Derby. Specifically, roller derby... It is something that I have been paying attention to in the Houston area for some time. The Northside Fury, Houston Roller Derby, even the Misfits... I have been to many bouts and paid attention. It was something I only dreamed about doing. I always said...if I could.
Now, if you know me, you know there are few things that scare me. I ride fourwheelers, water wheelies, racing thru the mud, I am not scared of much. But roller derby scared the ever living shit out of me. Truly. I am a person who breaks bones. And often. I have been declined Aflac coverage bc of the bones I break. It is what it is. But rarely do I have a cool story to tell.
So I had beebn hearing about my local derby league- and one day the captain- Raven- approached- no stalked me- in Walmart in the juice aisle!! She told me about the local team and I resigned myself to go.
A bit about me, although I am rather social in nature, given my job (I work from home) and that I go to school online- I don't get out much! So I celebrated my 37th birthday on Aug 29 and then I went to the very next practice.
I got killed.
It's true.
For a long time I was an equipment borrower, one time a week only skater.
Until I got my own skates and equipment.
Then I started going on Friday nights. Then Saturdays. And now I practice 2 times a week, skate 2 times a week and sometimes skate the trails by my house.
About those first few practices. Let me start by saying, when they say roller derby is a sisterhood, wow, it really is. I don't know how it is with other teams, but truly, these girls, as bad as I was, am, make me feel like I am special. They make me feel like I am not the bumbling idiot I know I must look like. And I was pretty bad. Like Bambi on skates. The deer, not the hooker. But I am getting there. Bruises are my badges of honor.
So here I am, about 3 months after I started, and I am loving this sport.
I had my first contact practice on Sunday and got rocked, absolutely rocked by a really great player. I needed it and more importantly, I liked it.
I am learning to fall small. Sorta. As a natural klutz- that is a big obstacle to overcome. I need to stop saying "Im sorry" it comes out so often. There are no sorry's in derby. I need to work on endurance. I lack so much of it and lose steam so quickly. I am getting there. Skating more, going to other team's practices, skating more.. I am getting there.
I will get there.
