before the start

i walk into the locker room

i can smell the scent of so many games before

my coach is sitting there reading notes from game tape

more players walk in with their gymbags

we all match

royal blue jersey and shorts, royal blue breakaways

royal blue warmup shirt saying "it's about us"

i open my bag

my knee brace and sneakers are sitting there

icy hot and prewrap are in the side pocket

i pull off my adiddas slides

i grab my knee brace and pull it up my left leg

flex my knee to make sure its on right

reach for my sneakers and put them on but leave them untied

i sit on the bench just looking down at the floor

thinking

thinking about what the game has in store

trying to figure out what moves to make

what situations are gonna happen

i relax myself then continue to get dressed

i put a pre-wrap band in my hair and

icy hot on my shoulder and knees

i throw on my breakaways

careful to not miss a snap

put on my jersey and warm up t

then i look down again

start to tie my nikes

coach starts talking

"play hard, focus, leave it all out there on the floor

daly you're going right romano kier your going left.

i don't wanna see anyone playing scared.

bring it in and line up this is our year ladies"

im ready i hear the other team going in the gym

im gettin pumped i hear the music playing for us

game on.