3rd & Long

Chapter 1: Kickoff

The first sight that greeted Nat when she arrived at the famous Levi's Stadium was superstar Nick Bosa's face front and center, right above the entrance. The stadium itself was impressive, but not quite as sleek as Sofi stadium, where she had completed her first year of being an athletic trainer. Still, any stadium that was a part of the National Football Association was an imposing sight, and the sheer size of it was enough to make Nat's stomach do cartwheels. Nat scanned the banner that was adorned with the most popular players in the San Francisco Pioneers and she was able to pick out a few she had recognized. Next to Nick was the ever-so-handsome quarterback Jeff Giordano and to Jeff's right was the media heartthrob Deon Hudson, who was known for breaking hearts just as well as he broke tackles. While Jeff and Deon were beloved by many and certainly very attractive men, Nat's eyes kept flickering back to Nick Bosa.

"Nataly Casillas I presume?" A hoarse voice posited.

Nat turned to see an older man, likely in his 40's, with a balding head wearing a Pioneer's jacket. His frame was average, but his height made him appear skinnier than he actually was. The new man had light black stubble on his face and bags under his eyes. Nat wondered when the last time he got a good night of sleep was. She also wondered when the last time he used moisturizer was.

"Yes that's me", Nat chimed in. "I prefer to go by Nat"

"Very well Ms. Casillas", the man ignored, "My name is Kurt Stoll. I will be your direct supervisor. We have a long day ahead of us, but I figured it would be best to start with a tour".

Her supervisor? Nat berated herself for being so focused on the players faces on the banner that she hadn't completely registered the man's name. She thought to ask him to repeat it for a second, but then realized it probably wouldn't leave the best first impression if not even 5 minutes into knowing each other she was already asking him to repeat himself.

"Lead the way boss" Nat improvised. The gruff man began to walk forward.

As Nataly caught up to his pace, she felt a vibration in her pocket. She glanced quickly and saw it was from Raf:

Raf: Let me know how your first day goes! Thanks again for doing this for me.

Nat put the phone away without her new boss noticing. Of course Raf would be checking in on her. In addition to being one of her closest friends, he had also asked her to step into this position after Raf had to leave due to a family emergency. Raf's mother was undergoing treatment for her cancer and Raf said he wanted to be closer to her. So when he brought up the idea of Nat and him switching places, him taking her position with the Los Angeles Lightning and her taking his position with the San Francisco Pioneers, well, how was Nat supposed to say no?

She made a mental note to get back to him later as her boss began telling her a bit about the team's history and explaining the different parts of the venue. At one point he showed off the team's impressive five super bowl trophies they proudly displayed. Nat had always known the Pioneers were a respectable team, but she didn't realize just how impressive they actually were. Nat's team had always been the Lightning, ever since she was 9 years old and her dad brought her to her first ever football game. Nat was enchanted with the whole spectacle, from the players on the field, to the delicious food at the concessions stand. She knew then that someday, somehow, she would find a way to make that experience a staple in her life. It was what inspired her to pursue a career as an athletic trainer.

"We're a proud team with a long history. Being the 10th oldest franchise in the country, you really have seen it all. And yet every year brings us new faces and new challenges. We're lucky to have such a faithful bunch of fans who support us every year" The grizzled man recounted.