Soon, all the women school teacher-coaches joined them, each wearing jeans, baseball hats, and trying to make more noise than the others with their gum chewing and bubble bursting. Marianne prohibited any gum chewing in her physical education and health classes. Hence the good-natured teasing.

Marianne and Ruth were both concerned about two new teachers who were taking over from departed coaches. Both felt the newcomers lacked the skills and sport knowledge to successfully coach at the inter-school level.

The young women recruits in their early twenties were the last to arrive. They appeared very shy. Both wore long plaid skirts and high heeled shoes. They sat at a smaller table and away from the others.

"Well, looks like The Girl’s Archery team is in for a long season," muttered Ruth. The new arrival with short brunette hair in a ponytail sucked lemonade from a can. I think many of our kids will give her a hard time, thought Marianne.

Leaning forward, Marianne said, "I really think we’ve got a winner in the tall blonde girl, Sandra. She looks every inch a Girl's Soccer coach." Both women nodded at seeing the well-tanned one with bangs over her forehead pour beer into a glass with minimum top foam.

"Winner she is Marianne," said one, so that most could hear.

Raising her voice so all could hear, Marianne said, "Now guys, glad you all could make this edition of the ongoing coaches symposium." She suggested the two newcomers sit at the larger table and closer to all the others.

She cleared her throat and looked at each of the assembled coaches and assistants.

"Sandra, as you are new to our school and since this is your first experience in coaching Girl's Soccer, we would like to know you better." Marianne paused and hoped that Sandra was relaxed and would give a good short speech.

"What do you think are good methods for developing a bonding amongst members of a high school athletic team?"

Sandra stood up and all eyes focused on her.

"Oh, glad you asked, Ms Androvich, it seems I must tell this story everywhere about how Miss Turner did just that during a very embarrassing incident," she said, as conversations ended and the room became quiet.

"Is that Theresa "Torchy" Turner, the lady who coached boys hockey in the small village school, and kicked our behinds good a few years back," asked one while running out of breath.

"Yes, you are quite right, indeed," said Sandra.

"Good going," said Marianne to herself. "But I'm not sold on her yet. I like my coaches to be more outgoing with lots of spirit."

Sandra raised her voice.

"Well, it seems our goal tender, Leo "Dumb Dumb" Kelly, on our boys ice hockey team had not worn his cup in a sudden death play off game. While we were winning by one goal he stopped a shot at around the two minute mark of the third period and, well, he had pains … and was helped to the bench," she said while shrugging her shoulders. The words came from her mouth like someone saying hello into a telephone.

"Good 'gawd,'" yelped Marianne.

"Oooh, that smarts, just thinking about hard rubber pucks going a hundred miles an hour makes me cringe," said another. A short silence followed. Then.

"What's a cup," asked the Girl’s Archery Coach placing her empty lemonade can on the table. Laughter erupted and grew amongst the women teachers and the bar patrons.

"That's the non-breakable cup like thingy that a boy fit’s into his jockstrap," said Sandra not daunted with the laughter.

The wide eyed Archery Coach, her eyes in a dull daze, looked around the room and wondered why people at all tables were laughing at the same time as her seat mates.

The crowed grew silent again.

"What's a jock strap?"

Howls of laughter burst from all parts of the Bar.

"Uh, well, as my brothers would say, uh … to help protect…"

Loud hoots and table banging followed.

The Archery Coach bit her lower lip.

Marianne stood up. Laughter tears rolled off her scarlet cheeks. "Ah, Miss 'Bow and Arrow,' perhaps I should meet you in the health room, tomorrow, with the anatomy charts and the…."

"OK," said the naive one looking confused.

A voice from the crowd fought back laughter gags and blurted, "So, wha … happened n … n … next?"

"Well, as the trainer was giving 'Dumb Dumb' some orange juice at the far end of the bench, Torchy lashed out at her boys saying she would surely be replaced for allowing such a goof. She even said that she might go to jail if he got injured."

Sandra took a sip of beer and inhaled deeply. "My brother and I sat behind the bench and I can still hear her, 'Can you imagine what them perverts from that tech school will do if they discover he's not fully protected,'" she screamed.

Thunderous applause and whistles filled the room.

Sandra cleared her throat and continued. "'Porky the Beast' promised to disembowel his defense partner ‘Bathless Uglio’ if one shot got near 'Dumb Dumb' while they were on the ice together."

Marianne looked at Ruth. Neither could speak. Repeated waves of laughter and applause bounced around the room.

"'Irish Martin Tanenbaum' promised his line mates a splintered stick 'up where the sun don't shine' should any ‘Tech Suck’ shoot a puck near 'Dumb Dumb.'"

Sandra continued." For eighteen minutes, our guys ragged the puck and killed time in the neutral zone and the referee blew his whistle only three times and that was for penalties on the Tech squad."

Marianne smiled. Well, she sure passed her first test.

Sandra paused and took a mouthful of beer.

"That team never lost another game and won the Zone Championship. During one memorable game individuals bonded as one and learned that success follows teamwork."