Addison McLaren - Veteran Presence

[tcookie 927]

In between practice sessions on Day One of Riga's S77 training camp, Addison McLaren looked around the locker room. A season ago, he'd came in here for the first time. VHLM team facilities were nice, but this was another level. Everything about the VHL had taken some time to get used to. And yet... apparently he was a veteran now. Is this what it felt like?

 

'Veteran', he thought? 'Really?'

 

The VHL considered him a veteran now, something that felt extremely weird to think of, and perhaps not all that accurate in his own mind - especially after a rookie season that didn't quite go how he'd hoped. 72 games into his career, McLaren was definitely still learning the game. 'How on earth can I be considered a veteran?'

 

He'd always tried to be a leader. He'd been well-liked and well-regarded in the Miami locker room, he was part of the Philadelphia Reapers' leadership group, and then was the unofficial third alternate in Riga as a rookie. Having gone through a season in the VHL, and with a bit of VHL playoff experience and two Founders Cups to his name in the VHLM, perhaps there was merit to the idea that when McLaren spoke, other players listened. But the word seemed to carry a weight with it than McLaren couldn't make sense of.

 

The first couple of hours on the ice hadn't been McLaren's greatest. As he sat in his locker pondering his new VHL status, he'd come to the conclusion that it was going to mean a couple of things for him. One, no more rookie mistakes. He knew what it took to succeed in this league now, and learned from his struggles in his rookie season, so there were no excuses. Two, maximum effort every practice... compete hard and do the little things right. This was something McLaren prided himself on anyway, but now, as someone setting an example for other players on the team, it was imperative. 'I'm going to go out there and have the best practice session of my life this afternoon,' he thought, and he made a promise to himself. 'Gotta make up for that morning session some how. No back-to-back bad practices all year long.'

 

There were 15 minutes left in the break ahead of the afternoon session, and McLaren's mind had wandered enough. Though his thoughts had somehow began as a state of disbelief, they had morphed into a wave of motivation, and he couldn't wait to get back on the ice and start playing like he knew he could - first in training camp, but then in the regular season. McLaren got back to focusing on hockey... training camp was the first step in turning this season into a coming out party for the Reign. Time to bring the Continental Cup to Riga.