Second Bout Full of Firsts

This past weekend, I had the sheer joy of skating in my second bout. I wasn’t as anxious as I had been the first time around – though I couldn’t stop thinking about the things I didn’t know, like the strength and speed of the other team and how I personally would fare against them.

There I am about to tripod (behind the ref).

So this was both my first away game and the first against another team. These were really good firsts. The floor at the venue is so beautiful and smooth. Not as sticky as our recently re-done home floor. It felt great. Insofar as skating against another team, I didn’t have any trouble getting around them to get to the front and I never took any really hard hits so it was a confidence boost.

Most of the time, in my own recollection as well as feedback I have received from others, I did a good job of knowing where to be, getting to the front, and working with my team. I pushed their jammer out once and tripodded once. I put on a couple of decent offensive blocks to help my own jammer through and, despite frequently navigating fallen skaters, I don’t think I fell myself. I felt a little more aware of and able to respond to what other people were telling me in this game than in the last. Overall, I feel pretty good about how it went.

Of course there were some glaring errors I can’t overlook – but that’s what we do, right? Scrutinize ourselves to the point that our victories don’t even matter?  Well, twice I lost their jammer and let her by without the slightest challenge or even a glance. The second time that happened, my whole team did it and I have no idea what we were paying attention to. This is one of the moments I will be looking for in the video. I also chased the jammer down a few times and did nothing with it – I don’t know if it was the fear of being out of play, the coach saying not to go for big hits, or if I am just in my head too much about the challenges I have hitting people.

My biggest error, representing two more firsts, came when I was given the chance to jam (first time in a bout) and promptly got called on a track cut (first trip to the box). I had just pushed my way through, had taken one or two free steps and was hit to the inside, unable to control my balance or momentum before I slipped back over the boundary. We had just achieved a big enough lead to give our coach the confidence to start rotating in the new girls with more frequency and I give them a power jam. Beautiful.

Being called on my track cut. So disappointing.

It really bummed me out. I mean, I don’t consider myself a jammer but, when I am called upon to do it, I want to be effective – or, at very least, not squander our lead. Fortunately, we went on to win the game 212 -158 or I would probably still be upset about it. So proud of my team of half vets and half newbies, especially of the vets who played about twice as much as the rest of us – get on with your bad ass stamina, ladies!

After the bout, we joined some teammates at the nearby Steak & Shake, opting out of the afterparty. I am so glad I went.  They asked how I was feeling following my first competitive bout. As soon as I started expressing my disappointment in myself, especially with regard to my turn at jamming, I was overwhelmed by an instant and unexpected outpouring of love and praise for things I do well. Some things they mentioned I hadn’t noticed myself (and surely hadn’t expected anyone else to notice) or would never claim to do well so it was really nice to hear.  What made me happiest was when they all agreed that they didn’t consider me a new girl anymore – marking another first. It was the first time in my derby life that something good happened before I thought it would.

Other Things Derby Girls Do

At our last bout, I took a turn at selling raffle tickets. I absolutely love schmoozing with people and doing raffle gives you an excuse to do just that while wearing a fun outfit and still being able to keep tabs on the game. It’s a win-win-win situation!

In the front row, I noticed a WWII Veteran and his wife.  Roller derby really does draw people from every walk of life but this gentleman looked as though his condition might keep him from getting out much so it was particularly special to me that he chose to spend his time with us. Taking a cue from my dad’s playbook, I walked over to shake his hand and thank him for his service.  His wife smiled at me broadly but he didn’t hear a word I said. I tried again, a couple times, getting closer to his ear and speaking louder. Not only did he still not hear me but, I realized once I stepped back, I had pretty much just put my boobs in his face concealed only by a flimsy tank that provided a better view the more I bent over…awkward!  It was at this point, though, he sprung to life and told me the story of how he met his wife and how it was hard to leave her when he had to go overseas and how they were celebrating their 67th wedding anniversary. Then, he bragged that she had only been 17 when they were married and I replied that it was probably important to get her before she knew any better…he understood that! He smiled a little mischievously and laughed as she totally agreed and threatened lovingly that it wasn’t too late to trade him in.

I also had fun with a family of first-time spectators. It was very clear that none of them knew what was going on but that the dad was a huge sports fan. I could actually see the pain on his face as he tried to make sense of what he was watching and so I stopped to ask if he needed some help.  He enthusiastically accepted my offer and gave me his full attention  as I ran through a cursory, high-level explanation.  I stopped when I noticed his puzzled expression and he asked me, “but where’s the ball?” I tried not to laugh, wondering if the strain I saw on his face earlier was because he was searching for a ball! I explained again, this time incorporating references from other sports, and this really worked for him. He was able to articulate his questions now and  he was totally baffled by why the pack would step away and let the jammer go (I never thought about how odd that must look to a newbie). Once I satisfied his questions, he bought $20 in raffle tickets from me – hooray! During the second game, I saw that family sitting closer to the track with dad leaning in like he must do in front of the tv at home. I think we’ve got a new fan…