Bout Test TONIGHT!

Tonight is the bout test. This is a "test" the veteran girls who are already on teams give to the rookies who are draft eligible. There is no pass/fail. After tonight the 6 team captains (2 Stunt Devils, 2 Smashies, and 2 M80s) will sit down and hash out who they want to draft to their team. There is no set number of girls they need to draft, it could be 2 or it could be 6.

I'm nervous and I'm not.

I'm nervous because I know all eyes will be on me. When I am out there scrimmaging I know I am going to be watched very closely on how I perform. Am I keeping up with the pack? Am I paying attention to my surroundings? Am I getting low and giving/taking hits? Am I communicating with my pack? How many penalties am I racking up?

I'm not nervous because this is what I've been doing for the last 6 months. There isn't any last-minute declaration of skill. I either have it down or I don't, one day isn't going to make a difference. I know what to do and I know how to do it, I just have to go out there and do my best.

Plus these girls are the ones who taught me everything I know. They know how I skate, my strengths and weaknesses, and my temperament. If they had to draft today based on my past performance they would know if I had it or not. That takes the pressure off a bit. I'm not performing in front of a bunch of strangers.

So tomorrow I could be on a team. Or, I could have to wait until the November draft. Either way - it will be over!