A Compendium

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!

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.

Invitational

The Invitational is today. I'm strangely not nervous. But I wasn't nervous before the bout last weekend either. I thought I'd try to have team spirit with my boutfit. BUT I don't own any red leggings or shorts. How crazy is that? Oh well.

More to come later.

Ok, so I was a Drunk (right, yeah, put the 20-year old on the Drunks, haha!). Oh wait, did I mention this was a CoEd bout? It was. I had three boys on my team. Celtic Crusher, Sweet Meat, and the Professor were Drunks. And they were all extremely valuable. Sweet Meat as a jammer, wow. You hit him, he turns around and skates backwards, hit him again, and he turns back around. The man is a beast. Crusher was an excellent blocker, holding down the back of the pack. And the Professor did a wonderful job skating anywhere needed. And little Patty Valentine needed very little help as a jammer once he got moving.

We first played the Crunks. I played against teammate Nita Beer (pitting husband against wife). I blocked in a variety of positions. We played pretty well together, though naturally we had trouble playing as a team. We came together well and managed to hold back one of the Crunks' strongest players, MistHer, who was jamming. I am most proud of that bit of recycling and blocking and team work.

During halftime, I noticed my coaches working on some lineup changes. I told them I would happily jam if need be, since I was relatively fresh. I brought it up again later and they put me in to great success. I had a great crew of blockers, including Boot Scootin' Bully of Blue Ridge Roller Girls, lead jammer status, and a soon-to-be powerjam. I got 4 grandslams, scoring a total of 20 points before calling it off as the other jammer came back onto the track.

I did have some trouble after that whilst jamming when I was struck about the face. HARD. And somehow none of the refs managed to see it. Boy did it suck. I cried a little. And we had to call a timeout to page the medic just so he could tell me he didn't have any ice. Luckily my teammate Sour Bash Kid had ice and a plastic bag to spare. Thanks Bash!

That helped Team Drunks get back on top of the score. I had lots of people tell me I skated well. I was pretty proud of that. And also happy to get my second (and third) bouts under my belt. Congrats to ref/my ride up there OhCeeDee on kicking so much ass. And thanks to Derby City Skates for being present for me to drool over and purchase some items.

Also my shoulder(s) feel great, thanks for asking, considerate reader. Now I'm gonna fall into a derby/baconator coma.

Recap

I know I've neglected to post this week. I talked about the bout, but I've had scrimmage, team practice, and skills practice since then. Scrimmage hurt. Tuesday hurt. In fact, I felt way worse after each than I did after the bout. I've adjusted my skates, so I've been all over the place. I collided with Rosie during scrimmage. Also there seems have to been a lot of high blocks lately. I've been hit in the face a few times. And once in the ear. Not only are these hits illegal, but they suck. After getting hit in the ear, I had to sit out a few jams.

After my little PSA, I have a actual message for my readers. When I first started derby, I thought I wanted to be a jammer. You know, get the glory. But I'm neither a tall and skinny girl nor a small and sneaky one. And after the first time 25 in 5 kicked my ass, I thought, "Maybe I'm more suited for being a blocker." But I worked hard and continually improved. I got new skates and shaved more time off my 25 in 5. And now I'm one of the jammers for my team. One of my coaches told me I've gotten really fast. I managed to get lead jammer over and score on one of the A-team's strongest jammers. I was floored.

So I just want you to understand that whatever it is that gives you trouble, don't give up. Keep working and one day, you'll pass that 25 in 5, or execute a 180 knee-fall, or complete a turning toe stop. Derby is the greatest sport in the world because no matter what your background, you belong with us. If you played sports all your life, that's cool. But if you never played sports at all, that's cool too. From those who hold onto the walls to those who can crossover their first practice, derby accepts all. It's a wholly empowering sport. And I'm so happy to be a part of it.

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.

Tuesdays for Teams!

Tonight was team (B-Dazz) practice. It was interesting and diverse. Our captains have worked super hard to come up with drills that challenge all of us, since many of us are at different levels. And I'd say they were successful.

We started out with some simple drills. We did banana peel and partner weaving.

At some point, they broke us off into jammers and blockers. Guess who's a jammer! Me? Me! Rita is a jammer. They told us that we are people who will probably end up jamming for B-Dazz at some point this season. Now I know it's not a final list, as only half of the team was present at practice. BUT STILL! I'm considered a jammer. I mean I do it at scrimmages thanks to some very wise advice from my derby wife. One Devlin Syder told me before I passed assessments, "Always volunteer to jam." It makes you seem reliable to teammates. It improves your endurance. And it makes you a better blocker. And hey, maybe you'll rock at it.

Enough incredulity. We worked on some jammer starts. We ran from the jammer line to the pivot. Aside from my shoulder killing me, I did my best. Although I did come down real hard on my toe stop once and it shook my leg. Snatch kept telling me to look up so I can map the pack, and I did, but she kept telling me to. I promise I was looking up.

We did Holly Wanna CrackYa's "Bait and Switch." I did a lot of turning toe stops and kept my agility going. I'm working on doing turning toe stops at higher speeds. I'm working up to a sprint, but I am not there yet. I busted every part of my body doing one recently.

We did a lot of skrills. We did something kind of like Pick a Chick. We even did some straight scrimmaging at the end of practice, which I respect and feel we need.

Unfortunately, some ballsy crap is going on with my shoulder. My chiropractor told me that my AC joint is slipping. Apparently I injured myself sleeping. That was the start of it. Last night, I got hit. HARD. And I tried to take it easy and ice it today, but I mucked it up again tonight. And since my chiropractor's out of town, I think I'm gonna put in a call to Dr. Peters.

Oh hey, who's that jamming?

Photo: Gene Lazo

Furthermooooore, we are working on setting personal goals for this year. I have come up with my 3 goals.

1. I wanted to be less afraid of the pivot panty, including being more knowledgeable in strategy and when to employ what strategy, HOWEVER it seems that I've gotten better, UNTIL I put the pivot panty on. I don't talk when I'm wearing the stripe. So I'd like to be a go-to chick. When the plan gets fucked, I wanna be the one who's coming up with a new strategy and employing it.

2. I'm a decent blocker, but I think when I jam, I don't make the most of it. I am not a tall thin jammer like some. You're not likely to see an apex jump outta me, but I can definitely hit my way through a pack also.

3. And finally, related to #2, I would like to be better at breaking through walls as a jammer. Well, as a blocker too. I spend a lot of time lagging behind a wall, assessing its weaknesses. I would like to get better at legally breaking through walls.

Roller Girl Gift Guide

Since we're still on break from practice, here is a break from my usual posting. It's a little after the holidays, but still works for birthdays, derbyversaries, Cinco de Mayo...

This is by no means a comprehensive guide, this is based on my own personal experience and what I've observed from the roller girls around me. Also, this is mostly for Significant Others of Roller Girls (SORGs), but it applies to other relations as well.

If you really love her, two words, Rollercon tickets. Has she got those? Plane tickets to Vegas would be a great companion gift. But, if your lady can't get the time off work or whatever, here are some other ideas.


Wheels make a great gift, but there are as many kinds of wheels as they are roller girls. So what do you get her? Do you know what she skates on? If not, I know this is counter-intuitive, but open the gear bag. Can you see the skates? Can you get them out or are they tetris'd in there so tight that only she can get them out? If you can get them out, look at the wheels. Can you read the manufacturer on the wheel? It could on the outside of the wheel, or the inside near the truck. Has it worn off? Well, at least remember what color they are.

Ask the derby wife. She's a valuable resource. Do you know who her derby wife is? If you can look in her phone contacts, it'll be someone with a name like, "boom," "slam," "block," "beat"... and maybe a heart next to it. If not, look on Facebook. On whose page does she post videos of derby and new gear and rules updates? Who is the girl in the league shirt hugging your woman in all her pictures?

Ask the derby wife what kind of wheels your girl has/wants. Chances are good she's said to this individual either:
-"I love my ______, but they're going bald."
OR -"Have you heard about the ________, I'd love to try them."

"But Rita, I just bought her new wheels for Flag Day, now she needs something for her birthday/I can't read these bald-ass things and her derby wife has no clue."
If you answered number one, congrats on being the best SORG ever. If you answered number two, that's ok. If you managed to look at the skate, does she need new toe guards/duct tape? Stocking stuffer! Team colors, please.

OR there's the world of bearings. They're tricky, but every girl could use an extra set. If you girl talks about how fast her bearings are, be prepared to shell out some bucks. She's probably got ceramic. If she talks about how cheap her bearings are, or how quickly she goes through them, get her a set of Mini Logos or Bones Reds for between $20-$30. (It is important to get her 16 bearings, because they are usually sold in sets of 8, for skateboards.)

Again, did you see the skates? How do the toe stops look? They wear quickly, especially if your girl jams or does a lot of turning toe stops. The occasional roller girl skates with just a set of jam plugs. These are fairly inexpensive and she'd probably love to have a spare. If you know what kind of toe stops she has or wants (here's where the derby wife comes in), you could get her a set. But if you don't know if she's got Powerdynes or Gumballs, you might have to do a little research.

Interlude: Be sure to check with the derby wife. It would really suck for you to both buy your skater the same gift.

And what about her safety equipment? If she's doing this any length of time, she probably needs new wrist guards. Next time she washes the pads, look at the brand. Pro-Tec and Triple 8 are common types. A regular set of skate wristguards run about $15. Now if she's got something fancy -- spoon-shaped brace, only one splint, gloved guards...lay off replacing it unless she's specifically asked for something. If she's still skating with her starter elbow pads, spend the $20 to get her a new set. If the derby wife tells you that your girl girl wants the new Atom elbow pads or some 187s, go for it!

Skate tools are important! If your girl has the little silver one that came with her skates, she'd probably like an upgrade. If she doesn't have one at all, she definitely needs one. Powerdyne sells a great combination axle, kingpin, and toestop wrench and it's kind of triangular. If your girl is a little handier, the Reflex Utilitool includes a bearing tool, axle rethreader, pop-out allen wrench...hell, she could take the plates off her boots with this thing. It's like a handheld fairy godmother. (I got one of these for Christmas, I love it!) If she already has the Powerdyne or is happy with her tool, Powerdyne also has a bearing tool that would make a great addition to her skate bag.

Now if you've gotten this far and are either a) so baffled it hurts or b) so awesome you've already bought all this stuff for her -- look at her derby wardrobe. A roller girl can never have enough tights. Double points if they're league colors. Buy her booty shorts, leggings, fishnets, practice tanks, tutus, sports bras... Hell maybe even get her name (in at least 2-inch characters) and number (in at least 4-inch characters) printed on a black and white shirt. Note, if you buy her lingerie, she'll wear it on the outside of her clothing and show all her teammates.

Just remember, the best gift you can give her is your support. Anything more is just bonus. So buy tickets (and sell them to everyone you know), make signs, and cheer your own personal superhero on at the next bout!

Name

It's still super sweet to see my name on the Master Roster, and I don't think that feeling will ever go away. Sorry to my comrades whose names got lost in the red tape.

Furthermore, sorry to my loyal readers for not going to practice this am, but I felt like Uncle Fester when I woke up. Yesterday was a rough day at work.

Open skate and scrimmage tomorrow night. Promise to post afterward!