Now all that work is going to pay off. I’m going to fight so hard to stay on the team, the Fire won’t know what hit them.

I can’t believe that my dream is actually coming true! Wish me luck and look for me on TV! Watch out for number 9, Bobbie Burke, center for the Philadelphia Fire!

Bobbie Burke is the main character in "Fire and Ice" due out October 2008.

That guy is back. September 13, 2008

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That same guy who was watching us during the summer league was back at the rink today even though all we had were lessons and private lessons. I hope he’s not a stalker or something. Maybe he’s looking to buy the rink or invest in something here. Don’t know what his deal is but he doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone so we can’t exactly ask him to leave.

Someone said that he was asking about me but I’m sure its just a prank. Not that I’d ever play a prank like that. (And if you believe that, then I have a bridge I’d like to sell you.)

Bobbie Burke is the main character in "Fire and Ice" due out October  2008.

Back to Normal September 7, 2008

School’s back in session and so are our skating program. It’s neat to get new faces and wonder who is coming back. I always like looking at the lists before I head out to see who is back.

I got the advanced (under 12) hockey kids again. Most of them knew me from either lessons or pee wee camp so we had a lot of fun today. I try to make drills as much fun as possible for the kids but sometimes we just have to do the “boring” drills too. They hate it when we do speed drills because I do it with them and they know they have to keep going as long as I do. The kicker is, I usually take it a bit easy on them. If I went at the speed and length that I do in my league, the kids would get too frustrated.

Its weird that I don’t have classes to go to now. My goal tonight is to work on my resume and see what I can find but still keep myself in the hockey world. I love teaching but it would be nice to have a good paying job and eventually move out of my dad’s place. Heck, Brandon and (other brother) still live at home to so Dad doesn’t seem to be kicking us out either.

Bobbie Burke is the main character in "Fire and Ice" due out October 2008.

Labor Day Recap September 2, 2008

Had a nice Labor Day. Dad had all my brother’s (and me) and a few friends over for a cook out . Its funny to watch him try to grill. Its usually a matter of time until he turns a burger into a hockey puck and Mike takes over for him. At least the old man tries and usually does okay for a single dad.

Its amazing how time flies and how I mark time by the team or league I’m playing on. I’ve got so many jerseys that I don’t know what to do with them. I’ll never get rid of my college jerseys. Even if my practice jersey no matter how many times I wash it, the darn thing still stinks a little. I don’t know why it won’t release the “funk” from all those practices. And it’s not just me who thinks it smells, even Brandon thinks it still smells.

Bobbie Burke is the main character in "Fire and Ice" due out October 2008.