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He ran a hand through his freshly moisturized afro before pulling open his locker room allowing him to survey the neatly arranged gear: navy blue and gold practice jerseys, fresh pairs of cleats, gloves, and a spare helmet shining under the recessed lighting. On one of the shelves, there were two pairs of new Under Armour trainers from the school's sponsors, which were given to him as a welcome gift.
Despite the recent scandal, the school remains a good place for major sports brands to invest especially considering the legacy and potential to bounce back from the setback. Standing with them while they were down would allow these brands to reap more benefits in the long run. On the top shelf his pads were placed and from looking at it was most likely brand new. The locker included a small safe for phones, jewellery and a wallet. Below there was a hanger which contained his training kit and some other Bruins gear that they had prepared for him.
"Fancy," Jace muttered, letting out a low whistle. He dropped his towel into a nearby bin, then reached for a pair of fresh compression shorts and a blue UCLA-branded training shirt. As he dressed, the subtle hum of air conditioning mingled with the echo of distant voices—other players were trickling in from the hallway, but for now, he had the immediate area mostly to himself.
He pulled on his practice pants, mentally sorting through the day's schedule: a team meeting on the field to commence the summer camp. Other than that, there wasn't much he could guess from the schedule other than he would be here till noon where he would get forty minutes of break as he hopped into the next part of the program.
Rummaging in a side pocket of his locker, he found his phone and checked the time. 08:40 Right on schedule. He grabbed a bottle of lemon and ginger juice and gulped it down quickly settling his stomach. The throbbing headache from earlier had already settled down and since he was done, he wasted no time going to the player's lounge.
The players' lounge was already buzzing with energy by the time Jace stepped through the wide glass doors. It was a spacious, comfortable room, decorated with sleek modern furniture in UCLA colours, with plush sofas and leather recliners arranged neatly around multiple flat-screen TVs, each playing highlights from various college football games. Along one wall, a nutrition station was stocked full of protein shakes, granola bars, energy drinks, and bowls of fresh fruit. Opposite that, a gaming area featured a PlayStation and Xbox setup, with a couple of his teammates already deeply engrossed in a round of Madden.
A few players nodded or waved in his direction, others busy arguing animatedly over the happenings of yesterday. Picking up an apple and protein bar from the nutrition station he looked around for a place to sit only to spot Isaiah sprawled across a couch in the far corner, casually flipping through his phone with headphones dangling around his neck.
Spotting Jace, Isaiah sat up and grinned, motioning him over. "Yō, Rookie! You survived your first college party. Proud of you, my guy."
Jace chuckled, dropping onto the plush couch next to Isaiah. "Barely survived is more like it. What happened? I can barely remember a game of beer pong and being punched over a girl."
Isaiah burst into laughter, leaning back onto the couch as he clapped his hands in amusement. "Oh man, you really were gone, huh? You played beer pong against Austin—you know, Senior QB Austin Maddox? He was salty as hell and with the pressure of your hype, it didn't help much that his girl was eyeing you all night. You guys went back and forth for several rounds, I've never seen two people hit so many cups in a row."
Jace shook his head with a grin, taking a bite of his apple. "Explains why my head felt like someone used it as a punching bag. So, Austin punched me?"
"Yeah, but it wasn't exactly a heavyweight fight," Isaiah snorted, clearly amused by the memory. "He caught you once in the gut, then Devonte stepped in, said something about kids needing to grow up and Austin backed off real quick. Everyone knows you don't mess with Devonte."
"The Deacon came through, huh?" Jace chuckled, recalling the brief interaction he had with Devonte at the party. "Guess I owe him some thanks."
Isaiah waved a dismissive hand. "Devonte likes playing big brother. If anything, he's just glad he got to flex a little. Besides, Austin's pride took the real beating, watch your back."
~~~
[09:15]
"Gentlemen, gather up," A bald dark-skinned man dressed in a UCLA tracksuit called as he walked onto the Wasserman football field. To his words, the players who had until now been doing light stretches and some warm-up drills turned in his direction immediately jogging over.
In a matter of moments on the immaculate green turf, around 150 players stood before him with no one daring to speak. His expression remained neutral as his gaze travelled across the players, some were serious clearly looking to prove themselves, others were laid back half asleep trying to fight a hangover and then some exuded confidence based on their already assured status in the team. After all no school would pay for a scholarship and then decided not to let a player play for them.
"Are you all excited for the new season," he simply asked as he stepped into their minds standing at the centre of the semi-circle. "Yes sir,"
"You all ready to bring glory back to this program?" He asked once again as he eyed the hyped-up crowd that was brimming with confidence and desire. "YES SIR!"
"You all ready to play some?" he asked again at the now fully energetic crowd as he stopped in front of some of the seniors. "YESSS SiiR!" they once again exclaimed but Coach Baker's expression did not lighten in pleasure, instead his frown deepened.
"I Don't know why you're all happy. Do you not realise the target that's now on your back?" He loudly exclaimed instantly silencing the excitement among the players almost causing a few to choke on their cheerful exclamation. "You chose to join a program in the midst of a rebuild following a major scandal, and while it may not be your fault it is the cross you must bear."
He paused for a minute letting his words sink in as he scanned the now-silent throng of players each looking more serious than before. "I hope you all had a good summer because it's time to get to work."
He paced slowly, meeting the gaze of as many players as he could. "Whether you're here on a full ride, you walked on hoping to earn a scholarship, or you're an upperclassman who survived last year's train wreck—listen closely. The past doesn't mean a damn thing anymore. Everyone here is starting from zero. Nobody's job is safe. If you think you're guaranteed a spot because of your recruiting stars or your seniority, think again."
A hush had settled over the group. Jace could see the seriousness etched onto the faces around him. Even Isaiah, whom he had pegged as a light-hearted guy now had a focussed expression on his face.
"You want respect? You'll have to earn it. You want playing time? You'll have to fight for it every single day. Nothing here will be handed to you. My job is to steer this sinking ship back to open waters. That starts with selecting 85 out of the 150 of you to make up the 2021-22 roster and I don't give a damn how talented you think you are if you don't put in the work." Baker paused, letting the weight of his words sink in. "Every drill, every practice, every film session you will be evaluated. If we see anyone slacking, you'll be running until I get tired—and trust me, I don't tire easily."
A few nervous chuckles rippled through the crowd, quickly silenced by the coach's sharp glare. "You're Bruins now," Coach Baker continued, his voice rising with passion. "You're part of a legacy bigger than yourselves. This program once stood proud—conference championships, bowl victories, NFL stars. We're going back to that standard, and I won't settle for anything less than excellence both on and off the field. If you're not here to give me your blood, sweat, and tears, then pack your bags and leave my field."
The coach paused again, eyes locking onto Jace for a moment longer than anyone else. "We're under a microscope. Every move we make this season will be watched. So, from this moment onward, hold yourself accountable and hold your brothers accountable. Understood?"
"Yes, Coach!" the team thundered back as one.
Baker gave a satisfied nod. "Good. Then let me welcome you all to what I like to call Boot Camp." He said with a wide grin as he spread his arms signalling to the different stations set up for them. One glance was all the players needed to know that they would be vomiting whatever liquids they had guzzled last night.
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To be Continued...