Change in Venue

Coach Tyler had his team, the Watertown Bison, doing wind sprints the length of the ice. The Bison players hated them in the beginning of the year, but now they seem to do them effortlessly. Coach knew this was a great way to build up their endurance and it seemed to be working as they made it to the playoffs for the first time and over 10 years. This team was special and coach Tyler knew it. They were always focused on game day and seemed to improve every time they were on the ice. He had a great senior class which had stuck with the team since their freshman year, and they were passing down their experience to the younger players.

“Coach, do you think we'll beat this weekend?”

Coach looked at his captain, senior Mark . “If everyone keeps working this hard I think we have a good chance.”

The team didn't believe him at first considering they had to play the reigning state champs but as the week went on they built more and more confidence.

The whistle blew to end practice. “Gather round.” The team took a knee on the ice around coach.

“There's bad weather incoming so be prepared for a delayed start this weekend. I know it's Wednesday, but we need to be ready in case of any changes.”

The team laughed. “Coach, I think we can handle high winds. We do live in South Dakota.” Senior captain Greg Laramie responded.

" in case be ready. I want everyone to be safe. See you all tomorrow."

Coach Tyler ended practice and sent everyone on their way. Leaving the rink, coach looked up and realized rather calm for a high wind advisory. But He thought nothing of it, jumped in his truck and drove home.

The next morning started for everyone. A tornado warning was blasting to warn people of the dangerous weather incoming. From 4:00 AM to 6:00 AM coach Tyler sat with his family in the bathtub. for them, they were 20 miles away from the heart of the storm but that's right where the ice rink is located.

Coach Tyler called all his players once the alarm stop blaring. Everyone was OK and around noon he was able to get everyone to meet at the rink or what was of it. The tornado had run right through it, leaving a trail of debris in its wake. The team looked stunned. They had worked so hard all year for this moment and three days before they get their chance they could feel it being away from them. This was the closest rank they could play on with the next one being 100 miles away. Even coach Tyler start to cry. He consoled his team, then told them to go home and wait for further instructions.

While driving home, coach Tyler didn't know what to think. He didn't want the season to end for this team like this, but he didn't know what to do. Looking out the window he could remember walking home from practice when he was on the team. He used to take a shortcut across the frozen pond to help him with his skating. Then it dawned on him. Why not check the pond please see if it's safe to play on. He pulled over and called commissioner Howe to meet him at the pond.

The commissioner arrived first. “I don't know about this coach, there's a lot that goes into making this safe for high school kids.”

Coach Tyler nodded “But if we can, do you think we can build a rink here with what's left from the town rink?”

The commissioner looks surprised. “That's a good idea, but we will have to get moving on it to make it work.” The two men smiled and began making their phone calls.

Within an hour commissioner Howe had men checking the safety of the ice and the opposing coach from there to approve the relocation of the game. Once the commissioner got the OK from everyone, he told coach Tyler to put the plan in motion. Coach Tyler called his team and asked the parents if they would volunteer their pickup trucks to help move equipment from the rink to the pond. The coach did the same thing to help the process move quicker. By the end of the day word got out that the rink was being on the pond and the other six teams in the playoffs came down to help out.

Parts of the rank were destroyed in the storm, but they were able to be replaced buy old parts which were in a warehouse. By the time finished, the rink looked like a 20-year-old car that had been back together with other car parts but a safe nonetheless.

The next day the two coaches laced up their skates and tested out the ice. Coach Cole from seemed impressed from what they accomplished in less than a day. “I'm glad you're smiling now because tomorrow you won't be.” coach Tyler chuckled.

“We won last year and will win again this year. Don't think that a change in scenery makes a difference.”

The two skated a little while longer and then stepped off the ice. They had some of their players tie ropes to beach towels and drag it across the ice like the field crew does for the infield at baseball games. Others poured water on the ice for the towels to mop up. This was their way of cleaning the ice.

After everyone left coach Tyler looked at what everyone had built and smiled. He was proud of what they had all accomplished in such a short but he was also excited for the challenge that was ahead of him and his team the following day. This time when he left he felt a cold breeze. “Good” he thought. “We want it cold for tomorrow.”

The next morning everyone showed up for the game. Players were warming up on the ice, coaches were talking amongst themselves getting ready for the game, and everyone that helped make this possible was standing around the rink waiting for the game to start. As the referee blew his whistle trying to get everyone's attention one player from each team glided to the center waiting for the puck to drop. The opposing players stared right through each other neither one of them thinking they would lose.

a hard hitting game. Both teams giving it all they had. After the first period, tied at zero. Both teams made some adjustments heading into the second period and it led to some exciting hockey. There were more pucks off the post then you would see in a normal game. Both goaltenders were making acrobatic saves and defense man continued hitting the other team hard. After three periods and a five-minute overtime the game was tied at 1.

Coach Tyler picked his three captains for the shootout. Greg shot first and was stop trying to go high on the glove side. The player took his shot in scored going five whole. They lead one nothing in the shootout. Coach Tyler sent captain Sam Derringer to take his turn and scored on his back hand shot going high stick side. The next player took his shot and missed the net . The last player for coach Tyler's team was Mark. Before he went on the ice coach Tyler pulled and aside.

“I want you to try the same thing that Sam did.”

Mark looked confused. “But coach he's a and I'm a lefty, so I can't do a backhand to the same side as he did?”

Coach smiled. “Yes but you can drift the goalie to the right and shoot for the same spot.”

Mark smiled. “I got this coach.”

During his shot , Mark skated to the right forcing the goalie to match him. When he felt the goalie had moved far enough, he took the shot. GOAL!

Now up one, all the pressure was on coach Tyler's goalie to stop this shot. As the player skated towards the net, everyone held their breath. The shooter shot towards the upper left corner and with a long windmill motion the puck was and the bison goaltender, winning the game for his team.

Mobbing the ice coach Tyler's team celebrated their victory. Afterwards both teams formed lines and began shaking hands on a great game. At the end of each line was the opposing coaches. Coach Cole stood out his hand.

“Great game coach. We’ll see you next year.”

Coach Tyler shook his hand. “Can’t wait to do it again, next time not on the pond.”