Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
~DEX~
I’m up with the sun and out of the apartment before Amelia even opens her door. I could feel her eyes on me the whole way back to my room. I turned and I swear I caught a flash of something in her eyes, but I couldn’t place it, and it disappeared as quickly as it appeared.
The stadium looks pretty with the rising sun the background.
August told me that I could come in here early and work out.
I want to do that; I have so much to get organized in the training room.
It’s not as big as I’m used to, but that’s the trade-off from coming from an NFL team to the NWSL.
One of the many things that I’m going to have to get used to, but that’s what winning a few Super Bowls will get you.
Another aspect of my new job that I’m going to have to get used to is working almost exclusively with woman.
Athletes are very similar, but men and women don’t seem to be.
There are a few cars in the parking lot. I can’t be sure who they belong to. I know Jase drives an Audi and I can see he’s already here. I park mine near his and head into the building. The blue and yellow line the walls like a racing stripe that outlines the whole building.
“Earlier riser, huh,” an English accent calls to me from the end of the hallway.
I nod and smile, making my way to Jase. “Yeah, I thought I’d get in here and get some things organized. I want to watch them practice. See who is favoring what.”
He nods. “Are you looking to piss them off already?” A wide smile crosses his face; he knows as well as I do that they won’t like that.
I shrug as a I reach him. “I know, but it needs to be done.”
Jase nods. He’s decked out in his Blaze apparel, a light blue top with some grey shorts, both bearing the logo of the team.
I look down at my own choice of outfit; I am not wearing anything Blaze.
My shirt is navy blue, and my shorts are khaki.
I make a mental note that even though it’s sort of close to Blaze colors, I should wear something that bears the logo at all times.
I’m pretty sure my outfit won’t earn me any goodwill when I watch them practice and when we are doing health checks.
“The health checks will make them madder than my presence at practice,” I tell him.
“Boys, how are you this morning?” August comes breezing by dressed in a suit.
“What are you so snazzy for this morning?” Jase asks him.
“I have meetings this afternoon, sponsorship prospects for the Blaze. You know we’re in our inaugural season, so businesses wanted to see what we could do before spending the big bucks.”
This is “business August.” I’ve seen this before when he was at Brown. His senior year, he was getting ready to join the Cromwell empire. That meant less partying for him and time to get serious.
“Alright, that’s great, man. I hope all goes well,” I tell him, slapping him on the back.
“What are you doing here so early?” August turns his attention to me. “This bloke,” he waves his hand in Jase’s direction, “is always here early so I know why he is here.”
“Your training room is fucking mess, man,” I tell him.
He nods quickly. “I know, I know. But that’s why you are here, man.”
I grin at him. “I know, man, you fucking needed me.”
“Always did,” he says, clapping me on the back before walking away.
I smile appreciatively as he disappears around the corner.
I catch Jase staring at me. I think it’s on the tip of his tongue to ask me, so I speak before he can.
“I know he puts off this front that he’s a big ol’ whore, but August is a good one.
He’s finding his footing and coming out from under his father’s shadow.
” Jase nods slowly. “Don’t worry about August, ‘party August’ isn’t the only side he has. ”
I’ve noticed that’s a perception that some of them have of August. Sure, it’s one he puts on display, selling himself short. But I know August, and there’s more to him.
“I know, man, I know,” Jase says. “I believe in August. I think Danny does too. The girls like to give him shit. But we know he’s more than that.” I nod slowly. “It’s nice that you stick up for him, though.”
“Been doing that for a long time. It’s kind of a habit. People are always underestimating him. But he’s going to make this something,” I circle my finger in the air, gesturing at all the Blaze colors surrounding us. “I know he will.”
Jase smiles. “I gotta get shit ready for practice. I will see you on the pitch.”
“What the fuck is the pitch?” I ask him.
He chuckles. “You really haven’t been around soccer much, have you?”
I shake my head. “Even when I played sports, it was football.”
“Ah, you Americans and that unwatchable form of football. The pitch is the field, mate.”
I nod, feeling stupid. “Thanks. I didn’t know that.”
“Obviously.” Jase chuckles before turning and heading towards the field.
I shake my head laughing. “Idiot,” I say to no one.
Sitting in the warm Tampa sun to watch practice is nice.
A lot warmer down here then it would be up in New England.
I will miss the beautiful views I had while the leaves changed color.
My eyes find Amelia on the field every time.
I watch the way her strong legs carry her through the drills and sprints.
And when I linger too long, I try to look away, but it never fails - I always find her.
Coach Watt really puts them through the paces.
I don’t know much about a soccer practice, but I can see they are doing some ball work, he’s putting them in game situations and there’s running.
So much running. I think about what I can offer as a stretching program.
“Girls, now that we are done practicing for the day, I need you all to head into the training room for evaluation,” Coach Watts is telling them.
I hear the groans from the girls. “You need to do this. Dexter Langley is our new trainer, and he needs to evaluate all of you. We have a dedicated trainer for the Blaze, so please take advantage of this benefit.”
“Ladies,” I say clapping my hands once to draw their attention over to me, the same way I saw Watts do earlier.
“I know it’s not what you want to be doing, but Lucas and I are going to do our best to get you out of here quickly.
And I would like you to come through us by position.
Backs are with me, mids with Lucas, forwards are with me and goalies, you’ll be with Lucas too. ”
Lucas steps forward and helps me out, “We’re doing this from back of the field forward. So please line up accordingly.”
“Thank you,” I say quietly to him.
He holds his fist out and I bump it. “I got you. Anything you need to know that is soccer-related, let me know.”
“Appreciate it, man. I’m doing my best to learn it all.”
“It’ll come,” he assures me.
We make our way back to the training room in silence to prepare for the first round of evaluations.
I spent a lot of time straightening up the training room, so that it makes sense and has a flow.
It has some order. I placed the four beds in the back center of the room.
All the supplies are organized and placed in the large cabinets that start at the back of the room and border it all the way to the front.
The line of backs is at the entrance. I like how quickly they all assembled and seem to be accepting that assessments will be done again. The girls are giving each other space so that we can all talk privately.
I can see Amelia is in the back of the line, my line. I didn’t choose the backs on purpose, but I’m glad that I get to talk to her.
“Hi, I’m Carrie,” the first girl in my line says to me.
“Nice to meet you, Carrie.” I extend my hand, and she shakes it. “I’m Dexter Langley, but please call me Dex.”
She nods and we go through the motions. I check her heart rate to get a baseline. I spend more time checking on her strength, checking for weaknesses and imbalances. She looks pretty solid.
“Thanks, Carrie, you seem to be in great shape. Any weaknesses, pain or previous injuries that I should know about?” I see the hesitation in her eyes.
The way she draws her lower lip in and bites on it tells me that she’s either struggling with an injury or she has in the past. “What’s bothering you or has? I can’t help if, I don’t know.”
I shoot her a reassuring smile, and I see her flush a bit. I knew this could happen. August told me to make sure I didn’t show the girls “too much sparkle and shine” when I met with them. I guess that was too much sparkle.
“My calves have been really bothering me. They’ve been tight and the foam rolling isn’t helping them,” Carrie admits.
“I can give you some stretches for that.” I give her right calf a quick squeeze and she winces. “Okay, you’re okay. Let me give you a paper for stretches that will help you, and we can talk through them too.”
I finish up with Carrie, and I think by the time she leaves, there is some relief in her eyes. I’m also pretty sure she checked me out a few more dozen times. Nonetheless, I get through the other backs, and it was time for Amelia to walk through my door.
As if right on cue, there she stands, leaning against the doorframe, arms across her chest. She is looking at me with those chocolate brown eyes that stare into my soul.
“Well, hello there, trainer Dex,” she teases me.
I shake my head, laughing, “I knew I should have taken the mids and left Lucas with the backs.”
She laughs along with me. “Yeah, you probably should have.”
I pat the table in front of me. “Come on, hop up and we can get this party started.”
She grins and heads on into the room. She is dressed brightly in the training clothes that most of the girls are wearing, but there’s something about how the brightly colored shorts seem to accentuate her curvy legs and hips.