National Anthem at a Division 1 Hockey Game!

I can still feel the butterflies in my stomach from last night when I sang the National Anthem in front of over 5,000 people at the St. Cloud State Division 1 Hockey Game! I have sang our National Anthem well over 100 times at sporting events since I was 15 years old, but this one was by far the most exhilarating!

Look at all those people!

I have gone to several SCSU Hockey games through high school and I was so thrilled and honored that I was asked to sing the National Anthem!  The arena is HUGE holding 5,381 seats.  I arrived an hour before the game started.  The event coordinator took my mom and I into the empty arena where I was overjoyed with excitement when I saw how big the arena was.  He took me to an empty locker room where I warmed up and mentally tried to prepare myself.  All of these awful scenarios ran through my head, what if I fall on the ice, what if I forget the first note, what if I forget the words!  Even though I have performed this hundreds of times it still crosses my mind.

The time came where they took me into the penalty box and the anouncer was introducing all  of the players.  There were Husky cheerleaders on the ice doing beautiful figure skating moves and jumps, the lights were flashing with different colors and the anouncer reminded me of someone from Jock Jams.  The crowd went crazy over the Husky players, especially the student section.  This is where the butterflies started and for some odd reason my leg started to shake.  They told me to take the ice and I walked slowly to my spot.  The players were lined up on each side of me with the flag directly above us.  Finally the anouncer said, "Singing our National Anthem, performed by Miss North Metro-Bethany Beniek," I brought the microphone close and started to sing.

If you would like to see me singing the National Anthem, my mom video taped me. You can watch it by clicking on this link http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOP8-jJES7A

You can't tell in the video, but my leg from the knee down was shaking profusley!  I have never had that happen to me, even when I performed my talent on the Miss Minnesota stage I didn't get that nervous.  I am very pleased with how everything turned out and it was an experience I will never forget! 

The spotlight

I had to wear my SCSU St. Cloud Sweatshirt :-)

Got to watch the game right behind the glass!

Happy Halloween everyone! I hope you all get your fill of candy :-)  I know I already have.  I'm dressing up as a Star Trek Character!  For those of you who don't know me very well, I LOVE Science Fiction movies, I'll sit down and watch Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and Star Trek anyday of the week!

Always,
Bethany Beniek