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“Okay, maybe I can explain. See, in hockey, you’re going to get knocked around a lot. You also need to learn how to recover and get back in the game as quickly as possible. Those kids aren’t intentionally hitting the wall. They’re learning how to stop themselves and pivot before hitting it. And if they don’t, they get a reminder of what happens. See? Look at Ryan.”
I do. He races headfirst towards the wall, and right before he hits it, he angles his skates and comes to a stop before spinning in the other direction and continuing again. He’s smiling wide, laughing like the other kids as he does so.
“They’re learning how to protect themselves from a worse injury. They just might end up with a few bruises during the process,” Jaromir explains.
I understand the reasoning, but I still don’t like it.
“And you, Verog? You think kids running into walls is a good idea?” I ask.
Verog frowns, crosses his arms, and lets out a sigh. “I’m sorry, Melody, but I’m siding with Jaromir on this one. The kids are honing their reflexes and learning how to take a minor hit without letting it bother them. They’re also having a lot of fun. Frankly, with all the safety gear, I don’t see any problem.”
I bitemy lip and wonder if I might be in the wrong here. Of all the drills, they have the best excuse for this one. I turn back to the kids just as one wipes out on the ice. My heart jumps into my throat as I imagine a kid pile-up, sharp blades hitting little fingers, and snapped necks.
Thankfully, the fallen kid picks themselves back up and gets back to the drill. I sigh in relief. “You can’t find some other way to teach this?”
“Kids are more resilient than you’re giving them credit for,” Jaromir says with a grin. “You really need to just relax.” Part of me is certain he’s trying to be cute, but the part of me that’s triggered is way too loud to ignore.
My eyebrows shoot up my forehead, my eyes wide, pulse beating hard in my throat. There’s no way he just brushed aside my concerns like that. “You want me to relax? Fine. I hear Principal Greene’s office has a very comfortable chair. I think I’ll go there. Now.” I ball my fists and march out of the rink.
“Is she? Melody? Melody!” Jaromir yells. I can hear him chasing after me. He can try to stop me, but he won’t get far. That was the final insult. I’m putting an end to this now. “Hey, come on, it was a joke. Hey, are you listening? You have to admit you’re being a little uptight, right? They won’t be kids forever. They’re learning important skills.”
I open the door to Principal Greene’s office and walk in. I try to close the door behind me, but Jaromir blocks it with his foot and forces his way in, too. I sigh in exasperation, but I won’t be swayed.
“Nurse Wentworth? Um, Jaromir, was it? What’s going on?” Ms. Greene swallows hard. I’m sure she’s expecting a much worse accusation than what I’m here for. Maybe the relief will soften the blow and make her more likely to take me seriously.
“I think you need to see what he’s doing with the hockey team.” I gesture towards Jaromir and keep my tone ice cold. “He’s leading the children in dangerous drills that put them at risk of severe injury, or worse. I don’t appreciate his leadership style and believe that, for the sake of the kids and this school’s reputation, this needs to stop.”
“This is my fault,” Jaromir says, holding his hands up. “I told her to relax.”
“This is about potential injuries,” I snarl.
“So no real injuries then?” Mrs. Green asks.
I open my mouth to retort that that’s not the point, but Jaromir cuts me off.
“No, sir. The kids are wearing league-approved safety gear and practicing safe ice rink practices. Ms. Melody here saw the recovery training we have them doing and misinterpreted it as dangerous and unnecessary. You remember the drill I showed you on Monday?”
Again, my jaw drops at the audacity. He really thinks he can smooth talk his way out of this?
“So, you’ve seen the drill?” I ask Ms. Greene. And, to my horror, she smiles and nods.
“Oh, yes! That one! The kids love it, don’t they? Very good fundamentals they’re learning. You know, I always say kids today are too soft. Back in my day, we would’ve done that drill without any helmets or gloves.”
“What!” I ask. “Not you, too!”
“Now, Nurse Wentworth, as the person tasked with our student’s safety, I applaud you for taking a direct interest in this matter. But I’ve seen Jaromir’s coaching and the drills in question myself. I have to side with him. A few cuts and bruises are good for kids.”
“And who has to bandage the cuts and ice the bruises, hm? Who has to listen to their sobs while their parents yell about the safety standards here?” I ask, distressed.
“Actually, Coach Hill has extensive first aid training. We take care of our players when they hurt themselves. Luckily, we’ve only had one bruised knee so far. Nurse Melody has nothing to worry about.” Jaromir smirks.
He actually smirks. The nerve of this guy! And he thought I’d go on a date with him?Really! If he hadn’t shown up after it began, I would’ve thought he was audacious enough to be my stalker.
“Well, this sounds like a non-issue, then. Nurse, again, thank you for your concern. It’s appreciated. But everything seems in order here.” Ms. Greene sits back down at his desk and not so subtly shoos us out.
I shake my head in disbelief and march out. Jaromir calls after me, but I’m blocking him out. I cannot listen to his voice right now. I feel like I’m going insane. Does everything just think kids are magically invincible now? How is it that everyone around me is perfectly fine with putting them in such risky situations and yet when I call it out,I’mthe unreasonable one?
I walk into the parking lot towards my car. I can’t go back in there and watch Ryan hurt himself over and over. I’ll just wait in my car until practice is over, and then we’ll have a very serious conversation about whether or not he can continue participating in hockey.
