7:30 am:
Wake up. Pee (Bathroom Visit #1). Retrieve essentials: one peppermint pill (nothing screams “amateur athlete” like IBS), two ibuprofen (preemptive pain management), a banana, and water to wash it all down.
Return to bed like an old lady tucking in for the night, not a forty-three year old about to start her day. Confirm tissues on the nightstand in case nervous tears spontaneously erupt. Even though I’m in my second season, match day still brings jitters. I didn’t play as a kid. More accurately, my main sports experience was gym class, where I mostly tried to avoid getting hit during dodgeball.