Not Daddy's Little Girl
New Girl on the Block
January 16, 2012
The ding echoed through elevator as it reached the tenth floor. as the doors slowly opened Jaslyn looked over at her father, who gave her a reassuring smile.
“It going to be fine. Just don’t let your nerves get the best of you. You’re going to get the job, don’t worry.”
Jaslyn nodded and her dad walked out of the elevator and she followed him. They walked down the hallway of the hotel and Jaslyn was trying to swallow her fear before they got to the boardroom. Before she knew it she stood outside the boardroom door. Her dad had his hand on the handle and looked down at her.
“Ready?”
Jaslyn took a deep breath then nodded. He turned the handle and walked into the boardroom. When the duo walked into the room all eyes turned to them.
“Joel. Jaslyn. You both are on time. Why don’t you two take a seat and we’ll see about getting starting.”
Gary Bettman said from his spot at the head of the cherry wood table.
Both Joel and Jaslyn took a seat next to each other. When she sat down Jaslyn placed her small collection of files on the table and flatten out her skirt.
“Joel, I guess the first question would be why are you giving your coaching position to your daughter?”
Gary asked looking down at the file in front of him.
“I think she has what it takes. She’s been around the sport all of her life, she knows it like the back of her hand. She’s always been a coaching type, even when she was little.”
“Jaslyn. Anything to add to that?”
“I’ve always liked being behind the bench than being on it. Right now I’ve been coaching the Vancouver Sasquatch and we’ve won three national championships with me behind the bench.”
“Not to sound rude but, this is the NHL. No matter how many national championships you win it doesn’t matter.”
“Then it shouldn’t matter if I’m a woman. Or is that what the problem?”
“Jaslyn.”
Joel said looking at her. She took a deep breath and looked down at files.
“Sorry. Ms. Hopkins-Quenneville. I’m sorry if this comes off rude, what makes you so special from your dad?”
Stan Bowman, the Blackhawks general manager, asked looking through the file about Jaslyn.
“Well, we both have different coaching approaches. In some ways we are alike, but overall we are two different coaches. Lots of people say I have the coaching style of Herb Brooks. I know it seems cocky to say I coach like Herb, but Craig Patrick has seen me coach and says I’m him a womans body. Also I know it’s hard to coach like him, but look where his coaching style got him.”
Bettman turned to look at Bowman and raised his eyebrow at him. Bowman closed the file, folded his hands, resting them on the off tan colour file.
Bowman had made up his mind.
“I don’t see any harm in this. Jaslyn is a fantastic coach. I think it’s time the league needs a change like this.”
The general manager's comment made Jaslyn smile, but her smile slightly faded when she saw Bettman’s facial expression.
“Look Jaslyn, there’s no doubt you are a good coach. And I’m sorry about my comment earlier,”
She nodded as she tried to figure out where he was going with this.
“but this is a men’s league. And men’s leagues are coached by men-”
“Well women's leagues are coached by men. So why not vice versa? It’s a cut back season, if I don’t do well put my dad back in.”
“I’m with her on this.”
Bowman said looking at her with a smile. At almost the same the rest of the men in the room closed their file and pushed them forward.
“All in favor, raise your hand.”
Bettman said closing his file and looking around the room as his worst fear was being changed into reality.
~*~
January 19, 2012
Los Angeles Kings Home Opener vs Chicago Blackhawks
Jaslyn stood uneasy behind the visitors bench. The game wasn’t for another hour. Very few Kings fans were in the Staples Centre. Her blue icy eyes, her father’s eyes, watched the ice in front of, as if she was waiting it to do something. Jaslyn stood there for a few more minutes until her focus was broken by her phone ringing. She put her right hand into her bra to pull out her iPhone, seeing the name “Jason Garrison” and a picture of him with her dog Rizzo, licking his beard. She clicked the green answer button then held it to her ear.
“Hey.”
“Hey baby. You okay. You don’t sound too good.”
“Just some major pregame jitters.”
“Me too. It’s going to be fine.”
“I just wish you were over in Anaheim.”
“I wish we were too. When’s do you play us?”
“February 1st. I need a hug right now.”
Jaslyn said putting her free hand over her face, letting out a long loud sigh, and closing her eyes. Jason chuckled at her.
“Stop it. I really do need one.”
“Go and get one. I miss you.”
There as a moment of silence between the two. Jaslyn smiled and looked up at the banners in the rafters seeing Wayne Gretzky’s 99 banner high above her head.
“I miss you too.”
She said quietly as if she’d get in trouble by saying it. Jaslyn could tell he was smiling.
“You still going to come here for Valentine's Day or what?”
She asking in a joking tone that Jason was more accustomed to. He laughed at her, making Jaslyn smile again.
“Do I love you? Of course I’m coming to Chicago for that. I might get time off, maybe I’ll stay till the 19th.”
“Maybe. Look I gotta go. I love you, Jason.”
“I love you too baby. Good luck. Don’t let their comments get to you. Don’t worry we’re all here rooting for you. Say ‘hi’ boys!”
A chorus of muffled male voice could be heard on the other end of the line. Calls of her name, good luck, hello’s, and what seemed like just noise. Jaslyn smiled and laughed a little at her friends back home in Vancouver.
The ‘they’ Jason meant was the reporters, interviews, fans, other coaches and even the opposing players. Lots of people were enraged at the fact the Blackhawks, a pro sports team had hired a woman to coach a team.
“ I won’t. Good luck baby cakes.”
“Bye.”
“Love you.”
The other line went dead and Jaslyn put her phone away. She took one last look at the ice and walked to the visitor's dressing room. Once in the dressing room all the boys of the team looked up from their spots in their stall and looking at her. No one said anything.
Jaslyn walked into the middle of the dressing room and she looked around the room at her team.
“I know some, well most of you are mad about me replacing my dad, but look if I do a bad job he’ll be back. But if you all do bad it will look bad on all of us,”
Still not a word from the players. Jaslyn closed her eyes for a second then spoke again.
“You boys are about to play the home opener for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Who gives a shit. That was last year, last season. And you want to know what? Their time is over, it’s over when the raise that championship banner in less than an hour. I believe this team, this team right here has what it takes to win, again. And I will continue to believe that until this team is in the Finals this year. If you all don’t want me as a coach I understand, but if you do a shit job it’s going to look bad on all of us. Now I want you guys to go out there a hand those sobby ‘hockey players’ there asses.”
Jaslyn looked at the man who wore the “C” over his heart. He wasn’t looking at her, instead he was looking at Andrew Shaw who was making faces.
“Hey!”
The two players looked up to see her standing there with her hands on her hips, looking at the pair.
“What?”
Andrew asked looking her up and down. She looked at Shaw to Toews.
“My father was the one who insisted that you were ready to represent this team. Over all the other players, it’s who the one who wears it. It was down between you, Seabrook, and Hossa. I was the person he called to ask if what he was doing was right, and you want to know what, I telling him he was right in making you this capitan. You may all represent this team, but Jonathan you are the one who carries this team, this is your team, and you need to show it.”
That is where Jaslyn left it. She turned on her heels and walked out of the dressing room into the visitors coach office. Sitting down in the dark blue office chair she pulled her phone out of her bra and placed it on the desk. A text from her dad lit up the screen.
Jaslyn I know you are going to do fine tonight. You and the boys are going to win this and make it through this. You might have to win the respect of some of the boys, but after moving on you all are going to be fine. It’s a great group of boys here and I know you’ll all do well. We all love you and wish you the best. -Daddy Q
Unlocking her phone she sent him back a four letter text.
Don’t worry. We will.
The ding echoed through elevator as it reached the tenth floor. as the doors slowly opened Jaslyn looked over at her father, who gave her a reassuring smile.
“It going to be fine. Just don’t let your nerves get the best of you. You’re going to get the job, don’t worry.”
Jaslyn nodded and her dad walked out of the elevator and she followed him. They walked down the hallway of the hotel and Jaslyn was trying to swallow her fear before they got to the boardroom. Before she knew it she stood outside the boardroom door. Her dad had his hand on the handle and looked down at her.
“Ready?”
Jaslyn took a deep breath then nodded. He turned the handle and walked into the boardroom. When the duo walked into the room all eyes turned to them.
“Joel. Jaslyn. You both are on time. Why don’t you two take a seat and we’ll see about getting starting.”
Gary Bettman said from his spot at the head of the cherry wood table.
Both Joel and Jaslyn took a seat next to each other. When she sat down Jaslyn placed her small collection of files on the table and flatten out her skirt.
“Joel, I guess the first question would be why are you giving your coaching position to your daughter?”
Gary asked looking down at the file in front of him.
“I think she has what it takes. She’s been around the sport all of her life, she knows it like the back of her hand. She’s always been a coaching type, even when she was little.”
“Jaslyn. Anything to add to that?”
“I’ve always liked being behind the bench than being on it. Right now I’ve been coaching the Vancouver Sasquatch and we’ve won three national championships with me behind the bench.”
“Not to sound rude but, this is the NHL. No matter how many national championships you win it doesn’t matter.”
“Then it shouldn’t matter if I’m a woman. Or is that what the problem?”
“Jaslyn.”
Joel said looking at her. She took a deep breath and looked down at files.
“Sorry. Ms. Hopkins-Quenneville. I’m sorry if this comes off rude, what makes you so special from your dad?”
Stan Bowman, the Blackhawks general manager, asked looking through the file about Jaslyn.
“Well, we both have different coaching approaches. In some ways we are alike, but overall we are two different coaches. Lots of people say I have the coaching style of Herb Brooks. I know it seems cocky to say I coach like Herb, but Craig Patrick has seen me coach and says I’m him a womans body. Also I know it’s hard to coach like him, but look where his coaching style got him.”
Bettman turned to look at Bowman and raised his eyebrow at him. Bowman closed the file, folded his hands, resting them on the off tan colour file.
Bowman had made up his mind.
“I don’t see any harm in this. Jaslyn is a fantastic coach. I think it’s time the league needs a change like this.”
The general manager's comment made Jaslyn smile, but her smile slightly faded when she saw Bettman’s facial expression.
“Look Jaslyn, there’s no doubt you are a good coach. And I’m sorry about my comment earlier,”
She nodded as she tried to figure out where he was going with this.
“but this is a men’s league. And men’s leagues are coached by men-”
“Well women's leagues are coached by men. So why not vice versa? It’s a cut back season, if I don’t do well put my dad back in.”
“I’m with her on this.”
Bowman said looking at her with a smile. At almost the same the rest of the men in the room closed their file and pushed them forward.
“All in favor, raise your hand.”
Bettman said closing his file and looking around the room as his worst fear was being changed into reality.
~*~
January 19, 2012
Los Angeles Kings Home Opener vs Chicago Blackhawks
Jaslyn stood uneasy behind the visitors bench. The game wasn’t for another hour. Very few Kings fans were in the Staples Centre. Her blue icy eyes, her father’s eyes, watched the ice in front of, as if she was waiting it to do something. Jaslyn stood there for a few more minutes until her focus was broken by her phone ringing. She put her right hand into her bra to pull out her iPhone, seeing the name “Jason Garrison” and a picture of him with her dog Rizzo, licking his beard. She clicked the green answer button then held it to her ear.
“Hey.”
“Hey baby. You okay. You don’t sound too good.”
“Just some major pregame jitters.”
“Me too. It’s going to be fine.”
“I just wish you were over in Anaheim.”
“I wish we were too. When’s do you play us?”
“February 1st. I need a hug right now.”
Jaslyn said putting her free hand over her face, letting out a long loud sigh, and closing her eyes. Jason chuckled at her.
“Stop it. I really do need one.”
“Go and get one. I miss you.”
There as a moment of silence between the two. Jaslyn smiled and looked up at the banners in the rafters seeing Wayne Gretzky’s 99 banner high above her head.
“I miss you too.”
She said quietly as if she’d get in trouble by saying it. Jaslyn could tell he was smiling.
“You still going to come here for Valentine's Day or what?”
She asking in a joking tone that Jason was more accustomed to. He laughed at her, making Jaslyn smile again.
“Do I love you? Of course I’m coming to Chicago for that. I might get time off, maybe I’ll stay till the 19th.”
“Maybe. Look I gotta go. I love you, Jason.”
“I love you too baby. Good luck. Don’t let their comments get to you. Don’t worry we’re all here rooting for you. Say ‘hi’ boys!”
A chorus of muffled male voice could be heard on the other end of the line. Calls of her name, good luck, hello’s, and what seemed like just noise. Jaslyn smiled and laughed a little at her friends back home in Vancouver.
The ‘they’ Jason meant was the reporters, interviews, fans, other coaches and even the opposing players. Lots of people were enraged at the fact the Blackhawks, a pro sports team had hired a woman to coach a team.
“ I won’t. Good luck baby cakes.”
“Bye.”
“Love you.”
The other line went dead and Jaslyn put her phone away. She took one last look at the ice and walked to the visitor's dressing room. Once in the dressing room all the boys of the team looked up from their spots in their stall and looking at her. No one said anything.
Jaslyn walked into the middle of the dressing room and she looked around the room at her team.
“I know some, well most of you are mad about me replacing my dad, but look if I do a bad job he’ll be back. But if you all do bad it will look bad on all of us,”
Still not a word from the players. Jaslyn closed her eyes for a second then spoke again.
“You boys are about to play the home opener for the defending Stanley Cup champions. Who gives a shit. That was last year, last season. And you want to know what? Their time is over, it’s over when the raise that championship banner in less than an hour. I believe this team, this team right here has what it takes to win, again. And I will continue to believe that until this team is in the Finals this year. If you all don’t want me as a coach I understand, but if you do a shit job it’s going to look bad on all of us. Now I want you guys to go out there a hand those sobby ‘hockey players’ there asses.”
Jaslyn looked at the man who wore the “C” over his heart. He wasn’t looking at her, instead he was looking at Andrew Shaw who was making faces.
“Hey!”
The two players looked up to see her standing there with her hands on her hips, looking at the pair.
“What?”
Andrew asked looking her up and down. She looked at Shaw to Toews.
“My father was the one who insisted that you were ready to represent this team. Over all the other players, it’s who the one who wears it. It was down between you, Seabrook, and Hossa. I was the person he called to ask if what he was doing was right, and you want to know what, I telling him he was right in making you this capitan. You may all represent this team, but Jonathan you are the one who carries this team, this is your team, and you need to show it.”
That is where Jaslyn left it. She turned on her heels and walked out of the dressing room into the visitors coach office. Sitting down in the dark blue office chair she pulled her phone out of her bra and placed it on the desk. A text from her dad lit up the screen.
Jaslyn I know you are going to do fine tonight. You and the boys are going to win this and make it through this. You might have to win the respect of some of the boys, but after moving on you all are going to be fine. It’s a great group of boys here and I know you’ll all do well. We all love you and wish you the best. -Daddy Q
Unlocking her phone she sent him back a four letter text.
Don’t worry. We will.
: )
3/11/14