Chapter 17
“Hey Ali, do you mind if I call my girlfriend?”
“Not at all! You want me to give you some privacy?”
“No it’s fine, thanks though.” Ella smiled knowing that the defender wouldn’t mind giving her space if she ever needed it.
Ella pulled out her phone and called the keeper; Erin answered immediately.
“Hey beautiful.”
“Hi babe.”
“Did you get settled in okay? Who are you rooming with?”
“Yeah I did, and I’m rooming with Ali Krieger.”
“Aka best roommate ever!” Ali shouted from across the room.
Erin smiled, glad that Ella seemed to be settling in nicely.
“How is rooming with Sophie?”
“It’s alright, she’s kind of a pain.” The keeper said sarcastically.
“Hey!” The midfielder shouted throwing a pillow at Erin.
“I’m joking I’m joking, it’s great babe, kind of surreal still.”
“Yeah I know what you mean, I know you you said to stop thanking you but I can’t… Erin thank you so much for convincing me to come here, and for believing in me.”
“Of course baby, I love you.”
“I love you too Erin.”
“Erin, Sincy just let me know we have a team meeting in five.” Sophie said, getting out of bed.
“Okay, I’ve gotta go babe, Sophie just told me we have a team meeting in a few minutes, so I’ll talk to you tonight before bed, skype date?”
“Sounds good babe, have fun, love you.”.
“Love you too.” Erin smiled, hanging up the phone
“Okay, usually I would complain about my roommate being so mushy and in love but seriously… you two are the cutest couple ever, I mean aside from myself and Ashlyn of course.”
Ella blushed. “Ashlyn Harris?”
“Yup, been five years now, and it’s definitely been easier for us as a couple since she started getting call ups.”
“Yeah that must be nice, you don’t really have to spend much time apart.”
“It is, most people think that because I’m the “girlier” one that it’s me who couldn’t go without her; just between you and I though, she may look tough on the outside... but don’t let all those tattoo’s fool you, she’s a big softie.”
Ella and Ali kept talking about anything and everything, making the forward that much more excited about being at camp.
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Sophie and Erin walked into Coach Herdmans room for the team meeting. The keeper’s eyes went wide as she took in all the familiar faces that she had been watching on tv for years.
“McStud over here!” Carm shouted, patting an open chair beside her.
“If you keep calling me that, you can forget about me sitting by you.” Erin said rolling her eyes.
“Oh come on, you know I say it with love little buddy.”
Erin walked over, taking a seat between Carm and Kaylyn Kyle. The blonde midfielder smiled at the keeper as she sat.
“Alright I think that’s everyone, so let’s get started.” John spoke, clapping his hands together.
“Welcome back to all you returning players, and welcome to the lone newcomer we have with us today, Miss Erin McLeod.”
Erin blushed a bit at the attention being put on her, but the whole team, welcomed her warmly.
“I’m really excited to get to work tomorrow and I think this is going to be a great camp. I didn’t have too much planned to say tonight, I mostly just wanted to get you girls together to get acquainted and/or reacquainted with one another. So I’ll let you girls talk, but I will be pulling a few of you aside to talk one on one in the next little while.”
All the girls fell into easy conversation with each other. Carm pulled Erin over to where Emily Zurrer and Melissa Tancredi were talking animately about Manchester derby they watched that morning.
“Oh come on, you have to agree that it was a foul! Rooney totally should have had a pk.” Emily said, throwing her hands in the air.
The girls were quick to add the young keeper into their discussion.
“United or City?” Melissa asked with a serious look on her face.
“I’m actually more of an Arsenal fan, but I have to go for city, mostly because Joe Hart has my heart.” The large striker looked down at the keeper for a moment before reaching out her hand. “Welcome to the team.”
“Great, another one.” Emily exasperated. “Do you at least like Rooney?”
“Well, if I said anything other than yes, my girlfriend would find out and I’d be dead so… yes.”
“Girlfriend!?” Emily shouted, loud enough that the rest of the team stopped their conversation and turned to the group of girls. “Ah tell me all about her!”
The rest of the team crowded around them, wanting to hear what Erin had to say.
“Um… I.”
“Awe don’t be shy!” Kaylyn Kyle chimed in. “If you tell us about your girlfriend, I’ll tell you about my boyfriend.”
“We’ve all heard about your boyfriend Kay, many many times.” Sinclair said, laughing as she walked back into the room after talking to John. “Erin, coach wants to talk to you next, so you’re off the hook.” The captain said with a wink, patting the young keeper on the back.
Erin smiled as she left the room, glad to have escaped.
Erin walked over to the room across the hall where John was.
“Erin it’s great to finally meet you.” John reached his hand out for the keeper who shook it.
“You too coach.”
“Alright, so I’m going to get right to it, and tell you something that your goalkeeper coaches didn’t think I should tell you, but I think it’s the right thing to do. I know that being as young as you are, you might not expect to have the biggest chance of being named to the world cup roster, especially as a starter, however that’s not the case. Karina is on her last leg with this team, and she made it clear that she wanted the starting position to be giving to someone else to get them ready to really take over this team between the posts. So that leaves you and Stephanie Labbe. Now we bring three keepers to the world cup, so regardless, you will be a part of this team, which is why the gk coaches thought it would be a bad idea to share this with you. They thought that knowing this would cause you to not give it your all, knowing that you had a spot. But I don’t think that’s who you are. I think you are someone who is going to be willing to fight and give your all for that starting spot, and I hope you prove me right.”
“I am definitely ready to fight for that spot, and I won’t settle for anything less than me giving one hundred percent everyday.”
“That’s what I like to hear, I look forward to getting to know you more, and really seeing what you can bring to our team.”
Erin and John talked for a little while longer before he sent her back across the hall to talk with her teammates.
The keeper had great conversations with a lot of the players, and she couldn’t wait to start working with them all.
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Ella also had her first team meeting that night. The forward made her way down to the conference room with Ali who explained to her how things usually went down.
“Pia is going to try and sound all tough and serious, but she is probably one of the sweetest ladies you’ll ever meet. Just don’t be late for training and the woman will love you.”
“There’s my princess.” Ashlyn Harris walked up to the two girls, putting her arm around Ali. “Yo you must be Ella, nice to meet you man.”
“Yeah, you too.” The forward smiled.
The forward could have sworn her heart stopped when she walked into the room and right in front of her stood Carli Lloyd talking to Christie Rampone.
“Careful roomie, I think you’re drooling.” Ali smirked, teasing the young forward.
Ella blushed, she now knew how Erin felt when she had seen Christine Sinclair in the airport.
The meeting really opened Ella’s eyes as to just how special it was that she was getting the chance to be there. She was in the presence of some of the best female footballers in the world and couldn’t wait to get out on the pitch with them tomorrow.
“Hey Ella I’m going to hang in Ash and Whitney’s room for a bit before curfew do you want to come?” Ali asked, flashing one of her big toothy smiles.
“I think I’ll just go back to our room, I promised Erin I’d skype her before bed and I’m pretty tired.”
“Alright sounds good, I’ll see you later then, tell your girl i say hiiii.” Ali gave a little wave as she walked down the hall with Ashlyn.
Ella couldn’t keep the smile off her face as she walked back to her room. Everyone had been so welcoming today, especially Ali, with any lucky the rest of camp here would be as great as the first day in New Jersey.