How I Became A Caps Fan

Well It started 3 years ago when I met my boyfriend. We had been friends for 6 years and finally started dating after running into each other periodically once a year. His mom has been a season ticket holder for many years and always went with her man friend that she said seats with during the season. Mike is a huge CAPS fan and has been for many years. He decided to surprise me and take me to a game. I remember it well. We sat in section 408 row B. Nice seats. I remember the people in front of us talking about Jeff Schultz and the way that he was playing. I was trying to keep track of what was going on. I had never watch a hockey game in my life. I asked him so many questions and I remember Brashear getting in a fight and I didn't know at the time that they allowed that. It then became very exciting. He asked me if I enjoyed the game I really did I just felt bad for asking so many questions. The following weekend he surprised me with another game, and then another game the following weekend. My third game I was super interested I had realized that hockey is going to be a big part of our life. I then decided that I would pick a player that I could cheer on. i notice that everyone was wearing Oveckin shirts and I wanted to be different. I watched the lines changed and the way they played. All the sudden a player had got into a fight. I noticed that he didn't play alot but he won the fight. I decided that was my player #10. The next game I attended with Mike's mom. Matt Bradley came up on the screen for the segway tour in DC. I was OMG he is adorable and not only that he looked that an older version of my boyfriend. I cheered for him all season, got the section I was sitting in to cheer for him and he seem to become a better player, got more ice time. Later in the season Mike surprise me with a Bradley jersey. It was one of the nicest gift that I had ever received. I wore it to every game we went to. We went to warm up's hoping to catch Matt Bradley so I could get him to sign it. No luck. Throughout the season I googled stats, players, hockey information. i wanted to know everything about hockey and the players. I decided that I would surprise Mike with the 11 game package for Christmas. I couldn't afford the whole season so I figured that would be a nice gift. Turned out that they day that I purchased my tickets was a day that Chris Clark and Matt Bradley would be signing autographs for ticket holders. I was more excited than a little kid in a candy store. I said great I have a Bradley jersey and I would love for him to sign it. The ticket rep asked me if it was white. I said yes why, he said that he saw me all season and the guys gave him crap for his one jersey. I was stoked that he noticed. I went that evening got a picture and my jersey signed. Mike and his mom didn't hold back that I was a huge fan of his and that I got the whole section cheering for him. He said thank you. I told him that my main goal was to get more CAPS fans with his Jersey. Well mission accomplished. I have seen a total of 15.I love all the guys and cheering them one. I get sad when we trade or lose them. Mike and I are both students and couldn't afford tickets this year. So we buy tickets when we can and make sure that we watch every game at home if we can't go. I love all the guys. For the past 2 years I have wanted to be able to be one of the people on the ice to receive a jersey from one of the Capitals Players. I would be so honored, grateful and not to mention excited to be selected for this contest. I think that the only thing I have ever won was a can of hot coco and a mug. I was grateful but I don't care for chocolate. :) I love hockey so much that I have cut pictures out in the paper and posted them in my cubical. We have a flag outside and we attend practices when we can. not to mention that the guys ask me stuff. I am just proud to know my stuff. Thank you for the chance to share my story with you and possibly others. GO CAP!

By Nicole K