When Miracles Happen

Disclaimer- Disney owns Miracle, this is a fiction based on that movie. I own only the OC of Georgia.

June 1979 Colorado Springs, Colorado

"Dad, how did you ever convince me to join this Olympic fiasco?" I asked as my father and I walked through the parking lot in Colorado Springs.

"You just finished the nursing program, and I thought you would enjoy the experience and traveling." Dad said.

"Dad, I am happy that Herb chose to bring you along as team doctor. I am even happy that Herb got the job as head coach for the USA ice hockey team. But do we have to start all this in June?" I asked as we entered the arena.

"Try-outs now, then we start training. Herb is very excited. I thought you loved hockey. You certainly enjoyed helping me with the Gophers." Dad said.

"I do love hockey, but in June?" I asked again.

"Consider it unusual air conditioning." Dad said with a smile. I laughed with him as we made our way to Herb's office.

Let me catch you all up on the situation. My dad is George Nagobads, known as Doc to the hockey players he works with. Herb Brooks and my dad have worked together for a very long time. Herb as coach and dad as team doctor. Last week Herb had been hired as head coach for the USA Olympic ice hockey team, and had brought dad along to be the team doctor. I had just finished the nursing program at the U and dad wanted me to assist him with the team. 'Great Experience' dad told me. I knew it would be, and training would be taking place in Minneapolis so dad and I could live at home.

"Hey Doc, how are things going?" Herb asked as we walked into his office. "Georgia, glad to have you joining us."

"I am glad to be here." I said.

"The boys should be arriving to register soon. Georgia, you can help with that. Doc, I want you and Craig Patrick to check a few of the players that are coming that are reporting sore muscles and sprains." Herb said.

Herb handed me a roster of boys that were invited to try-outs. I looked over the names recognizing some of them from when I had helped dad with the Gophers. When I was in school, dad had me practice by helping him at the U. I looked at the names of players I knew. Buzz Schneider, Rob McClanahan, Steve Janaszak, Mike Ramsey and Tim Harrerfrom the U, John Harrington and Mark Pavelich from UMD. I saw a number of players with Boston University marked next to their names- Jack O'Callahan, Dave Silk, Jim Craig, and Mike Eruzione.

"Georgia, if anyone registering complains of an injury, send them to your dad." Herb said.

I nodded and walked out of the office. Doors to the arena were due to open in 10 minutes. Staff was sitting at tables waiting to sign in the boys. I stopped by a refreshment table to get some water, before the madness started.

The doors opened and the men lugging gym bags and equipment poured into the lobby.

"Name?" I asked a brown haired man with a mustache.

"Ralph Cox, UNH." He said. I smiled at him.

"Hi Ralph, I'm Georgia Nagobads, the team nurse." I told him and he reached out his hand. I took his hand and shook it. "You're in the locker room down the hall. Second door on the right."

I marked off his name. Before I could turn around I felt myself picked up from behind.

"Georgy Nagobads, you get prettier every time I see you." I looked over my shoulder to see that I was being lifted off the ground by Rob McClanahan.

"And Robbie McClanahan, you get more flirtatious every time I see you!" I said and he set me down.

"You gonna go out with me yet?" Rob asked with a wink. This was an ongoing joke between us.

"I didn't see any pigs flying overhead, so no! I don't care if I am your alleged wife." I said and gave him a hug. "Great to see you here Robbie. Good luck. You're in locker room #2."

"Hey, what's you name?" I asked the next guy to walk up to me. He had blue eyes and dark hair.

"Jim Craig, Boston University." He told me and flashed a big smile.

"Jim, I'm the team nurse Georgia Nagobads." I told him and shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you." Jim said.

"Okay, Craig you're in locker room #3." I told him.

"Harrington, UMD." The next guy told me. He was very tall.

"John Harrington," I said and marked off his name.

"Call me Bah." He said and extended his hand. "Aren't you the Gophers doctor's daughter?"

"Yeah, I'm Georgia." I said. Bah had a crooked smile that reminded me of really tall Huck Finn. "You're in locker room #1."

I stayed busy in that hallway, meeting players and directing them to their locker rooms- Mike Eruzione, Mark Johnson, Bill Baker, Dave Silk, Steve Janaszak and Dave Christian and so on. Looked like there would be stiff competition to make this team. I saw members of the advisory staff running around.

I walked into one of the locker rooms. "Hey, you're a woman get out of here!" one of the boys yelled at me.

"Trust me; you got nothing I ain't seen before." I told him.

"Relax Wells, she is the team nurse." A guy I recognized as Eric Strobel told him.

I giggled to myself. I got that a lot. Guys got really self conscious when I walked into a locker room. Usually I did try to knock just out of courtesy. Most of the guys were out on the ice. Some were still in the room, and others were returning from running drills on the ice.

I walked into the back room; my dad was talking with a man I recognized as Craig Patrick. I had met him maybe once before. Dad told me he got hired as the US assistant coach.

"Georgia, the young man on the second table, he is complaining of his shoulder hurting. Check him out." Dad said to me.

I nodded and walked over to the boy sitting on the table. He had dark hair and was still wearing his hockey gear.

"Hey, I'm Georgia, the team nurse." I said to him.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Mike Ramsey." He said.

"Mike, what's up with your shoulder?" I asked him.

"I think I pulled a muscle, if I reach out very far it hurts." Mike said.

"Well, get your gear off and let me take a look at it." I said. "How long has it been hurting?"

"A little while after I went out onto the ice. I was shooting pucks and I felt a sharp pain, it's been sore ever since." He said while pulling off his gear.

I gently prodded at his shoulder. "Okay, lift you arm, tell me when you feel pain." I watched as Ramsey began to lift his arm. He lifted it halfway before saying it hurt. "Okay, I don't think anything is torn. Are you having spasms?"

"No."

"Seems like you just sprained it. We'll put some ice on it. If it keeps hurting we can put it in a sling, but I don't think the sprain is that bad." I said. "If you get any spasms or cramps, let me or dad know so we can massage them out. We don't want the muscles sore from being tight."

"When can I return to the ice for try-outs?" Ramsey asked.

"In a day or so, as long as you rest your shoulder. I'll get your ice." I told him.

I went to get him an ice pack. When I returned I wrapped up Ramsey's shoulder. Dad finished up speaking with Craig Patrick. We went out to the ice to see how the boys were doing, and who looked good.

Mark Johnson was skating great. I had heard great things about him out of the University of Wisconsin. Jimmy Craig was in the net deflecting pucks. I had heard Herb say something about Craig's mother passing away recently. I heard some of the advisory staff talking about cutting Eruzione. What a shame, he was a nice guy when I met him earlier.

Later when all the boys were called to a meeting, dad told me that Herb had already chosen the team. I was stunned, one day of try-outs and he has a team? Did he even consult the advisory staff?

"How can Herb know who he wants on the team already?" I whispered to dad as Coach Patrick read off the names.

"You know Herb, I am sure he has his reasons." Dad said.

I listened to the names being announced and was thrilled that Schneider, Janaszak,Ramseyand McClanahanall made the team. I also heard Eruzione's name announced. I wondered how the advisory staff felt about that considering they said he didn't have a shot of making the team.

As the boys who did not make the team got up to leave, I was surprised to see Tim Harrer among them. He had just helped the Gophers win a national championship. He was a very solid player. I was shocked that Herb had cut him from the team.

"Take a good look gentlemen, because they're the one getting off easy." Herb said appearing at the top of the stairs. "I'm putting a few of you on reserve in case someone gets injured or their game goes to hell. Final roster will have 20 names on it so more of you are going home. You give 99 you will make my job very, very easy. I'll be your coach; I won't be your friend. If you need one of those take it up with Doc or Coach Patrick."

Herb walked down the stairs as the boys all looked at each other. I turned to dad. "I can't be their friend?" I whispered.

"Here help pass out these." Dad said handing me a stack of psychology tests.

I listened as Coach Patrick instructed the boys to get a test on their way out. I couldn't understand the meaning of a psychology test to play hockey. I handed out tests as the boys walked by. I tried to hand one to Jim Craig but he held up his hand and walked on by. I shrugged.

"Georgy, I made the team!" Buzz said as he hugged me, squishing the tests into my stomach.

"I know, that is so great. You are obviously thrilled because I can't breathe." I told him. He laughed and stepped back.

"Listen, a few of the guys are going out tonight and you have to come. No ifs ands or buts." Buzz said.

"I have to? Dad did you hear this? I have to go out with them." I said, dad smiled.

"You might as well go. It's better than sitting around the hotel all evening." Dad said.

"Great, now I got parental consent." I said sarcastically. "Where are we going?"

"A bar down the street from the hotel. Meet us there around 8:00?" Buzz said.

"Sure, unless Burt Reynolds marries me between now and then." I said.

"Hey you can bring Burt!" Buzz said and we both chuckled.

That evening I walked down the street to the bar. When I walked in I saw Buzz sitting at a table with a few others that made the team. I recognized Bah immediately and Mark Pavelich was sitting there too. Dave Christian was there too.

"Georgy, we're over here!" Buzz yelled at me. I walked over and pulled up a chair beside him and Bah.

"Hey everybody!" I said. "What's going on?"

"These tests that Herb gave us. Do you have to take one?" Pavelich asked me.

"No, I told Herb he has known me long enough to know that I am nuts!" I said and we all chuckled.

"Verchota is done with his test!" Bah said.

"Georgy, what do you want to drink?" Buzz asked me.

"Beer will be fine." I told him.

"Why do they call you 'Georgy'?" Bah asked me.

"It's short for Georgia," I explained. "Mac started it and he also was the one that insisted it be spelled with a 'Y' instead of an 'IE'! He says it makes it fancy!"

"What kind of nickname is 'Bah'?" Verchota asked.

"When I was a baby, my brother who is 10 months older than me was learning to talk. 'Bah' was his word for baby and soon everyone was calling me Bah." Bah explained.

"I would just go by John." Buzz said.

"Oh really, William?" I asked Buzz.

"Don't call me that." Buzz said, and I laughed.

My beer arrived. I noticed at a table across the room sat Eruzione, Silk, Cox and O'Callahan. I realized that three of them were from Boston. And I was sitting with players from Minnesota. The split was obvious.

"Georgia, you gonna be with us at training in Minneapolis?" Christian asked.

"Yes, I am with this team, now through the end of the Olympics." I said.

"It's my wife." Mac said walking up to the table.

"Where?" I asked pretending to look around.

Mark Johnson was with Mac. They sat down at the table with us. I noticed that O'Callahan left a few minutes later. Mac and OC had a nasty confrontation in the 1976 play-offs, with Mac more or less getting the best of it. But surely O'Callahan was over that. He couldn't hold a grudge this long, and now he and Mac were teammates.

I hope all my usual readers are out there. I am very excited about this new story. I have a feedback goal of 100! (My last story stopped at 93, LOL). So let me know what you think of this story and tell you friends!