I'm a
skater for the Long Island Roller Rebels and this is my first season playing
roller derby. I'm a rookie skating for the All Stars and loving every
minute of it. It took me almost 2 years to find a team to skate for but
the last 7 months with the Roller Rebels have been an experience I will never
forget. The funny part is that derby had never even occurred to me until
I was unable to find a place to play ice hockey in the city. I looked for
a year with no luck and was on the verge of giving up my search when I stumbled
upon a group of ladies in Gotham Girls Roller Derby jackets. I had no
idea what that would mean at the time, but 2.5 yrs. later it was the start of
one of the most interesting and amazing experiences
of my life so far.
Being a roller girl can mean different things to different
people. Some might think nothing of it while others may find it to be the
coolest thing ever. Granted I may be biased since I'm a skater, but to me
being a roller girl is a liberating experience with an opportunity to have an
outlet to vent my daily frustrations in an environment that is accepted and encouraged...
So long as it is against an opposing skater of course.
My personal introduction to derby took place in March 2010.
Whip It had already been released and I know what you’re thinking,
but I had not seen it. It took less than one bout (aka game) to have me
completely hooked. I attended the season opener for the Gotham Girls and
went on a mad search for a pair of derby skates so that I could participate in
their boot camps. I have practically grown up on skates having spent 8
years figure skating and almost the same amount of time playing ice hockey, but
my first time on quads had me land flat on my face. It took a few months
to adapt to the skates. Learning how my body reacted to their
movement and taking my experience on the ice and adapting it to a sport that
had me standing on 8 wheels.
By November 2010 I thought I was ready to tryout for GGRD.
In all honesty I wasn't sure what I expected from tryouts. I had a
feeling that the skating level that GGRD was at was beyond my level at the
time, not that I couldn’t keep up but if you’ve ever seen those ladies skate
you would know exactly what I mean. I waited anxiously to find out if I
had made the first round of cuts, and waiting for the call left me on the edge
of my seat all night. When I finally got the call I couldn’t believe it.
The fact that I had made it through the first round of tryouts was
amazing and I was ready to go for the next round. I was not discouraged
when I didn’t make it to the third round as part of their freshmeat class.
Instead it left me feeling very good about myself and my skating (having
not been on skates for 4 years prior) and wanting to work that much harder to
prepare for tryouts the following November.
I spent all of 2011 finding my footing, going to bouts,
watching and learning the sport of derby. By the time tryouts rolled
around I wanted to try something new. Living in New York City left me
with a few options so I started doing some research about other leagues in the
area and found one that I thought could be a good match for me. The Long
Island Roller Rebels had their tryouts in October 2011 and I jumped at the
opportunity to try my luck at a second go with derby tryouts.
The tryout process included skating to see some skills, a
test of speed and endurance with a race against time to see if you could
complete 25 laps in 5 minutes, and some basic pack skating to see how you do
skating in tight quarters with other skaters. By the end of the night I
was exhausted but felt pretty good. When I got the call back I was
excited that I would have one more chance to see if I could make a team.
This time around the skating was a little more intense with some partner
work, some light hiring and blocking to see how you are on your feet and then
the part I feared the most.... the interview. Speaking and interviews
have never been my strong suite so I just hoped for the best, but the ladies
were so awesome that It felt less like an interview and more like a private
chat of to get to know each other. Then the wait began.
There was about a week before we were given the word as to
whether or not we'd made the cut and the wait was excruciating! I recall being at work after tryouts and where friends
and coworkers would stop by to ask if I'd heard anything yet, and feeling more
nervous with each question. Not even a pile of movies or video games were
enough to distract me as I nervously awaited that call. A week later
the call finally came and I was officially placed in the freshmeat class of 2012.
With 3 months of training and "probation" ahead of me I just
wanted to get out one the track, skate as much and as hard as I possibly could
so I could lock in a place on their B-Team, the Rock-a-Betty Bruisers.
Being a part of the Long Island Roller Rebels freshmeat class
was a learning experience all of its own. I have never been around this
many women at one time prior to joining the league so that was something I had
to get used to very quickly. The veteran skaters were very welcoming and
the coaching staff made the experience (although hell at times) awesome and
very much worth the pain and bruises. The other ladies in the freshmeat
class were also a lot of fun and it seemed like we were all making friends
through the process and helped each other when things were getting tough.
I personally would not change anything from the experience (not even the
helmet sized welt I received at one point during a practice).
Roller Derby is not just a sport it is a lifestyle. If
you decide you want to join a league it will truly change your life for the
better. Granted friends and family will most likely think you're nuts and
not want you to do it for safety or other reasons but it is something that has
greatly benefited me. Granted I no longer have that much free time since
I work a full time job during the day and have practice 2-3 nights per week
with a weekend game or scrimmage about every other weekend, but it sure as hell
beats sitting at home doing nothing and the workout is UNBELIEVABLE! I
feel bad at times when I have to bail on my boyfriend or friends because of a
derby obligation but in all honesty it is well worth it. I do get teased
for being crazy enough to actually want to be a roller girl, and am constantly
hearing "be careful, please don't get hurt!"
when I grab my skates and head for the door, but the support I have from
friends and family is overwhelming and the new family I have gained makes the
long hrs and occasional pain all worth it. I love being a roller girl and
would recommend that any female, or male (yes there is a men's derby
association out there as well), who loves to skate to look into the sport.
It is a growing sport and being a part of it will change your life.
To me being a roller girl is empowering. We are women
(and men) from all walks of life coming together in a sport that showcases true
athleticism with a unique character. Yes it may get violent at times (not
due to fighting but because derby is a full contact sport) and yes the names
may not always be family friendly, but the sport and people who work tirelessly
to keep their leagues going are worth getting to know.
So if you are in the Long Island area come check us out on
September 1 when the LIRR host the 2012 Empire Skate Showdown which will
include a full day of derby with leagues from all over New York State. If
you can't make it on Sept 1 we will have our last home game of the regular
season on October 13.
Sincerely --
Angry Penguin
