This weekend marked the season opener for The Ontario Reign and it was quite a momentous occasion! It started out Thursday night when I drove a million miles to get spray tanned for the games. I'll admit, being tan is awesome. I feel like I am in the middle of summer all of the time. Also, I don't get this dark during the summer, so it is even cooler. I just wish there was a way to give me more freckles while she is hosing me down. I guess I'll still have to rely on the actual sun for that.
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| A very tan me and my sissy at the game! <3 |
Moving on, I woke up Friday a different race, once again, and I showered to make myself look a litttle more normal. I went to the gym and id some errands then it was time to head over to the arena. We had a call time three hours before the game started--more than for a show! It is alright though, it is fun hanging out at the arena. They have a special dressing room for us, it says "Star Room" outside the door which makes me feel like kind of a big deal. All of us get ready in there and listen to pump up music and wait for the food to arrive because THAT IS THE BEST PART. The Reign brings in places to cater for us before every game, which is delicious and wonderful! I would probably enjoy it/eat more if I wasn't required to run around with my midriff showing for the rest of the night, but I still do not not let that minor detail impede my eating. Friday was chick-fil-a; we enjoyed a spread of chicken sandwiches, fruit and brownies, unfortunately no waffle fries =(. Saturday was Outback Steakhouse, which was really classy. Prime cuts of filet mignon, mashed potatoes, salad, bread and butter--all delicious things. I definitely took more than one roll, I couldn't help it. I did do jumping jacks when I got back to the dressing room to counter act it though. But then I ate another brownie. Oops!
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The whole team in the "Star Room" before Friday's game.
We had to self timer this one. |
About 30 minutes before game time we have to stand by the doors and wave and smile at people. On Friday we had pocket calendars to hand out but on Saturday we just had to look pretty. Once the game starts, it goes by quickly. There is always someplace to be, giving out prizes or shoveling ice or throwing tshirts. Ice Girls do a lot more running than I anticipated... Although I think it is also a means to keep warm because it is FREEZING in our outfits if we stay in one place too long. When I wasn't running somewhere with a purpose, I was jogging in place to keep from turning into an icicle.
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| Katrina and I waiting to hand out coupons for free things! |
I am happy to report that I am 2 for 2 in not falling on the ice AND all of the shirts I threw made it over the glass and into the crowd. I have no idea who I threw them at or if my aim was good, but I was successful. It is kind of scary entering the arena... My adrenaline was definitely going when we skated out during intermission to throw the shirts. It is like being on stage with a very rowdy audience, something I am not used to in the artsy and classy performing arts. The crowd here roars when you go on the ice because they know you are about to throw free stuff at them. Kandace and I know first hand how crazy people get over free stuff. Anyways, I wasted no time in liberating myself from my shirts, I just threw them out, 1, 2, 3 all very quick. Then I skated around aimlessly waiting for it to be over. It seemed like an eternity. The second night I was a little more relaxed than the first night, but it was still unerving. I am just not very confident on the ice and I feel like everyone can tell. My sister said it looks like I am "swimming through the air" when I am on skates, something one of my co-ice girls affirmed. Apparently I use my arms to propel myself--I blame the dancer in me! My mom said no one else noticed, because they are all too busy looking at us as a whole group, all tanned and uniformed. She said I did fine and that Alyssa was just being mean. Either way, I think I want to get in some more practice time before over the next couple weeks before the game on the 29th.
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Posing with the guys from the movie Slapstick. Apparently it is famous...
Since I am such a great hockey fan I had no idea who they were |
The best/worst part is taking pictures with fans at the games. It is kind of cool that people want to take pictures with us. I felt famous! Also I love taking pictures, so it is mostly fun. Especially when 12-year-old boys come up and ask. Usually one brave one will step out from their pack of friends and timidly ask if he can have a picture. Once I and whomever I'm with graciously agrees, the other get all emboldened and suddenly they all want a picture. It is predictable and really funny to watch. A group of young girls who were on a cheer team for their junior high also came and talked to me and one of the other girls during one of the games. They were so excited to talk to us, it was really cute.
It can also be really weird and awkward though, because suddenly you are part of this strangers picture! It isn't like I can ask to see their camera to make sure I look good in it before they leave. I just have to hope I didn't blink, that my smile came out alright and that I was sucking in my stomach. Sometimes people got a little too touchy when we were taking the pictures too, which was annoying and momentarily uncomfortable. It is also gross when creepy old guys say things like "you look real good tonight darling" when you are standing next to them for a picture or they make innuendos about hooters when you are handing out prizes. ICK.
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| Breanna, Kelly, Me and Brittany, before Saturday's game.. Which we won after a very exciting shootout! |
All in all working the games was a lot of fun. People pay attention when the uniform walks down the hallway, its like being a mini-celebrity. I also liked that my friends and family all got to come out and support me during my first two games. I was glad they were there, and I even got to hang out with them a little bit when I wasn't busy! Banana is also there which is a lot of fun because I can be totally myself and she is there to laugh with me. It is cool to meet all the people that she works with in the office too. The season is going to be a lot of fun, I can tell. While I haven't hung out with the other ice girls too often, I think we will have some good nights over the next few months.
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| Me and my family after Friday's Game. Love my parent's matching outfits. |
