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“I’ll try anything at this point”

“Too s,” I read from a sheet of paper a few hours later

The teaathered around me in the locker room I asked all the coaches and staff to leave us in here alone We’re all dressed and ready for the ga we do before we take the ice tonight

I pick up the next paper, unfold it and read it aloud “We need bigger balls We can’tsloppy, like they’ve got nothing to lose since we’re dropping further in the standings What about our pride?”

I archthe paper down on the pile “I like that one And no, I didn’t write it”

The next oneHow insightful”

Shifting on my feet, I pick up another piece of paper and unfold it “We need to be playing for each other instead of just for ourselves”

I look at the words on the paper, read theuys think of this one?”

“Truth,” someone says

“But how?” Pax asks “Let’s talk about hoe play for each other On D, I think of playing for you guys ashit instead of you And I’ll co that”

“I’ll block like it’s the last game of the championship,” Pike says

“I’ll pass ot the shot”

“This is good,” I say, feeling the energy in the roouess we need to do this uys?”

There’s a rureement from my teammates

“Come on pussies, like you mean it,” I yell “You want to win?”

There are yells thrown back at me this time I let the them off

“Listen!” I say, raising et their attention “You fuckers win the next five gaames and I’ll shave my head completely bald Smooth as a baby’s behind”