The Game (Championship Romance #2)

Chapter 1

Sarah

I look up at the NHL stadium in front of me. The home arena of the Chicago Coyotes stares back at me. This will be my workplace for the next eight months as I complete my internship.

The work that’s gone into getting this opportunity is all worth it, knowing I’ll get to work in a well-known hockey franchise. Being a part of a competitive industry like journalism means you must work hard to land the opportunities you want.

As I stand in front of the stadium, it’s exciting to think that the work paid off.

Late nights working on my application for the internship. Hours and days of research into the Chicago hockey team. Working on my own social media presence to stand out from the other applications for this specific position.

We are around one hundred students in my study program, each one heading off to their own internship. Studying sports journalism means being part of a study environment where students will do anything to land the big deals.

Even sabotage each other to strengthen their own position.

Although several spots were available in the NHL, many students wanted to work with the Chicago Coyotes.

They’re slowly but surely strengthening their team each season, making the whole of Chicago more interested in hockey than ever before.

They are one of the top teams in the league and the closest one to our campus, which is convenient in so many ways.

I don’t have to move away for my internship. I can keep my dorm and continue using our campus whilst conducting my internship.

It also means I’m close to my family, which is essential to me.

My dad is a former NHL player, and even though his career ended almost 30 years ago, he still follows the league religiously, and he’s nearly as excited as I am about this opportunity.

He’ll be at every home game possible, watching the action unfold front and centre.

He makes it sound like I’ll be out on the ice when, in reality, I will possibly be in an office, editing, creating content, and updating social media in real time.

My internship is mainly connected to the team’s social media and the building of the social profiles of the players.

Nevertheless, seeing his excitement for my chance in the NHL makes the whole experience all the more special.

I’m heading to a meeting with the head of PR, Henry Sheldon. Henry is a man in his fifties, and so far, my impression of the man is that he’s a leader with extensive knowledge from media, journalism, and the NHL.

I’ve been in touch with them by email, but it will be nice to meet Henry and learn more about what to expect.

So far, I’ve learned that the team is relatively small, with several departments handling a wide range of affairs.

I will work among the group closest to the players, developing a social media strategy for individual players and the team as a whole.

My phone beeps, and a good luck text from my dad awaits when I check. I quickly answer him before going inside the main entrance.

I’m greeted at the sleek reception by an elderly woman who welcomes me with a smile.

“Hello, dear. I’m Clarissa. Can I help you in the right direction?”

It must be evident that I don’t have a clue where I’m going in this massive arena.

“Hello. I’m Sarah, and I have a scheduled meeting with Henry Sheldon from PR.”

Clarissa quickly types on her computer, then prints a map of the building and circles the area I will be heading toward.

I realize I probably wouldn’t be able to find my way without Clarissa, so I thank her for her kind assistance and then get on my way.

When I reach the PR department, I find a small office area. There seem to be about five offices, with a central lounge and a meeting room to the right.

Henry walks out of one of the offices wearing a big smile and a suit, and I realize I might need to step up my fashion game to fit in here.

I’m dressed well enough, with black suit pants, a white blouse, and a blazer, but this is probably one of only three outfits I have in this style.

That means I need to go shopping when I get the chance.

Not that I mind; I love a good shopping trip, and wearing stylish, professional attire is always a bonus.

“Hello, Sarah. I’m Henry. So nice to finally meet you in person.”

Once again, I’m struck by gratitude for this opportunity and for the kindness of Henry and Clarissa at the front desk. The welcoming atmosphere makes me relax.

“Hi, Henry. Thank you for meeting with me. I’m excited to be working in your team.” Henry clasps my hand in his before motioning me over to his office.

The walls in his office are covered with signed jerseys of the players, and I smile. Even though the building is sleek and modern, it’s nice to see the sport celebrated on its walls.

We sit down, and Henry begins to explain the organization and its structure. He leads the PR department alongside his assistant, Miriam. They oversee the primary operations, ensuring everything runs smoothly.

Then there is image and brand management, led by Wayne. They’re responsible for the team’s public image and the athletes’ individual images, and I will be working on that as well.

Further on, we have Samantha, who works in media relations, building and nurturing relationships with journalists, reporters, and media outlets.

Samantha is the one I will be sharing an office with, and even though we don’t work under the same umbrella, Henry assures me that she’ll be a great help to me.

She’s also close to my age, which will be nice.

Crisis management handles negative publicity, responds to crises, and mitigates potential damage to the team’s or athlete’s reputation.

Henry makes a joke about this part of PR being the hardest, and I chuckle.

Hockey players can cause a great scandal, that’s for sure.

Lastly, we have fan engagement, which is closely tied to brand management. Building strong connections and loyalty with fans is crucial, and social media plays a big part in this.

“You’ll be working on the public image of the players, showing authentic behind-the-scenes content which hopefully will create more engagement for the team.”

Part of the internship will involve setting up profiles for players who are not interested in social media. I will also manage the newer social media profiles for the team overall.

There is already a lot of engagement surrounding the team, but Henry explains they also want to reach younger audiences, and that’s where I’ll step in.

He tells me I’ll meet with several players to discuss their individual strategies.

To this point, they haven’t had much of a strategy for individual players, but as the sport’s popularity intensifies, it’s necessary to include this in PR management as well.

Once I gather more information on the players’ preferences, we’ll move forward and determine how many personal assistants and similar support staff are needed.

Henry tells me that all the players have PAs, but their social media strategies vary widely.

My job is to collect this information and develop a more comprehensive plan we can use. Some players prefer to handle their own social media, while others want PR to manage it for them. Being a good PR assistant means knowing your players.

I’ll meet with each of them to understand their future preferences.

If I were to show a phone in someone’s face before a game, when they prefer to be left alone to handle PR and media on any other day, I need to be aware.

I have my work cut out for me.

We finish the meeting, and my head is buzzing with all the information.

I will start the following Monday, and Henry shows me to a shared double office.

“You will share an office with Samantha, working in media relations. She’s out right now, but you’ll get to meet her on Monday.”

The office space is gorgeous.

It is designed for two people, featuring a long wooden desk with a central drawer for tidy storage. Natural light streams in through large windows, offering a stunning view of Chicago.

The space feels cozy and welcoming, decorated with plants, wood accents, and matching teal sculptural lamps on the desks.

The other side of the room features a seating area with a soft beige sofa and a glass table in front.

Behind the sofa stands a large bookcase filled with files, books, and even some trophies.

I can see myself working long hours in this office. It will be nice to share the space with Samantha.

The NHL remains very male-dominated, so having a woman to confide in feels good.

We finish our brief tour of the office before I leave, thanking Henry for the meeting.

When I depart the stadium, I call my dad and tell him all about the meeting with Henry and the beautiful office space where I’ll be working.

“I’ll come visit you once you’re all settled. I’m so proud of you, Sarah, and I know Mom is too.”

I feel my eyes start to prickle at the mention of my mom. Whenever a big change happens in my life, I miss her a little extra, wanting to share these moments with her.

She was working in the local hospital back home, caring for the sick and vulnerable, when she suddenly became one of them.

When my mom first got diagnosed with cancer, we couldn’t believe it.

She’d always been a vibrant, strong woman, and then out of thin air, the disease appeared and tainted our whole life in the worst way.

I’ve never felt so lost and hopeless as when my parents sat me down and told me the bad news.

Part of me wanted to think they were joking, but deep down I knew they would never make light of something like that.

After my mom received her diagnosis, we stayed hopeful, believing the treatment would work and she’d have more time.

Sadly, after about a year and a half, she lost her battle with cancer, leaving my dad and me alone.

The first year was the hardest.

I kept thinking I’d call her and tell her about my day, only to realize she wasn’t there to pick up the phone.

Instead, I started visiting the cemetery and talking to her there, feeling connected to her in the only way I could.

My dad would come with me whenever I asked him.