Skills and Evals 1

*This is labeled as "1" because as I continue in derby there will be a whole HELL of a lot more than just one skill and evaluation days.*

Sorry this is late, I was going to sit down yesterday to type out what happened Thursday to find out that a guy I went to school with was killed. After the news I kind of lost the momentum to write for a small bit, but I am back. Rest In Peace: Steffon M.

Thursday we had a guest Derby girl, a real life Derby girl. I know that I am a derby girl, but this is one who has been skating for a few years and on an actual league team!! She rolls with the BRRG in the big town in this area. I'm not going to mention her name, b/c I have no idea how she would feel about that. But for now she will referenced to as T.N. So, she came up to help with our evaluations to see what level we skate at. You should have seen our girls. We were all so nervous to be around her. This is a person that can skate 31/32 laps in five minutes. That is a little more that twice what I can skate! It was great having her there to help out. T.N. is a really cool person though, she also brought her daughter who just happens to be joining our Jr. Roller Derby team that started today. The world is just so full of derby, it is awesome!

The original plan was to warm up then everyone would be called up for their evaluation and then once those are done with a single person on the track then everyone would do the 25 laps in 5 minutes. I decided that I was going to refrain from the testing. I know that there are several skills I can't do yet, even for level one. I didn't need to know that I was below level one, or how far. I know what I need to work on. And most of those things I work on outside of derby on my own, but just don't feel like doing them with the girls yet. I haven't tried most of the blocks or hits yet, and falling I am just now starting to do. Next month I will try to see how I do though. I promise.

I was thinking about helping the league in maybe another way for a bit. But I don't want to limit myself and become like a permanent towel girl or something. We have to have Referees and NSOs. NSO is a non skating official. I doubt I could be a ref, they have to skate more than a derby girl, and I am not even ready to be a derby girl for a bout. I think I could be a NSO though. I wonder  if I could train with the girls where I feel comfortable, still be able to advance and still do something else to help the league. I know that there will be a while before I am bout ready, but I am not sure if this is the right move for me. I don't want it to seem like I am giving up on learning the on skates portion, because I am not. I just wonder if I can help the team out in a way better than I do now. I have a lot to think about for this. Can I be a NSO without loosing my derby skating self? Would I benefit in anyway from taking on another role? I already am the league secretary and have a lot of responsibilities. I guess I will think about this for a little while before I act on it in either way.

Tomorrow I will be missing practice to spend some time with my boyfriend. He has to leave for some Army training and I need to spend some time with him. I feel bad for missing a practice, but I let the girls know and they are okay with it. The good thing is everyone has a life outside of derby, and luckily they understand that this is important to me.

I will leave you with an awesome new saying: LATER SKATER :)

~ <3 Kiss My Blarney