So...I failed to post about scrimmage last night. It was largely underwhelming. I jammed a bit, and then we played against the A-team. I received a backblock penalty when I was hit into another skater. But alas. I stayed for endurance. Also, there were ref assessments. They all passed. Yay Zeebs!
Tonight was better. Our captains incorporated some of Bonnie's teachings. It was good to try to employ it again. We also split up into jammers and blockers and blockers worked on v-walls while jammers worked on shielding.
We did a lot of scrills tonight. We did some during the new granny clinic. We did some 4 corners. We did some five-on-five, it was all valuable. I had a really good moment where I juked someone. I noticed she was all over me, and I figured, "Ok, I been working on this, time to try it out." I don't remember if I faked in and went out or vice versa, but it worked. I got around one of our strong blockers who was giving me trouble.
I enjoyed practice and can't wait for Thursday. Also the roster comes out tonight, whoo!
Showing posts with label penalty box. Show all posts
Showing posts with label penalty box. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Tonight's B-Team Practice
Thank you to my loyal readers, first and foremost. Honestly. This self-reflection is good for me. And I was telling somebody earlier that I've never had much luck with journaling, but because I know I have a readership, I can't disappoint.
Since I'm thanking people, I'd like to thank my dear derby wife, Devlin Syder. I wasn't feeling all that great and didn't know if I could make it to practice, but I could hear Devlin's voice in my head telling me to go to practice.
So, in the spirit of being adventurous, I decided to try out my spare wheels. I have a set of mostly bald Speed Rays. The skates were sold to me with the wheels on 'em. I was told they are still great for sport court. I've skated on sport court now twice. Since we bout on it, but I've never skated on it, I thought I'd try these wheels out on our floor. I have 4 red and 4 blue. These are approximately 92a and 93a durometer. They're also wider (not drastically, but somewhat) and heavier (solid aluminum hubs).
It was an experiment, to be sure. I thought I might try them out at a Thursday practice, but then I thought that team practice is a good mixture of derby play and derby skills. And it was. I slipped all over the place. I still pushed myself and jammed and did everything I could. I wasn't able to dig in as deep with my sprints and crossovers, but I still tried.
I've been feeling that skating through mud sensation lately. But I still think I'd rather have to exert a little more effort if I have total grip in the turns.
So to my actual thoughts on practice...
I feel like the B-Dazzlers are clicking now more than ever. The most dedicated core is sticking together and working like one pack.
I also think everyone's getting better at the little things. We did banana peel in reverse derby direction, then turned around and did Sharkbait derby direction and we mostly did turning toe stops, without colliding with each other. Our hit timing could all still use work but I think even the best of the best say that. (Speaking of, did I tell you Elektra Q. Tion noticed my skating on Sunday? AAAAAAAH!)
It's really cool to work on something at practice and get the chance to put it into action. We're trying to go back to the basics, since B-Dazz is very much a new team these days. But it's tough to be reviewing the basic and still have to skate against people. When we get to employ these simple strategies, that's good. We are able to quickly see the result of our work.
My brain is no longer processing what's going on. I may update this post at a later time, but you know me, probably not.
Since I'm thanking people, I'd like to thank my dear derby wife, Devlin Syder. I wasn't feeling all that great and didn't know if I could make it to practice, but I could hear Devlin's voice in my head telling me to go to practice.
So, in the spirit of being adventurous, I decided to try out my spare wheels. I have a set of mostly bald Speed Rays. The skates were sold to me with the wheels on 'em. I was told they are still great for sport court. I've skated on sport court now twice. Since we bout on it, but I've never skated on it, I thought I'd try these wheels out on our floor. I have 4 red and 4 blue. These are approximately 92a and 93a durometer. They're also wider (not drastically, but somewhat) and heavier (solid aluminum hubs).
It was an experiment, to be sure. I thought I might try them out at a Thursday practice, but then I thought that team practice is a good mixture of derby play and derby skills. And it was. I slipped all over the place. I still pushed myself and jammed and did everything I could. I wasn't able to dig in as deep with my sprints and crossovers, but I still tried.
I've been feeling that skating through mud sensation lately. But I still think I'd rather have to exert a little more effort if I have total grip in the turns.
So to my actual thoughts on practice...
I feel like the B-Dazzlers are clicking now more than ever. The most dedicated core is sticking together and working like one pack.
I also think everyone's getting better at the little things. We did banana peel in reverse derby direction, then turned around and did Sharkbait derby direction and we mostly did turning toe stops, without colliding with each other. Our hit timing could all still use work but I think even the best of the best say that. (Speaking of, did I tell you Elektra Q. Tion noticed my skating on Sunday? AAAAAAAH!)
It's really cool to work on something at practice and get the chance to put it into action. We're trying to go back to the basics, since B-Dazz is very much a new team these days. But it's tough to be reviewing the basic and still have to skate against people. When we get to employ these simple strategies, that's good. We are able to quickly see the result of our work.
My brain is no longer processing what's going on. I may update this post at a later time, but you know me, probably not.
Friday, February 10, 2012
Drumroll Please...
So I've got some great news. I've made the roster for Charleston. I'll be making my bouting debut in just over a week. I also just got the news that enough people have dropped out of the Guys and Girls Gone WILD Invitational that I've made it. I will be on the Drunks team. I will be skating with one of my teammates' husband (I'm confused by that grammer, but also too complacent to adjust it). I'm interested in seeing what it will be like to skate with guys. Maybe I'll learn something.
I have been taking it easy in practice. I even sat out scrimmage, and that was tough. But I've been pushing myself harder at practices lately. I feel like it's paying off.
Our practices have had a lot of variety lately and I really love that.
I wish I had more to say, but I sincerely think that's all for me.
Can't wait to skate next weekend! And the following one!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Hey Rita, how's it going?
You might be wondering how I'm doing. At last report, I had an injured shoulder and was fixin' ta schedule an appointment with Dr. Tony. It's been a week since I posted. In that time, I HAVE been to Dr. Tony and also shook my groove thing at our end-of-year party.
Unfortunately I think I've wrecked all the work Dr. Tony did. He worked on trigger points (knots) and used this massage tool that made me feel like I was being run over by a jet ski.
I've been trying to pull myself out of hitting drills and do as much as I can with my hips. BUT derby is a coincidental sport. We do this drill, a sort of bait-and-switch, where we open up the inside line like we're not paying attention and then hit the jammer out of bounds and stay in bounds ourselves. I've ceased jamming during this drill, but just because I hit someone with my hips doesn't mean that that they don't hit my shoulder.
Last night I got hit in the other shoulder and now it's hurtin too. I hate it because I'm apparently a jammer and we're doing a lot of great drills for jammers. Drills that I can't participate in. On the one hand, I want to skate real bad, but on the other, I know I should rest and ice my shoulder as much as possible. I also got my thumb run over. I tucked my fingers when I fell, but my thumb still got run over. Also I've been having some issues with my right ankle. I just feel like every time I put on my skates, I wind up hurting myself further. We've got a bout upcoming, one that I hope to skate in. So I've got to heal. But I also need to show that I want it, as there are an absurd number of skaters on B-Dazz now.
So I guess I'm gonna work on taking it even easier.
Unfortunately I think I've wrecked all the work Dr. Tony did. He worked on trigger points (knots) and used this massage tool that made me feel like I was being run over by a jet ski.
I've been trying to pull myself out of hitting drills and do as much as I can with my hips. BUT derby is a coincidental sport. We do this drill, a sort of bait-and-switch, where we open up the inside line like we're not paying attention and then hit the jammer out of bounds and stay in bounds ourselves. I've ceased jamming during this drill, but just because I hit someone with my hips doesn't mean that that they don't hit my shoulder.
Last night I got hit in the other shoulder and now it's hurtin too. I hate it because I'm apparently a jammer and we're doing a lot of great drills for jammers. Drills that I can't participate in. On the one hand, I want to skate real bad, but on the other, I know I should rest and ice my shoulder as much as possible. I also got my thumb run over. I tucked my fingers when I fell, but my thumb still got run over. Also I've been having some issues with my right ankle. I just feel like every time I put on my skates, I wind up hurting myself further. We've got a bout upcoming, one that I hope to skate in. So I've got to heal. But I also need to show that I want it, as there are an absurd number of skaters on B-Dazz now.
So I guess I'm gonna work on taking it even easier.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Easyriders Demos
Whoo. Today was brutal. Almost 3 hours of derby spread out all day.
Sin sent out an email this morning about the floor. She told us it was polished concrete, but slicker than our warehouse and to bring our grippiest wheels. HO-LY crap. It was like ice skating.
And our demos were up against lingerie fashion shows, so while we drew crowds, it was difficult to keep them.
I actually did not have as much of a problem with the floor as some. Some of us were all over the floor. During the first demo, I stayed upright mostly. But when I went down, I went down HARD. My first fall had me sprawled out on the floor, and both elbows still hurt. A fall in the second round had me landing on the top of my shoulder.
As the day went on, I got more tired, but more used to the floor. There was a corps of skaters who were there for all 3 demos. I pushed myself. Past my breaking point. I jammed when I didn't feel up to it. I jammed in all 3 demos, I'm pretty sure. I kept my feet moving. I made smart calls and mostly executed good blocks.
I only went to the penalty box twice in the three demos. And both were as I was getting tired. The first was at the very end of the second demo. I think it was a backblock. And sometime in the third demo, I went to the box on a cut major. That was strictly because I was tired. Psy*Ren hit me out around Turn 3 and when I tried to come back in, I thought she was with the pack, I didn't even see her waiting for me.
Later one of the refs told me that it was actually a cut minor and he apologized for calling it a major. I was also told there was a jam where it was reported I scored 0 points, when I'd actually scored 5. I forgot what it's like to play derby in a warm environment. I was sweating. I couldn't see straight at times.
I tried to take hits to the best of my ability, I broke up walls whenever possible, and I found reserves of strength in me to get through the pack. Many times I saw holes and just ran for it. I'm pretty proud of what I did today and only hope I can apply that in the coming weeks.
Sin sent out an email this morning about the floor. She told us it was polished concrete, but slicker than our warehouse and to bring our grippiest wheels. HO-LY crap. It was like ice skating.
And our demos were up against lingerie fashion shows, so while we drew crowds, it was difficult to keep them.
I actually did not have as much of a problem with the floor as some. Some of us were all over the floor. During the first demo, I stayed upright mostly. But when I went down, I went down HARD. My first fall had me sprawled out on the floor, and both elbows still hurt. A fall in the second round had me landing on the top of my shoulder.
As the day went on, I got more tired, but more used to the floor. There was a corps of skaters who were there for all 3 demos. I pushed myself. Past my breaking point. I jammed when I didn't feel up to it. I jammed in all 3 demos, I'm pretty sure. I kept my feet moving. I made smart calls and mostly executed good blocks.
I only went to the penalty box twice in the three demos. And both were as I was getting tired. The first was at the very end of the second demo. I think it was a backblock. And sometime in the third demo, I went to the box on a cut major. That was strictly because I was tired. Psy*Ren hit me out around Turn 3 and when I tried to come back in, I thought she was with the pack, I didn't even see her waiting for me.
Later one of the refs told me that it was actually a cut minor and he apologized for calling it a major. I was also told there was a jam where it was reported I scored 0 points, when I'd actually scored 5. I forgot what it's like to play derby in a warm environment. I was sweating. I couldn't see straight at times.
I tried to take hits to the best of my ability, I broke up walls whenever possible, and I found reserves of strength in me to get through the pack. Many times I saw holes and just ran for it. I'm pretty proud of what I did today and only hope I can apply that in the coming weeks.
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