Monday, September 13, 2010

Practice - Thursday, September 2, 2010

First Practice as a Level One!!! Wooohoo!



We started with agility. Alot of skating backwards and transitioning, which is something Iam trying to focus my attention on. Thanks to my Skater-Sister for working with me one-on-one again! :) I had jello-leg syndrome during this practice though.... Right from the start. I probably fell about seven times for no real reason other than poor form or exhaustion. I couldn't finish the pyramid drills because at one point I noticed I had cut my hand on a fall and it was bleeding everywhere.... No wonder my hand was hurting so much! haha


I should have taken all of this as a sign....


Scrimmage time. New level ones onto the track!!! YIKES.
Hitting review and then "David and Goliath" (where there is a mini pack and one jammer). It's all fine and good to explain what is going on beforehand, but once you are out on the line and the whistle blows it's complete chaos!

I had no idea what I was doing, I just knew that I didn't want to let anyone pass me!! I did block one jammer from getting by me! Yay! I also only gave one hit and it was to my own teammate. Boo. Duh.

My most exciting time of the night was when someone threw the jammer hat at me. I was going to be the jammer???!!! (I know that everyone got a turn at all the positions during this drill, but I didn't care.) This was my most exciting, terrifying, truly awesome moment!!! I put the jammer hat over my helmet, glittery star and all. I wish my mom and dad were there to see me, or someone could have taken my picture because it was very surreal.

When it was time, I took the line. All by myself.
 It was so scary and exciting. I placed my toestop down in a form that looked like I was going to sprint forward when the whistle blew, but I really can't run on my toestops lol

When the whistle did blow, I took off and saw that the pack was already so far away. I was skating as fast as I could, and everyone was yelling for me to go faster. I came up to the pack, which had surprisingly slowed down, and I kind of crashed my way through. I know I used elbows and I know I gave some back blocks. I was mostly trying not to fall down lol

I finally made it through, then got a chance to do it again! I got stuck in the pack this time, but for some reason the opposing players got confused and I just went around them skating to victory!


Almost...


They caught up with me again, my teammate went flying off to my right and before I knew it, I was also flying through the air in a blur! My left knee made a loud popping sound and my leg went off in it's own
direction. I landed in a crumpled heap on the floor. I wanted to get up, but I couldn't move. I was the jammer! I had to get up! This was my chance to do this!! But no. It turns out I've got a sprain, and now I won't be skating for weeks.




I've got to say that I was so embarrassed to be laying on the floor... Everyone turning silent and dropping to one knee out of respect for the injured. I have been on both sides of this coin now, and listening to the voices die down behind you is the worst. I have seen others get worse injuries than me, and I wanted to be able to get up on my own but I could tell it wasn't going to happen.
All I could think of was to ask the trainers if I did a good job. Haha! It will probably be the only time I am ever a jammer, so I'm thankful I got to do it before I got hurt!

"Did you see me? I was the jammer!!" :)
xoxo

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Practice and Level 1 Assessments - August 31, 2010

Assessment night.... The test all fresh meat look forward to and dread at the same time! They tell you it's no big deal and don't be nervous, but I definetly started freaking out before I even got there. I know I wasn't the only one!

All of the newbies were the first ones to arrive at the rink... We were all anxious and first we had to deal with an endurance practice for about an hour!

Pulling and pushing pace lines of 4-5 people, sprinting, then keep it going the opposite direction. Speaking for myself, I was totally worn out at the end of this and figured there'd be no way I'd be able to do a fall for the test and get back up..... (within the allotted two seconds!)

drawing by me, K.Rowe

Assessments started. We lined up. You could feel the tension as we all pretended we weren't nervous, but it showed in our performances.... No hiding that! Simple things that I know everyone could do, just became the hardest things! T-stops, toe stops, falls.... Eventually, everyone got through it.

We did balancing on one leg while skating, and a bazillion crossovers...

Finally, we were finished. Luckily, Bettie and Empress were able to give us a pass/no pass right then and there. I couldn't imagine having to wait days for an email!! We all got personal feedback... Some of us passed and some of us have a couple things to hone before moving to level 1..

I have to say that I have never seen a group of ladies work so hard. All of us wanted it so badly! I am so so so proud of all of my fellow newbies, and if you didn't pass tonight, I know you will in a few days or weeks!! You are all amazing and I truly mean that. If you didn't pass, don't give up because you WILL BE PASSING SOON!!

I am proud of Dixie for having never skated before a few months ago, and she is not afraid to get right in there and do her best! I am proud of Lacey for figuring out crossovers on the spot! I am proud of Amiee for sticking with it even though she didn't feel well! You amaze me! I am proud of Kara for making a big comeback! I am proud of Bug for never giving up!

I can't believe that I passed!!!! I didn't feel like I was doing too poorly at anything, but that's what surprised me I guess! I was actually doing it. I was falling, crossing, balancing, stopping... I never pictured myself doing anything like this. But now I can't think of anything I'd rather do!!

To those I didnt mention here, I am tuly proud of all of you too!! I am SO happy to be skating with all of you, and SO happy to be a part of this derby family... Roller derby really IS saving my soul. :)

So, now it's on to hitting...... oh boy..... ;)