Round 2... ding ding!

Has it been three months already? Apparently so as our next freshie class began their amazing derby adventure last night. I still remember my first day vividly (no, I didn't read my first post to refresh my memory) - being late because I got wrapped up watching Lost; the 45 minutes of off-skates plyo that kicked my butt soundly; falling down and not being able to get up again.

I saw myself in some of those freshies. I saw the frustration at not being "better". I saw the nervousness. I saw the determination. I saw the desire to consume every piece of derby information they could get their minds on. It was awesome and definitely put a lot of things in perspective.

There were four of us skating last night that have not passed our level 1 assessments yet. We were asked to participate with the freshie classes rather than skate with the league. At first it might seem like a step back. Yes, I know how to plow stop, T-stop, knee-slide, etc. It never hurts to practice more in a controlled, observed environment though.

I have to say that skating with the freshies helped put what progress I've made in perspective. Three months is not a long time in the grand scheme of things. Three months ago I was where they are now, only knowing about derby what I'd managed to voraciously read.

I executed my slides (*LOVE* the new kneepads) and toe-stops with ease. Ease that I did not have three months ago. We did a very slow paceline drill. I used sticky skates the entire time. Three months ago I didn't know what sticky skating was. I tried to give encouragement to the girls who were falling. Three months ago I fell and couldn't get off the floor - even with Hazel and Bettie helping.

I heard that our attendance person tracked 70 people for attendance last night. Ho. Lee. Crap. There were 16 new girls last night - enough to make their own team! As was with the case with my class, the infusion of fresh meat (pun intended) really energized everyone from old stinky meat to slightly less than fresh meat. It was wonderful to see!

Going at a slower pace in drills also allowed me to concentrate more on what the heck is going on with my feet. I noticed during the pace line drill that I have to apply quite a bit of force to my skates to get the trucks to turn. Because my skates are so big on my feet my feet were actually pronating in my skates (tipping to the inside) and getting stuck that way.

I tried to shake my foot out while skating so it would shift back into proper position and when I stepped back down my wheels became totally tangled. I took a big header into the middle of the track right on my shoulder. I think I turtled up appropriately but the act of turtling jammed my right shoulder into my jaw making me see stars and giving me a sore neck today.

EDIT Hazel reminded me about a sentence I was going to write and spaced it. I plan to loosen up my trucks another 1/4 turn at open skate this weekend. It'll be an interesting experience getting the new skates adjusted when they arrive! /EDIT

I'm trying not to let the poorly fitting skates be an excuse for crappy performance but I can't WAIT to get my new ones. If the gentleman from Riedell had his lead times straight I'll hopefully be getting a call from Dee at the Bruised Boutique during the latter half of next week. SQUEE!

This Saturday is the NHRD season kick-off party at Penuche's in Nashua. I will be there from at least 3-9, maybe later depending on how I feel. I hope the day is BEAUTIFUL! I'm making a HUGE sign out of some cardboard that Kenya gave me and will be camped out on Main and Canal waving at people in my derby gear.

I hope to see you there and at our home season opener bout on 4/24 at 6pm. It's the Skate Free or Die! All-Stars vs. the Ironbound Maidens of Garden State and the Queen City Cherry Bombs vs. the Petticoat Punishers of Central Mass.