Derby Diaries: Fresh Meat

Ok, so some of y'all have heard through the grapevine that I've started playing roller derby as "fresh meat" with the Assault City Roller Derby (ACRD) ladies.  I've been kinda keeping quiet about it up til now for a few reasons:

a) it's been a looooooong time (decade +??) since I've donned a pair of skates and even then my skating was limited to "sticky skating" (all four eight wheels on the ground at all times!) - none of these crossovers, fancy stops, etc.

b) wasn't sure I was going to be able to keep up with the time commitment (practice is at least 2x per week at a rink 20 min away)

c) I've only been to three practices so far and I am a long ways (many months) from playing in a "bout"

d) I still have to actually "make" the team by passing a skills test in a couple weeks

However, after three practices I'm getting the derby bug!  We're learning basic derby skills like crossovers, falling safely (yay!), stops (hard), skating in close proximity to a pack of skaters . . . I've found that my biggest barrier to getting the technique for these things down is my fearfulness.  I know - seems funny to be playing a sport where much of the point IS to knock down and be knocked down by others if I'm so fearful of falling down.  Buuut that was part of why I decided to go out for ACRD - to be a bit less of a fraidy-cat!  To have the chance to get scrappy out there and feel the rush of competition and physicality I used to feel during basketball (what, that was only like, 8th grade!).  And derby IS competitive and physical - not quite like "Whip It" (less face-punching!) - I come away from our drills each week with sore glutes and abs (yay!) and I can already tell as I get better and better this is going to turn into a full body workout! 

So I've got the gear (quad skates, knee and elbow pads, wrist and mouth guards, helmet), a few spaces in the house to practice at night, and lots of room for improvement!  If I pass the skills test in a couple weeks I'll get to start practicing with the ACRD team - if not, I'll keep practicing as fresh meat and try, try again, Sally Jane!