Yep. I did it. After more than a year of thinking about it I finally plucked up enough courage to go ahead and go to roller derby new recruit practice.
First of all I will say this: I didn't even know roller derby existed until I saw Whip It. I know that derby girls do not like hearing about that movie so I will been my love of it quiet. Yes, I realize derby is not really like the movie at all and I am okay with that. But....I felt like it should be something I admit too....
The only reason roller derby ever came onto my radar as something I might want to try is because Ellen Page and Drew Berrymore are badass in that movie.
Confession over. Now on to the fun!
Yesterday I went to the skate shop and bought a helmet (a blue one), a mouth guard (also blue) and knee pads (black...I didn't see blue ones...lame). I borrowed elbow pads, wrist guards and I rented skates. Money wise I tend to go all out into a new hobby and I buy a bunch of crap and then I get bored after a few months and then I have a bunch of crap I am never gonna use again. I would love to say that I am gonna wait to see if I truly like it before I go buy the rest of my gear and my skates....but that would be a lie. Rental skates not so great. However...I am gonna buy a cheap pair and not the stupid expensive stuff....and I found out there is a Roller Derby Recyclables page on FB so if I end up having a bin of derby gear in the garage next to my lighting equipment and 9,000 things of yarn for the blankets I am never gonna make I can at least sell this stuff. (Could probably sell the lighting stuff too but I am still interested in photography....just not as full speed ahead as I was before.)
Okay...back to roller derby. Anyone who knows me knows I am probably one of the most accident prone people you will ever meet and I lack common sense (book smarts, yes.....common sense, not so much). I have permanent nerve damage in my right foot because I severely miscalculated how much wet dirt weighs. (Hint....a 3/4 full bin of dry dirt....not all that heavy. It is easily moved by a female with no upper body strength to speak of. However...that same bin full to the brim with wet dirt... Yep...nope. After I had it pin my right leg for roughly ten minutes, went to the ER and then returned sporting some kickass crutches my neighbor and his buddy tipped the bin back up...and struggled with it. Turns out, by their estimate....it weighed roughly 450 lbs. Oops.) That is just one of several examples of the skills that I have. My co-workers call me Murphy..... So, 95% of everyone I told that I was gonna start this adventure thinks I am insane and I am pretty sure bets are being bad as to how long it will be before I break something.
One of my co-workers actually asked me why. Most people laughed and said it was a terrible idea but one person asked me why.
Because. I need to find something here that I enjoy doing that I am the first person in my group to do. I hate being the add on... The person that starts a hobby or something because a friend does it. I want this to be my something. My whole life I have pretty much been the add on and started something because a friend was already doing it. Or...I find something I love doing and I have busted my ass getting good at and then someone I am friends with picks it up and has a natural ability and is way better at it that I am. It is a stupid semi selfish thing to think but just once in my life I want to be the best out of my friends at something. The vast majority of people in the world are never gonna think to give derby a try. Maybe this is finally "my thing".
And I learned tonight that this....like everything else...is not gonna be a natural ability. I SUCKED. With as much flapping as I did I was like a new born giraffe trying to sprout wings and fly. I have muscles that hurt that I didn't know I had. I blushed hard core everytime I fell. I blushed when I had to show a skill and I felt eyes on me. I blushed when people told me I was doing well because I was sure they were saying it to make me feel better.
But you know what... I had FUN. I had FUN sucking. For the first time in my life I actually had it in my head that some of the people there have been doing derby for years. Some people have been going to recruit training a lot longer than I have. Tonight was my first night. As much as I hate not being good at something immediately I actually remembered these facts and I cut myself a bit of slack. (Only a bit though....because that is how I roll.)
We covered T-stops...plow stops...turn around toe stops...barrel rolls... knee drops... 180 knee drops... four point fall... baseball slide......and with all the skills be learned my biggest accomplishment in my eyes was skating on one foot (and not wiping out) when I took off my right skate because the lace broke...because there were soooooo many eyes watching me and wondering what the hell I was doing.
Go me! Hahaha.
Everyone there was so nice and helpful. I don't know if I will ever be in a bout (nor to I know if I want to just yet....that shit looks crazy and terrifying) but I took that first step...I got over my first bit of fear and made it through the door. The rest will come. I've always been cautious with sports. I was never an aggressive soccer player and I feel like a dork explaining to the kids I coach to "get in there" when I am very aware I never "got in there". But I am "there"....I am no where near "in there" but I am "there".
"There" is better than my couch.
Now, if you will excuse me... I have to go stretch so I can hopefully wobble around work tomorrow.
Keep livin' the dream!
~Turtle
