2026-03-01, 07:48 PM - Word count:
The sounds of the Calgary Dragons game played through my laptop as I went about my evening routine, unwinding after an intense practice session. I was off to a very strong start to my majors SSL career, having strung together goals in consecutive matches with a goal in a 5-1 victory over Reykjavik in the SSL Cup Round of 16 followed by another in a 3-2 victory against Sao Paulo in league play. On the contrast, Caitlin was just plain snakebit in the debut to her SHL career, having not scored a goal through the first half of the year despite several strong chances. Even though we played different sports in time zones eight hours apart, we kept as in touch as much as we could. Caitlin's playstyle didn't concern herself too much with scoring, but I knew how much it was wearing on my older sister that she didn't even have her first career goal yet at that level. I hoped that she would be able to get lucky at some point, but I knew that she had a lot of support from her teammates and her partner and all I could do was just focus on my own performance.
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Training for the upcoming match against CD Tenochtitlan went well and I was feeling confident about how I could perform. It had taken me a few matches to adjust to playing centre mid for Liffeyside, but I was finally adjusting to the offensive instincts and play-reading ability that was required to play the position. Once the match finally got underway, Tenochtitlan had us back on our heels to start, but we were able to set up a good chance in the fifth minute that just ticked off the crossbar and out. The visitors would end up being the ones to strike first off a corner kick, but throughout my young career I was not unused to playing from behind so this was a challenge I welcomed.
In the 25th minute, we were pressing hard to try and get the tying goal and got a throw-in on the left side. The ball was quickly worked towards the right-middle side of the pitch with Leandro Dybala getting the ball on his foot. I knew from practicing this set play that the ball would be pushed up towards an open space, and I just had to get there without going offside. I jumped up through the gap and the ball was sent straight through to me, and I had an open lane to the net and blasted the ball off the goalie and into the far side of the net. I turned back in celebration but groaned as I saw the referee signalling for VAR to double-check the play. Fortunately, I had just barely managed to stay onside as the target of the pass and the goal stood, meaning that for the first time in my professional career I had goals in three straight matches. We ultimately weren't able to win the match as Tenochtitlan pulled away in the second half in what turned out to be a 4-1 defeat for us, but personally I was happy with how I'd played even in the defeat. I knew that I still had a lot to learn in order to be a successful player, but I was turning into a solid secondary scoring option for Liffeyside which boded well for hopefully being able to stay on at my hometown team long-term.
The next night, I was relaxing at home again, watching another Dragons game in what was becoming my new self-care routine to stay connected with the important people in my life. Calgary was taking on the Toronto North Stars in an exciting game between two rebuilding teams, and though the North Stars scored first Calgary quickly ended up with a power-play opportunity just a couple minutes later. The puck was won back to Caitlin who wound up and fired a slapshot from the point. The goalie kicked it out, but the puck went straight to a teammate who put it in for the tying goal. As time wound down in the third period, the Dragons were leading 4-2 when Toronto managed to get a goal in to cut the lead to just one goal. However, their centre tripped his opponent right off the faceoff, sending Calgary straight to the power play where Caitlin headed straight back out there. This time, the faceoff was won back to her defense partner, who drew in a checker before hitting her with a pass walking in from the left point. My sister hadn't been successful at scoring a goal yet this season, but this time her aim was true, beating the goalie clean over the shoulder for her first career tally in the big leagues. Having continued my own successful rookie year with Liffeyside with my third straight goal, I was thrilled that she could finally get the weight off her shoulders and get back to focusing on the playmaking side of her game. This was shaping up to be a banner year for the Hughes-Galloways in terms of development, and things would only be going up from here.
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Training for the upcoming match against CD Tenochtitlan went well and I was feeling confident about how I could perform. It had taken me a few matches to adjust to playing centre mid for Liffeyside, but I was finally adjusting to the offensive instincts and play-reading ability that was required to play the position. Once the match finally got underway, Tenochtitlan had us back on our heels to start, but we were able to set up a good chance in the fifth minute that just ticked off the crossbar and out. The visitors would end up being the ones to strike first off a corner kick, but throughout my young career I was not unused to playing from behind so this was a challenge I welcomed.
In the 25th minute, we were pressing hard to try and get the tying goal and got a throw-in on the left side. The ball was quickly worked towards the right-middle side of the pitch with Leandro Dybala getting the ball on his foot. I knew from practicing this set play that the ball would be pushed up towards an open space, and I just had to get there without going offside. I jumped up through the gap and the ball was sent straight through to me, and I had an open lane to the net and blasted the ball off the goalie and into the far side of the net. I turned back in celebration but groaned as I saw the referee signalling for VAR to double-check the play. Fortunately, I had just barely managed to stay onside as the target of the pass and the goal stood, meaning that for the first time in my professional career I had goals in three straight matches. We ultimately weren't able to win the match as Tenochtitlan pulled away in the second half in what turned out to be a 4-1 defeat for us, but personally I was happy with how I'd played even in the defeat. I knew that I still had a lot to learn in order to be a successful player, but I was turning into a solid secondary scoring option for Liffeyside which boded well for hopefully being able to stay on at my hometown team long-term.
The next night, I was relaxing at home again, watching another Dragons game in what was becoming my new self-care routine to stay connected with the important people in my life. Calgary was taking on the Toronto North Stars in an exciting game between two rebuilding teams, and though the North Stars scored first Calgary quickly ended up with a power-play opportunity just a couple minutes later. The puck was won back to Caitlin who wound up and fired a slapshot from the point. The goalie kicked it out, but the puck went straight to a teammate who put it in for the tying goal. As time wound down in the third period, the Dragons were leading 4-2 when Toronto managed to get a goal in to cut the lead to just one goal. However, their centre tripped his opponent right off the faceoff, sending Calgary straight to the power play where Caitlin headed straight back out there. This time, the faceoff was won back to her defense partner, who drew in a checker before hitting her with a pass walking in from the left point. My sister hadn't been successful at scoring a goal yet this season, but this time her aim was true, beating the goalie clean over the shoulder for her first career tally in the big leagues. Having continued my own successful rookie year with Liffeyside with my third straight goal, I was thrilled that she could finally get the weight off her shoulders and get back to focusing on the playmaking side of her game. This was shaping up to be a banner year for the Hughes-Galloways in terms of development, and things would only be going up from here.
<center><img src='https://i.imgur.com/X6cSRMC.jpeg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /></center><br><center>Sig by Pandar</center>
![[Image: 69dSUfP.png]](https://imgur.com/69dSUfP.png)
