If you have stuck around my blog for the last 9 years then you know about 4 years ago I began attending practice with a local roller derby league. It quickly went from I'm going to just see about this to Mission Pass Minimum Skills (MSTs) and actually roll in a bout (game) with the team. Just as I was rolling into my 1st derby-versary and passing MSTs, I injured my left ankle. It was one of those everything but break it things. A high ankle sprain that took months to heal and years to get over mentally. Then the team I was practicing with imploded and part of the fall out was my ousting from the team.
Details are hazy even now as to what was really going on verses what was being said. In the end the team kicked me to the curb and then imploded and while still around I am not really welcomed to rejoin. So that was St. Patrick's Day and one month later I found out I was pregnant! I worked hard to finish my dissertation before the baby, Baby Lala, was born. Then just took time in general to heal. In that time my love for derby and my want to play did not go away. It got stronger. I couldn't let it go.
I turned to my derby wife, who had so suffered in the team implosion, and as luck would have it she hadn't been able to let derby go either. We did reach out to try to rejoin our former team. We were turned away. What are a couple of strong leaders like us supposed to do? Start our own league! Thus was born the Lufkin Derby Dames! While we work to build a team, we are fortunate enough to have kept old derby connections and were invited to bout with the Gulf Coast Roller Girls from Lake Charles, LA! We missed the first bout of the season due my dad's cancer but yesterday we rolled out.
I played in my very first bout! While my derby wife and I weren't out their together for my first jam, she was on the bench cheering me on. DH was in the stands cheering and filming. Baby Lala fell asleep pretty early on and GymGirl decided she wanted time with her cousin and stayed home.
It was fun. It was hard. I have skills to work on. The team won a real nail biter against the Mobile Derby Darlings. It was so much fun. Teams were pretty evenly matched and all of the other players were so supportive. We hit each other. We threw some shady hits but everyone left smiling and ready to set up another game for next season.
Before we started warming up I was pretty sure it was a mistake to have me out there but as we warmed up and I didn't completely suck at it I relaxed. There were other ladies playing that were really new too so I had equals to compare myself too rather than just vets to be in awe of.
If you are thinking of join a roller derby league for a practice I say do it. Strap on some skates and try it. I can't promise you will love it but I can promise you will have an experience to build on, a story to share. Do something that scares you. Do something that helps you grow. Do something that changes your life.
Details are hazy even now as to what was really going on verses what was being said. In the end the team kicked me to the curb and then imploded and while still around I am not really welcomed to rejoin. So that was St. Patrick's Day and one month later I found out I was pregnant! I worked hard to finish my dissertation before the baby, Baby Lala, was born. Then just took time in general to heal. In that time my love for derby and my want to play did not go away. It got stronger. I couldn't let it go.
I turned to my derby wife, who had so suffered in the team implosion, and as luck would have it she hadn't been able to let derby go either. We did reach out to try to rejoin our former team. We were turned away. What are a couple of strong leaders like us supposed to do? Start our own league! Thus was born the Lufkin Derby Dames! While we work to build a team, we are fortunate enough to have kept old derby connections and were invited to bout with the Gulf Coast Roller Girls from Lake Charles, LA! We missed the first bout of the season due my dad's cancer but yesterday we rolled out.
I played in my very first bout! While my derby wife and I weren't out their together for my first jam, she was on the bench cheering me on. DH was in the stands cheering and filming. Baby Lala fell asleep pretty early on and GymGirl decided she wanted time with her cousin and stayed home.
It was fun. It was hard. I have skills to work on. The team won a real nail biter against the Mobile Derby Darlings. It was so much fun. Teams were pretty evenly matched and all of the other players were so supportive. We hit each other. We threw some shady hits but everyone left smiling and ready to set up another game for next season.
Before we started warming up I was pretty sure it was a mistake to have me out there but as we warmed up and I didn't completely suck at it I relaxed. There were other ladies playing that were really new too so I had equals to compare myself too rather than just vets to be in awe of.
If you are thinking of join a roller derby league for a practice I say do it. Strap on some skates and try it. I can't promise you will love it but I can promise you will have an experience to build on, a story to share. Do something that scares you. Do something that helps you grow. Do something that changes your life.
