Back to Skates!

After four weeks of hobbling around everywhere recovering from a broken toe, this week I finally got back on all eight wheels again.

Coming back from any longer stint off the track, there's going to be a little adjustment period, so I was planning to take it easy on my first day back and make sure my foot was properly working again.

But naturally the gods of derby saw fit to throw me in at the deep end...

I've not been able to skate (or indeed walk) for the past 4 weeks, not skated on the slippery floor of Parklands for 6 weeks -only the gummy floor of the grammar school- and due to my time out I missed all of our newbie lessons on blocking.  So what were the drills on for my first week back?

Blocking.  On the Parklands floor.  With the advanced skaters.

Oooooh dear...

We were doing Fat Controllers  This is where the blockers are in a wall and one flips round to face backwards, put their toe-stops to the floor, locks their elbows, and allows themselves to slide backwards.  This lets them brace the defence of the other blockers, making it harder for the jammer to push through the wall, and also lets them see the jammer clearly and relay info to their team-mates.  Getting in and out of the fat controller position means transitioning and then transitioning back again to reform the wall and block, quickly, repeatedly, in close proximity to your team mates,

When the coach said "...but you've all done this before." I stuck my hand up.
"I haven't."
"Aw, yes you have."
"No no, I really haven't."
"...Oh."
But once I'd explained where I was at they were all super nice about it.  One of the advanced skaters took me aside to give me a (literal!) five minute crash course on blocking position and proper use of your toe stops, and my team made allowances for me, while still challenging me with things to improve on.  It was very much learning on the job, but I don't mind getting something wrong as long as I get a tip out of it.  So on that note:

Things I have learned:

• When blocking, rely on your hip rather than your shoulder to form the wall.  
• Ditto when bumping someone.  Hip first, shoulder for backup.  Step into your blocks
• Similar when jamming.  Lead with the hip, it'll make you more stable if you miss or get repelled.
• Get yo' arms outta the way, woman!  I tend to tuck my elbows into my side, but in a wall this creates a gap.  Keep arms forward, and out of the way.  When jamming, hold them back and lead with the hip and chest
• You are never low enough!  You can always get lower.
• In Fat Controller, lock your elbows.  You don't always have to put both toe stops down if it means stopping the wall and losing your stance.  Just one is fine.

Overall it was good, and I was SO happy to be back on skates.  I do need some more practise on the slipperier floor, as it wasn't helping my balance or confidence any.  I fell a lot, just from mis-balancing.  My transitions were doable but messy, and my ploughs were downright awful (although laterals and crossovers were suddenly a complete joy!).  We did an Australian (backwards skating race) and I fell three times before finding my balance going backwards, and then performed a very satisfactory reverse lap.  Like I said, re-adjustment.  Give me a session or two on that floor and I'll be back on track :)

I was talking to Fran, who'd started skating from scratch like me but also had to miss a few weeks due to work and had also come back rusty, and Kirsty, who's a natural agile athlete but had also been away on holiday for a few weeks.  We were comparing notes on how it felt to be back, and despite our varying abilities we all agreed on one thing- there's no point comparing yourself with other skaters, or having expectations of where you ought to be.  Everyone's derby journey is their own, and everyone's looks different from everyone else's.  We all start in different places, from different backgrounds, all facing different obstacles, we'll go through different life stages and different events in our own time, and improve at out own pace.

It's good to be back.