It’s not a journal, it’s a warning

What a week of preparation and testing. I studied for and took a practical AT exam (which was rough, but whatever). I took a practice BOC exam that I didn’t study for, but felt wayyy good about. And I helped the FB guys study for and take our chem exam, which ended up being pretty challenging.

That sign is held on using string, tape, velcro, and used chewing gum.

The Physics A Team finished our lab a literal hour early, but instead of staying and wasting an hour of my life, I booked it out of there, participation points be danged. I had too much to do to prep for the road trip of the century. Like condition.

Larsen is funny and loves selfies.

I ran sprints at least once and my quads were not happy. I did my knee/shoulder rehab, which is, true to form, meager rations and grueling pace status. We even met as a team to watch film on the teams we’d be playing and plan some strategy. And a lot of my spare time was spent handling a bunch of HW I wasn’t about to do in the car.

Cock and Bull - the zenith of local cuisine.

I did make it to Hannah’s friend’s boyfriend’s ward basketball league. We played in two games and ended up losing the important one in overtime. Hannah was way into it, but I was just happy I didn’t get any serious injuries.

Bromance?

Or NOmance.

Friday I woke up at 430 to exercise (or risk death by 10-hour car ride). I showered and hit the training room at 6. It was pretty empty, so Steve demanded the other trainers work on me to get me ready for the tournament. MVP.

Good thing like all of these pics are Larsen's. 

You know who isn’t the MVP? My writing class cohort, Dallin. I needed this kid to turn in a paper during class for me and this clown tells me to leave it in the men’s room for him to grab. Dirty.

Proof that I played QD brought to you by Saul, of the France Paris Mission.

The drive up wasn’t bad at all. The stops were frequent enough to maintain function in my limbs and empty my bladder. Mohawk Tyler drove with Cinnamon Roll Fred to keep him company. Pitch Witch Brook, The Justus League, and Asian Filmmaker Brennan took the L and sat in the middle. Trey and I were straight chilling in the back. We slept a lot. I beat his high score on a basketball game three times. He played an entire round of Injustice challenge on my phone.

Pitch Witches taking a break.

When we finally got to our hotel in Kennewick, WA, I was tired of sitting and had a lot of energy. Rather than hang out in the hot tub with forty grody QD players, Brooke and I busted out to Walmart with Jonathan (who is impervious to seduction) and Larson (who we just met and may or may not have had a convict riding on the top of his car). I slept great.

Look, I have a broom! Sorry I don't do anything cool in these pics.

Okay the good part. We showed up at the QD pitch at 7 am for the opening ceremonies and set up. Our first game was against Boise at 8. Boise is way good because they have Matt McCracken (who might be on Boise’s FB team…) and the Bixler brothers (code named: Big Bixler and Baby Bixler). Our whole team was kind of scared of Big Bixler because he just kind of rams his way through everyone to score and nobody can tackle him. First run down, I wanted to see what I was up against and managed to divert him significantly enough to stop him scoring, but I got the memo. Next run down, Brennan tried to tackle him and I was behind as a secondary tackler, but he busted his quad tendon and was out for the tournament. Which sucks. And he’s actually a pretty cool guy. We still lost pretty good. And Brennan got a concussion and a separated AC joint as collateral damage.

Well maybe I'm doing something here. Probably not.

But that was the only loss of the day. We had a break before our next game, so Brennan kept score and I kept time while some other players helped ref. We liked watching Boise play because we could cheer “Release the Kraken” whenever McCracken went in – and he is so dang good.

Yay Brennan caught the snitch!

 Crowning moment was when we won against UT State, who Alexis claims is the second best team in the tournament. MVP Fred was a clutch seeker. Other than Brennan, nobody on our team was seriously injured, but we had to stop play at least six times for injuries on the other team…

Sprinting

It was so cold out and so exhausting playing five games, even though they’re only about 30 minutes long. As we kept playing, my body was more tired, but I figured out better how to actually play. And by that I mean not only strategy, but also defensively the best way to tackle. Cuz I took some guys outttttt. (Also got taken out, but less frequently.) By the end of the tournament, I had like zero energy left, but a lot of frustration at the other teams, so that was my motivator.

Marking my guy.

It all ended in a three-way tie for first (including us), but we missed out on a bid for nationals by like ten points. Boise ended up losing to UT State in a fluke and a terrible call.

Grudging Red Robins Team Dinner.

We hot tubbed, which was sooo nice. But then my cold-allergic body kind of shut down and I just wanted to lay in front of a fire with a smoothie. Today my body hurts and I can barely move and I might have whiplash from taking on so many big guys.

Provo Night Furies on fleek.

BUT let me tell you: it was worth it. This QD thing is way fun. I also love how everybody knows everybody else. And the trading card thing is awesome. But mainly the sport is so fun. Try it. At least once.

If these aren't your squad goals, you need to reassess.