Ro-lloller De-berby

A new sport has entered our house - Roller Derby.  My housemate took it up in the middle of last year, I watched a couple of bouts (games), and now I find myself on my third session of learning to skate.  For those that don't know of roller derby it's kind of a cross between skating races and the gauntlet on Gladiators.  Two teams are on the track at once, each with a 'jammer' and four 'blockers.  Points are gained by the jammer completing as many laps as possible within two minutes, but to do so they have to fight their way through the four blockers of the opposing team.

I just can't seem to stop drawing skaters

I'm not really a fan of sport. At all.  But for some reason I really like watching this game.  Part of it's the quick pace and the atmosphere of theatre and entertainment that's created around it (there's usually music playing during the game, live commentary, and the skaters have their own larger-than-life personas on track), but a lot of it is to do with the girls themselves...



Roller derby is a female only sport, so the diversity in character and also in body type in the teams is huge but everyone's contribution is valuable and unique.  That tiny, twig-like girl you'd think would get flattened?  Turns out she's whip fast and great at darting between blockers.  That tall lanky creature?  She's got a turn of speed on her no one saw coming.  That chunky girl you wouldn't look twice at in a sports team?  When it comes to blocking she's solid as a rock and will bounce you off the track before you know what's hit you.  Seriously, I have never seen anyone use their ass as a weapon before.  On a derby track, all painted up and knocking each other flying, everyone is magnificent.

It is also a very ...pushy sport, which is really novel because physicality and contact sports like this aren't often encouraged for women.  However, despite all the barging, all the girls I've met so far have been really welcoming and friendly.  Men can only take part as referees, and there's something really gracious about seeing the guys happily take a supporting role for the ladies, just as women have done for men for ages.  They're really appreciated for it, not sidelined at all, which is as it should be.

I've joined a newbie class, learning to skate from scratch, and honestly it's been the most horrendous workout of my life.  Two hours on a Sunday morning.  TWO HOURS.  I've not done any organised sport since high school, and I despise the gym.  I definitely feel like I've earned my aches the next day, which is good as there are a lot of them!  I've already learned a few things though:

• My general fitness isn't as terrible as I expected, but my stamina sucks.  Part of this is just that these muscles haven't previously been used very often and so IT ALL HURTS!  The other part is that, not being a sportsperson, I haven't developed the mental fortitude to push myself through pain, so when I start to ache I'm inclined to have a quick rest rather than push on.  It's better in drills when there's someone yelling at me and all the newbies are struggling on together.
• Falling is fun!  With all these pads on, crashing onto your knees and elbows doesn't hurt a bit.  In addition, the attitude to falling is really positive and encouraging.  Instead of being a mark of failure, a safe and well-executed fall is counted as good skating.  People will actually say "Good fall!" to you as they pass!
• Apparently I have no lower back muscles at all!  If something's going to hurt enough to drive me off the track, it won't be my ass or legs, but my back.  I did know about this already from hiking, so skating may be a good way to work on it.  A quick stretch is usually all it takes to get back on the track.
• I like to go fast :)  As fast as a newbie can go anyway.  I know a lot of this game will be about pushing and shoving and being up close to other people, but for now my favourite thing is when I have a clear track ahead of me, can get a little speed going, and swoosh!  I like a breeze.

Like I say, I've only been learning for a couple of sessions and I don't know how far I'll be able to take this due to the commitment of time and money it would require, but for now I'm being taught to roller skate by some pretty awesome ladies and if I do eventually have to stop I'm definitely going to remain an enthusiastic spectator.