Derby Digest: Fresh Meat

About two months ago I started to entertain the idea of participating in Roller Derby. Though I had heard things about Roller Derby hear and there over I hadn't really paid THAT much attention. It took my friend mentioning an ad she saw on Craigs List to really get my attention about the sport and move me to learn more about it.

At the time I had heard that a local team was looking for new recruits, I was waiting for fate to determine what road I would be currently be traveling. There was a clear "if, then" situation taking place - If B, then not A OR If not B, then A. In early August that path was clarified and I was on my way to joining derby.

In the weeks that followed I experienced some interesting reactions to this decision. Most of the guys I told were taken a back by what they heard. My favorite response was the dude at Sports Authority who said something to the effect of, "You must be one tough chick." Hmmm . . . Tough? I don't know about that. When I told someone who was female the typical response was typically praise for what I was doing and then I was asked if I was going to rock fishnets as part of uniform. (Apparently for some people derby is about the clothes, not the sport. Oh, and your debry name.)

Getting back on skates after close to 20 some years was nerve-racking. I had been ice skating back in January and I thought I would have no problem making the transition. However, I was wrong. Prior to my first derby practice I went to a local rink on a open skate night. Once I got my skates on I can only describe how I was as shake-e-e. My first time around the rink I stayed as close to the wall as possible just in case I needed it. At one point, as this one young man passed by he asked me, "First time on skates?" I laugh and said, "No, just my first time in something like 20 years." He smiled and laughed and skated on. However, with every passing lap I gain more and more balance. As the night went on I appeared to be back in the saddle again. I was flying around the rink as if no time had passed. My confidence on skates was back. However, as fate would have it, I would take a fall that particular evening.

I have to admit I saw the fall coming, which I think is the worst kind of fall. Upon getting up on my feet and making my way off the rink I acknowledge the pain that came along with the fall. My first reaction was to complain about it, but I quickly nixed that behavior because I knew that if I was going to participate in derby I would have to suck-it-up... the reality of derby is that injury in this game is inevitable.

In late August, I went to my first official roller derby practice. On that particular evening all I did was skate around practicing my derby stance. Nothing super thrilling, but yet very important to master. What I also learned on this particular evening was that I did not have a name... That's right, no name. No one called me by the name my parents gave me, nor did they call me by the derby name I had picked out. To everyone there I was just "Fresh Meat."

Normally, I wouldn't answer to that name. Honestly, it sounds like something a douche-bag male would call his latest conquest; however, on this occasion I take no offense to it as I realize that is what I am until I pass the skills test each derby player is required to take. The first skill I learned was how to skate in derby stance. Derby stance is essentially when you bend down as much as you can and lean forward while you are skating. It help you balance and in the event that you fall it causes you to fall forward and not backward which is better because all your protective gear covers the front of your body - not the back. I didn't have a problem with skating in derby stance, but I will admit after doing so for close to two hours my back did hurt some.

Amongst the other things I'm beginning to learn are how to skate on one skate and hopping while on skates. As with derby stance, these skills are important to master for balance purposes and to help increase speed. The skating on one skate I don't quite have down, but I totally rocked-out the hopping. The other thing I am happy to have learned is how to go from sitting on the rink floor to a standing position. Remember I mentioned I fell my first time back on skates? Well, one that particular evening I actually had to get help getting up because I hadn't quite mastered that skill. So, the fact that I was able to get up on my own was HUGE to me.

As things stand now, I am looking forward to my next practice. It is my intention to make at least a weekly entry about my experiences as a "Derby Dame" on this blog so others can share in the adventure and excitement of roller derby as well.

I hope you will come along for the ride... Until later . . .