Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Roller Derby = other love.... well and volleyball :)

Sorry for the little hiatus.  I've been spending my extra time skating and practicing for Roller Derby.  As we had skills test on Sunday.  I love trying new things, I love being active, and I love meeting new people.  When a co-worker told me that she was joining the Ann Arbor Derby Dimes (A2D2) team.  I decided to give it a whirl as well.  Boot camp is finally done. (well for this time)

I figured I used to roller blade a lot, I'll be just fine.  WRONG.  I'm horrible on roller skates.  But don't think I was the only one.  When you’re a beginner you’re called "fresh" meat.  Most of the fresh meat had not skated sense we were little girls.  I have fallen in love with my derby sisters.  Everyone is different.  Some are young (yes you Erin) so are mom age, some are my age and some are grandmas. Doctors, professors, stay at home moms, hair stylists, servers, social workers and etc.  Everyone is different, but everyone is GREAT.  Everyone is so nice, supportive and trying something new out as well.  Powerful ladies. 

12 weeks of boot camp have been completed and part one of skills test.  Endurance test is in a few hours. (update.  I just failed endurance by a quarter of a lap, but don't worry I was not even tired. I was trying to not cut people who were in my group off.... and Honesty;  Now I'm just pissed.  A quarter of a lap.  *insert scream*) 

Most fresh and vet meat have been extremely nervous for the skills test.  The first bout is May 1, and you have past skills test to compete.  If you don’t pass skills test, you have to re do boot camp.  The next boot camp will start in Sept.  If I were to pass skills test, it would be a great experience and a lot of fun to skate in the May bouts.  However, I would have to re-skills practically days after getting back from biking across country.  I honestly didn’t get nervous until the morning of skills.  I knew that even if I passed sills now, I would most likely have to re-do boot camp in Sept.  

So. How did skills go?  I don't know if I passed or not. I don't think I did.  I skated HORRIBLE.  Honestly, HORRIBLE.  I'm not going to say I'm a great skater on a normal day, but usually better than I skated on Sunday.  The whole time I kept thinking, if I pass skills am I going to get injured in the month of May and not be able to bike across country?  The whole time...infact I started crying because I was so confused at one point.  

I love roller derby, and I love the dimes.  But I have amazing opportunity that I will be taking part in this summer. I'm so lucky to have this opportunity.  I know that god is choosing my path. If I don't pass its because I didn’t give it 100%.  I went there to give it 100%, but I don't think I had thought it through until sitting on the ground waiting for it to be my time to skate and then I was a complete disaster.  I can't get upset at myself.  Thats prolly how it as supposed to happened.  I'm going to endurance testing right now. I'll give it 120%, but it may not be enough.  It makes me want to not go...knowing that even if I do my best, it may not be enough.  But......I'm not a quitter.

I'm prepared to hear I’ll be doing boot camp again in September There are positives and negatives to both passing and failing skills.  I need to focus on the positives.  :)  

I'm not a quitter.  This reminds of me when I didn’t pass bike school at the police dept the first time.  The biker of the bike school group.  FAILED.  I couldn’t bike in a circle inside a parking spot to save my life.  I just fell, fell, fell and fell more.  I had so many blue, purple and green bruises.  I kept trying, and falling. Then it came to stairs.  Don't worry I fell more.  The next summer I re did bike school.  By no means did I get perfect score. I was scared to death of falling, but don't worry I passed and with little bruises.  Sometimes you just need a little more time. At first, I wanted to cry every time I seen my co-workers names on bike and mine on foot or paddy wagon.  But it ended up being a GREAT summer.  Everything happens for a reason.  I learned so much that summer.  If I would of quit because I couldn’t face that I had to work on something, there’s no way I would be who I'm today.

So... I'm not selling my skates Just remembering everything happens for a reason.  :)

A2D2= Love