First Schrimmage

Photos by: Mr Ego, AKA Jason Santti :D



The best way to learn how to play is to PLAY!

I really had no idea what to expect coming into this Derby world, a true rookie to the sport, the only knowledge I had was based off of the few times I had caught glimpses of the vets playing the game why the fresh meat practiced. Roller derby involves one part aggressive combat, one part speed/agility skating and one part spectacle. It’s better than any other sport I have ever played, honestly the last team sport I played was in “World of Warcraft” PVP arena… Melancholy I know. Derby is it’s a subculture, influenced by a do-it-yourself punk and a fierce sense of femininity. To me the "skatepunk" look is more the Cyndi Lauper, Sex Pistols and Billy Idol type that I dreamed of dressing like when I was a teenager in the 80’s. I still remember my mom refusing me to wear anything that crossed the line of being an individual.

And I’m off topic again… I’m trying to talk about last night’s derby scrimmage. Our first time in a pack play playing the game I was the Jammer, and Travis or as they call him “Mr. Gyro” was watching so I was hyped up and excited beyond butterfly’s, I had so much hyper trapped into my little body that I used it to lap the pack like 5 times and I retained lead jammer! If it was a real game I imagine that I would be on the shoulders of the girls cheering and singing my praises because I am the point scorning bad ass jammer queen of the world!!

Way off topic…. And into daydream land…

I’m not going to lie and say I haven’t been scared, at times. But the idea of challenging myself to improve physically and mentally is there burning inside to make a stronger girl. I never know what will be in store for me or my ass, and I’m constantly looking like a douche when I can’t stop and roll into other girls, or feeling like my back will literally explode if I have to squat for one more second. All that aside, when practice is over, all my mind does is pace about the million little things I learned and the thousands more to come. Being new, the information is endless, which can be taken in two ways–as chaos or opportunity–and I’m going with the latter. Every practice I’m surrounded by a great group of ladies laying their hearts on the track and if that’s not inspiring, I don’t know what is. Derby is rowdy and passionate, it makes you feel alive.

Smell Bad Girl

my Subconscious is evil, just downright Malicious, it told me that I needed hummus, feta cheese and olives stuffed with garlic cloves today for lunch... so I diligently obeyed went to the store... halfway through my yummy lunch I remembered I have Derby practice tonight...

Pride Parade

The weather couldn’t have been better for yesterday’s Pride Parade. It was wicked awesome fun skating with the Red Rocketts we all had so much fun. The crowd of people watching got to see us skating around in circles, playfully checking each other, screaming, and periodically laying 3 girls down and skate jumping over them, girls were packing up and sprinting down the street as fast as we could in our outdoor wheels. I enjoyed slapping the hands of young fans and people watching. Over recent years there has become a change for community groups to express themselves, be creative and be involved with something wonderful. How could we not get involved in supporting our community and our rights to be who we want to be? Not to mention I think that parades seem to have been designed with skaters in mind.

Next time I will make sure we have a car at the end of the parade route to pick us up, because we had to walk all the way back (grin)