The Goalie Bet novel · Chapter 21 of 32

Chapter 21: Medical Clearance

Monday I brought him to the physical therapist.

Same room, same table, but I stood at the wall with my arms crossed and let the other man do the hands.

He ran the full battery. Resisted hip flexion, resisted abduction, internal rotation, single-leg squat.

Logan did every one of them without flinching.

The physical therapist wrote on his chart and looked up.

"He's ready for practice."

"Full contact?"

"Full contact. Non-contact jersey for a week if you want, but I don't think he needs it."

I stood at the wall.

"You're signing off," I said.

"I'm signing off on practice."

"Not on the semifinal."

"Practice isn't the semifinal."

"No."

He capped his pen.

"Kline, I've never had a trainer bring a player back from a strain this clean in four weeks. That's your log and your plan."

"Thank you."

"You don't look happy about it."

"I am."

I wasn't.

The coach was in the hallway when we came out.

He was leaning on the wall by the trophy case with his arms crossed.

"Rusk," he said.

"Coach."

"You're cleared."

"For practice."

"For practice." He looked at me. "And for the semifinal."

"Not for the semifinal," I said.

"Kline."

"He's cleared for practice. That's a different clearance."

"It's six days."

"It's six days and he's had four weeks of rehab on a strain that kept him out for three."

"He just did the whole battery in there."

"He did. On a flat floor, at low load, with a clinician watching his form."

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