SERIOUS LEE

"If a rose by any other name could smell as sweet"
Again as I titled one of my first posts, What's in a name?  I feel the need to explain my name.

At first I imagined my derby name to be fierce and bold and vicious... in the three months I have been involved in derby, my choice of derby name has evolved into something I believe will be 'ep mlalic'... seriously! Haha. Truth be known, I am 100% certain (after a ridiculous amount of contemplation) that the name I registered is absolutely, without any doubt, the right name for me. The funny thing is the reactions I've got from telling people what my name is. They are all completely different. . .

First of all, thank you Malady for approving the name with enthusiasm. I got plenty of mixed feedback when I introduced myself as Serious Lee, sometimes just Serious. The first time I met Buster, he has the most perplexed look on his face when I introduced myself as Serious Lee. I also actually had people ask.... "Seriously?", and I love it. I have also had a tremendous amount of support and reassurance that I'm not completely off my rocker, one being Malady, and other skaters/friends/family, who I respect. They love it too! Support goes a LONG way. Thank you!! I've found my name is also a conversation piece... tonight after the scrimmage for instance, as soon as I brought up the "Buster incident", everyone joined in and started talking about my name. Turns out people get confused and think the ref's are saying "seriously".... Oops, but how I love that it makes me interesting!

It also suits me better than anything else I could ever imagine. It shows almost every facet of my personality if you look hard enough. The obvious is that I'm serious, which I talked about in my last post, but there are several underlying connections. It shows my creative side... I could have been Terrible Trina, that would have been acceptable, but I chose to be a little more creative. It also shows my intelligent side... I put a lot of thought into the whole process, and I believe it shows. It also shows my Witty side... which I have to admit is a bit scarce, yet it's there, and when I use it, it seems to work. And for the people that really know me, it shows my passionate side.... Yes I'm serious, but when I'm serious, I'm serious... not just serious, but SERIOUS. I am scared to admit that I love roller derby more than other things I should love more, I think you get the picture.

I can say one thing... I am still, after 3 months of owning it, I'm still loving the name Serious Lee. I truly believe I always will. No matter how many "Buster's" I come across!

Roller Skates Are Comlplicated! I Wasn't Prepared!!

The first three or four freshmeat practices I was forced to use the gear and skates that RDRDA provided. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for the access to the used gear, but honestly speaking... the skates really fucking sucked! If I had bigger feet, I could have used better skates, but being a size 4 skate, my options were limited. I ended up using the skates that were made around 1982! asically the problem was that the wheels were horrible. Here's a picture.

I am still wondering how I learned to skate in these!

Buying my first set of skates was really exciting! i knew they were the cheapest modern skates that I could get brand new, but I didn't realise that eventually I'd have to replace every part but the boot... at quite the cost too. When Teri Fying told me I should buy expensive skates right away, well... I should have listened. Here are my very first roller skates.

When I got these skates i was literally on cloud nine! As far as I knew they were the best skates in the world. Little did I know that they were not... but I don't care! I enjoyed the whole experience. I realised quickly that my wheels were too wide and my trucks were not quite right (the permanent piece between the wheels  is also too wide). While I was grateful to have new and better skates than I started with, it wasn't good enough. I still didn't seem to have the agility the other girls had, despite my skill level. I decided that new wheels were the answer.

As I was planning and asking around Teri Fying gave me some great gear advice. She suggested I upgrade my cushions! Cushions (pictured below they are the blue plasticy pieces in the trucks) do just that! They cushion the shock and allow a slight or not-so-slight movement. Now my wheels have shock absorbency and they steer themselves!

Now, here is the whole operation.... as you can see there are a lot of pieces to keep track of... Although it took me 3 hours or so to do everything involved, I managed.

1. Remove old wheels
2. Remove bearings from wheels
3. Remove trucks
4. Remove cushions
5. Clean all parts (bearings, trucks, and rest of skate)
6. Oil bearings
7. Put bearings in wheels
8. Attach new cushions and trucks
9. Attach new wheels
10. Adjust wheels
11. Adjust cushions
12. Try them out!

It was quite an ordeal, only because it was my first time. I'd never even seen it done before! Just winged it. A how-to video might have been helpful. I must say, looking at the finished product.... I did a good job. It'll be faster and easier next time I have to replace parts.

The first time I tried them out on the track, I felt like I was wobbling all over the place... I had NO control over if I veered this way or that way. Scourge Her helped me get the wheel and cushion tightness just right (I think), after a little (lot) of trial and error. Either way, it just keeps getting better every time.

25 Things About Derby

Thank you Ali for the idea to re post this!

25 Things roller Derby has Taught Me!! Thank you to those tagged for being an inspiration :)

by Trina Serious Lee Grenier

Rules:Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals that roller derby has added to your life. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about what derby means to you.(To do this, go to "notes" under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)

25. Sometimes I forget what I'm wearing after practise and go to the store anyway
24. I like bootie shorts.. no, I love them!
23. I've been in roller derby for about 3 months and I'm still learning the rules!
22. I'm getting used to 80's music again... and stating to like it!
21. Panties = the helmet covers that the pivots and jammers wear
20. I started hip checking my friends... and I didn't even realise I did it!
19. I can blog about derby, then my friends and family aren't annoyed
18. My body doesn't bruise as easy as I thought it was going to.. bonus!
17. I'm not as fast as I thought I was either, but I'm working on it
16. Drills are actually really fun most of the time
15. I really look forward to any day that I get to skate! And waiting is really hard
14. I love making tank tops and tees with my derby name on it! my new craft I think.
13. I'm a good skater, but not so good at the game... I need to get on the team so I can learn and get better!
12. I looked like a tool in the first pics i saw of myself in a game. I laughed... hard!
11. I think I prefer my derby name and would like everyone to just call me "Serious" from now on. Haha
10. There is no such thing as too much exercise
9. I've learned how to take my skates apart and replace all the parts by myself... now to figure out what gear is best!
8. I've learned to drink lots of WATER!!
7. My first rookie bout was amazing and I will never forget it!
6. I am training to try out to play for Team Canada one day like Taz and Gertie
5. I found out who out of my friends and family truly love me and are there for me
4. I feel like i am part of a family when i go to derby and everyone has their role
3. I continue to meet quality people, who like to have fun through derby, who most of will be lifelong friends, I hope
2. Roller derby has already changed my whole life
1. I am allowed to be myself.

My Posts Seem To Be Missing Something... All Fixed!

I've noticed that hardly any of my posts have anything other than words... I figure that that's no fun! I'm gonna try my best to start adding pics and other media to my posts so it's not so BORING!! I personally like reading posts that have a little added pizazz, weather it be pictures, diagrams, or even a link to a website. That would be much more exciting than just words. I'll start here, now.

This is a link to the promo for the Skate and Destroy boot camp that was held here in Red Deer.
http://centralalbertatv.net/media/184/A_Roller_Derby_weekend_in_Red_Deer/

This is the link to the co-ed bout at the same bootcamp.
http://centralalbertatv.net/media/188/RDRDA_Roller_Derby_Coed_Bout_Opening/
There are 5 parts to this game. They should be available on the right hand side of the website under 'Related Media'.

The boot camp also made The Red Deer Advocate (Local newspaper).

Here are some picks of me in my first rookie bout looking pretty fucking useless!! I'll have to fix that for my next game. All pictures are courtesy of two amazing photographers, Anthony Canada and Richard Lowes. Thank you both for catching me looking like a tool! I promise not to next time.

At least I'm doing something productive in one of the pictures!! Hahahahaha... I'm sure I'm not the only person reading that thinks these pictures are hilarious. Funny thing is... it was my first game, so I'm very proud of them anyway!

OK. Did my part for media about the boot camp. There will definitely be more posts with media and links in the future to make reading my bog more exciting. I hope you all enjoy it even without all the bling though. I kind of think that a blog should just be words because of its purpose, but I'm willing to change with the times!! Cheers readers. Hope you like the changes.

My Plan Is Working!

I'm not sure if I have mentioned this yet, but I am training to be an Olympian. This is the first year they are accepting Roller Derby into the Olympic Games! Not only have I discovered that I love roller derby as a hobby, but I also have an attainable, respectable long term goal. it just makes me more determined to get as good as I know I can get at this! If I want to, I know without a doubt that I can make the Olympic team like Taz and Gertie from RDRDA did! I'm so proud to say that two amazing Jammers from Red Deer, Alberta are going to be on Team Canada for roller derby! So exciting. if I had more money i would go to Ontario and watch!!

I've been training since the middle of August, 2011. So, I've been to 8 practices and a free skate, and I'm ready to benchmark now. After the 5 or 6 hours of boot camp on Saturday I will hopefully also be ready for my first game. I think that I accomplished the first goal quickly, so I'm feeling very optimistic about my future in roller derby... VERY optimistic. I'm really not trying to brag or be 'holier than thou', I just know I'm a natural and my passion for it is simply overwhelming.

This is the beginning of a lifelong journey for me. I'm a little disappointed that it had to start when i was 33 (Oh how I long to be Scourge Her, Because she's going to be an icon once she is on the adult team if she keeps going at it the way she's going at it). the main thing is that I'm doing it, REALLY doing it!

I'm slowly making lifestyle changes that will support my new-found love for extreme athletics. I have to quit smoking (YUCK! - It's #1 on my priority list), drink less, stretch EVERY DAY, drink more water, eat more, and exercises at least three times a week for 2 hours (weather I have Derby or not). It's going to be a slow process because I'm not used to taking care of myself, but luckily I'm equipped with knowledge about my body from my pain group, a great "derby girl" support system (they are all there to help), 3 supportive kids who love the fact that I roller derby and it makes me happy, and friend that support what I am trying to accomplish.

The people responsible for my entrance into derby are Sean and Mortu. Sean introduced me to Mortu, and Mortu SET ME UP!!! She really set me up. My actual life, as Trina Grenier, isn't really rainbows and unicorns right now, so I am very grateful that I have an alternate life, as Serious Lee, that keeps me wanting to live my life as Trina Grenier. I'm in your debt forever!

Freshmeat Farewell

Information night was a complete success. Thank you to everyone involved for putting it together. great job, AS ALWAYS! There were 20 ladies signed up for regular freshmeat classes by the end of the night. Roller derby is BOOMING! It's so exciting! Now, if we could get the spectator interest in line (that's another post altogether), the rest would fall into place. Pretty soon roller derby is going to be as mainstream as hockey.

For any of you following my blog, you may have read about my battle with choosing derby clothing. Well... I think you will all get a good laugh knowing that I was the one wearing the bootie shorts tonight... and I loved every second of it! I'm starting to feel pretty comfortable in my 'fancy' derby wear. The choice of clothing for a free skate ranged from jeans, to shorts, to yoga pants, to tights and skirts, to bootie shorts. I felt good knowing I contributed a little to showing the freshies what happens to you in a few months if you want it bad enough. Yes, the outfit has a lot to do with the transformation.

I really want to say thank you to Unchained Malady for helping sort through everything derby! I love you lots! Next I gotta get me a derby wife! Goodbye Freshmeat.. Hello Nightshades!

Skate And Destroy Indeed!

I passed my benchmarks!! I still have to write the test... but I know I can do it. At first I was nervous when the time came to display my skills, while someone was watching my every move, but after I got going I just focused and the nerves went away. I messed up a few times, but all in all I felt really good about what I was accomplishing when it counted. I also made 26 and a half laps! I only needed 25, so I was really proud of myself. I had a killer cramp in my left hip for the last half of my laps, but I pushed through it and did what I set out to do. Yay me!

Passing my benchmarks allowed me to play in my first rookie bout ever! I thought I was nervous for benchmarking.... not even close to how nervous I was for my first game... especially my first jam. I was still a bit unsure of all the rules. I had a hard time remembering everything I had learned and read when I was out there in the middle of the action. The skating part was no problem... the game play was the tough part. Knowing about strategy and the rules is really important in this game. I'm sorry team, all the information I had flew out of my head when the whistle blew. I got 4 penalties! I'm not even sure what some of them were for. The first one was a false start and the last one was for cutting the track. I'll do better next time.

Luckily, the other jammers on my team were exceptional for rookies. We also had some really great blockers to boss us around. And the coaches, Razor and Hollywood, were fantastic. I couldn't have asked for better coaches. Props ladies!! So, my team won our game. Anybody remember what the score was?

I learned a lot about myself during that game. I learned that I may not be the awesome jammer I thought I was going to be. I'm not saying i can't be a jammer, I'm definitely going to keep working on it, but in the meantime, I think I'll make a fine blocker. I even landed a few solid hits while blocking. Yes, I really did. i also received a few solid hits as a jammer. I also seem to be pretty good at being aware of whats going on all around me. I surprised myself a little with that. it's funny how sometimes you misjudge yourself.

Yes, it hurt, and yes, I have bruises. Other than the pain when I lay on my left hip from my huge bruise and the fact that my my thighs hurt like you wouldn't believe... I feel great! I wouldn't change any of it!

I have to throw a big shout out to the team from RDRDA and other helpers who made Operation Skate And Destroy a major success! You guys were all great. I just tried to list all the people who I know made this boot camp so awesome, but there is no way I can. Almost everyone involved with RDRDA helped out in one way or another. I'm so proud to say that I belong to such an awesome team!

Skate And Destroy Boot camp - Oct 22 and 23, 2011. My first bout!

I Almost Went Crazy Until I Focused! After All, I Am Serious!

I have learned that penalty and penalty enforcement has a lot of confusing stipulations...I'm not hopeless about understanding, It's just taking a lot more effort than I have time for...

Blogging is a lot easier than studying at work... I really do still do my job (really well too). The more I read the more I remember and understand, but, WOWEE!!! I'm very overwhelmed right now about this test in two days...  Two days that I am either working or dedicating to skating, or helping set up, or taking care of my children... Luckily I have wonderful people in my life who are able and willing to babysit (kinda) my kids for free. I owe them a lot when I get my shit together!!

I asked myself when will I have time for this?       .    .    .   Well, i can study a bit at work, but it's hard for me to really soak in the information with so many distractions. I can study between work and derby for the next two days. I can study after derby if I'm not too tired. I can study while I have downtime at the boot camp on Saturday. I can also study Sunday morning right before the test.    .   .   . Is that going to be enough time to learn what I need to learn to pass the test (80% is a passing mark, and 43 pages to read all together) Last night I decided that instead of trying to keep studying longer tonight, I'd get up a little earlier than usual and get an hour or so of studying in before work.

So, back to memorizing the difference between major, minor, etc and what all the penalties are. Skimming through the pages of important information, I panicked... almost lost my senses, but i didn't. Instead I focused....as I was monotonously reading, I began to make a little more sense out of every sentence I read. I think that was the only thing keeping me motivated to stay focused. Luckily it's not as much memorization as it seemed to be. A lot of it is just common sense. If you get the point of the rules being in place, it's not hard to rationalize to get the right answer. There are only a few sections of penalties that i have to re read because they don't make enough sense.

I feel pretty confident, for now, that it was a good idea. i feel like I actually learned a lot. Now I feel able to manage the task at hand, without any doubt. I'm holding myself to those words too. I don't think I've ever wanted something so bad that just good enough is not an option. I'm gonna kick the shit out of everything I am asked to do. I'm pretty sure that if i just keep reading and re reading everything I don't understand... I will do great! Yes, not just good, or I will pass, I will do great!

Props To Freshmeat!

Well, what can I say? Between the awesome coaches and all the determined brand new roller skaters, I'm flabbergasted, to say the least, at the quality of both! Let me say first, roller skating is really hard! There are definitely people that are natural skaters, and people that have to work really hard to do what they do, just like any other sport or talent. Now, having said that, natural skaters work just as hard, but can often advance faster than someone who feels awkward on their skates. personally, I feel like I'm a natural skater... I can tell if someone is natural or not (I think because I was a dancer and it's kind of the same way), It's all in the confidence. It takes a lot longer to build if you have to work harder to be at the same level as the natural skaters. I LOVE that skaters that have to work really hard to do what they do keep doing it! I LOVE that those people prove that if you want something bad enough, you can do it, even if you aren't the best starting off.

I've been meaning to do this for a while. I want to give props to all the freshmeat skaters I've skated with. Every single one of them that regularly come to practice are determined, dedicated, and focused on getting better, and in the coaches case, creating ready, fit, and dedicated skaters. Just to list  few (Sorry if I miss anyone) Ali, Andy Anarchy (Amanda), Scourge Her (Trina), Teri Fying, Arlene, Rags, Torture Chamber (Lisa), Angela, Kaustic, Linzifer, Fiver, Unchained Malady, Lacee Longstalkin, Twisted, Fatal, Nomad, Cakes, Pappa Razzo, Ginger, The Jester, Lexisonfire, Lady Laceration, Vitamin B, and Taz. I also want to mention the girls I've only skated with a few times (I hope they come back), Michelle, Donna, Christina, and Wody (Mama).

I have nothing but good things to say about every single one of the people listed above. hopefully it stays that way as I spend more time with them. I've had an excellent experience in Freshmeat. Excellent coaches, excellent skate mates, excellent exercise, excellent learning experience, and an excellent growing experience.

I'm getting closer to joining team practices, although, if I can ever go to freshmeat after I benchmark on Sunday, I'm going to go. I'd like to go to keep perfecting my basic skills, and be a good example to new skaters at the things I really excel at. I truly believe that I can be a great mentor to future freshmeat to come. I am finally taking my final steps toward becoming an official RDRDA skater. It's very exciting.... I've been waiting since August!

In addition to the original topic, I have been to two freshmeat friendly league practices now, and I learned new and different things that freshmeat practices... more about the actual game. It's very important to go to freshmeat and learn hoe to skate properly for as long as it takes, but once anyone perfects their basic skating skills, I suggest everyone go to a few league practices before attempting to benchmark. I learned an amazing amount about the rules, game play, and strategy... also I got the opportunity to perfect skills that are a bit more advanced, like jumping, blocking, laterals, 360's, whips, and snaking. Those are the ones for me, that I'm really glad I got the chance to get more in depth practice on. After going to just two league practices I'm 100% sure that I can benchmark this Sunday. Thanks to Lip Lash and Razor Recked It for heading up those two practices. They were both awesome. And thanks to Hej Clip Her, Malady, and DM for helping us freshies.

Catching Up

I know I haven't posted for a long time. Unfortunately, a series of events that were beyond my control temporarily took over my life... I'm back, sort of... I'm trying to be at least! I have had a few things happen in the last few days, pushing me to force myself to write this post. I actually have many things to share, just not the time to get it out! One of my biggest downfalls is that I LOVE to share. Yes, I said downfalls... how do you figure that? you ask. Well, I am constantly sharing stories, feelings, and things that maybe not everyone wants to hear. The great thing about a blog... if you don't want to hear me share, don't read. Simple! So, needless to say, I think I'm driving everyone crazy with my "I'm talking/complaining your ear off" kind of sharing.

I have a few major derby things happening right now. this weekend is the Skate And Destroy boot camp! Saturday... boot camp, Sunday... Benchmark and my first Rookie game! yes, that's right!! MY FIRST GAME!!!! I'm beyond excited for this shit! I need a new mouth guard (again), a pair of knee high socks, shin guards, and blue shoelaces (to match my wheels because that's cool!) I'd love some sticker letters too so that I can have my name, "Serious Lee" on the back of my helmet! I don't want to be distracted by my mouth guard trying to benchmark or play in the game! this is the lineup for my game. See my name at the very bottom  :) GO Team Red!

Bout 2
Team C (Red)
Eliz a deth Elizabeth Pullan
Shear Destruction 66 Joanne Bokitch Bow Valley Roller Derby
TheMon 32 Monica Evers-Harvey Bow Valley Roller Derby
Bitch Amen 1176 Nadine Jennipher Pearson Chinook City Roller Derby League
Ella Straytor, #2H Kristine Astop Chinook City Roller Derby League
Big Kahuna 2517 Sarah Hampton Chinook City Roller Derby League
Mad Madam Mim 5150 Jacqueline Boniface Chinook City Roller Derby League
Sweetie Darling 74 Amal Cohen CRDA
DeVotchka Thrash 33 Jessica de Groot East Kootenay Roller Derby League
Puma Thurman 8 Virginia White East Kootenay Roller Derby League
Lucy Lug Nuts #1/2 inch Jessie Haggard Gas City
Five Hole Cindy Randford-Steinwand Heartland Rollergirls Association
AubTMiss Prime #113 Aubrey Shpaiuk Lil Chicago Roller Derby
Serious Lee #33 Trina Rhine RDRDA

Team D (Black)
Tonya Lowe Bow Valley Roller Derby
Roe'd Kill Rachelle Honeyman Bow Valley Roller Derby
DING DONG AV-ON CALLING #24 Andrea Vaughan Bow Valley Roller Derby
Mayne Squeeze 1010 Sara Mayne Chinook City Roller Derby League
Judge JenAcide 25-2Life Jennifer Jeans Chinook City Roller Derby League
Ru$$ian Rollette #18 Sonia Stauch Chinook City Roller Derby League
DAZZLER #130 ALDERA CHISHOLM CRDA
Negative Nancy #138 Carla Fedje CRDA
Hart Knox ♥ Shelley Lawrence East Kootenay Roller Derby League
Ziggy Bonedust 255 Hope Landry East Kootenay Roller Derby League
Muffy Merkin #2-15 Judy-Lyn Sylvester Heartland Rollergirls Association
Backseat Roll'Her Krystal Baker Heartland Rollergirls Association
Low Key # 3.14 Keely Lucas OCDG
Linzifer Lindsay RDRDA

There it is!!!!! Yes, I'm that excited! I'm also excited to benchmark. This means that I can go to the Nightshades practices soon. I think I'll start going Monday's and Wednesdays (and maybe Thursdays... yes I'm crazy) Hopefully i can still go to Freshmeat.... Malady?

I'm really building my derby muscles. It's been a few practices now. I hurt less and less at practice, and I hurt less and less after practice. It's great. Physically aside from some non-muscle related problems, this is the best I have felt in a while. I am definitely gonna blame that on derby! Even lifting the chairs up onto the tables at work is getting so much easier. I feel like a much stronger person all around now... inside and out!

I'll spend the next week or so catching up, in more detail, on all the things i wanted to share!

Getting Back Into It

WOW! I had the best practice yet tonight. they really just worked us so hard.. by the end of it I think I was wheezing! (time to make some lifestyle changes) I really want to just dance around and jump up and down shouting "roller derby is fucking awesome!" Seriously! I got to introduce my self as "Serious" when we were doing stretches tonight. It made me feel like I was starting to embrace my alter ego, really becoming another whole person in a sense... still me yet " Serious Lee"... intense, dangerous, powerful, and genuine.
My skates are great... way better than the ones I was using... but I need new wheels. I need some wheels that will give me speed and control. I feel like I'm tripping over the ones I have now, they really are too wide for what I want to do. I have so much to learn about the gear still. My pads and helmet seem to be great though! I still need a moulded mouth guard... mine is so distracting.

I learned some new stuff about stops today, which is always good. I'm determined to be able to stop really quick if I have to. I seem to be getting good at the tee stop, which isn't really used all that much oddly enough, but I'm also getting better at the hockey stop and the plow stop! I'm not sure which one is more valuable on the track yet though.... anyone know?

I also had the pleasure of learning from two skaters I haven't been coached by yet... Bert and Taz. They are both super fast, agile, and downright dominant skaters. I feel privileged to have been coached by them both. Bert and Taz really are people I can learn from, I hope they both go to many practices to come! I'm planning to be out of freshmeat soon but I know that other freshies that aspire to be jammers can learn from these two cool cats as well. Also I have to say that Nomad is quite the cat too! This is one guy that really knows what hes doing... and even though he may

We did the coffin drill tonight. It was really, really hard, but good training and a bit of fun. Starting on your back, arms crossed on your chest, and wheels flat against the boards, we wait for the whistle to blow... then get up as fast as we can and RACE to the other side of the track, knee drop and slide onto your back in the starting position while attempting not to slam into the boards on the other side. For anyone reading not familiar with roller derby.. you might have to read that a few times to understand what the fuck I'm talking about!

This is my derby wound for the night. I'm REALLY sorry it's a pic of my stink old derby foot. And I'm not complaining.... I'm sharing!

I do have to say this is definitely one of the biggest blisters I have ever had the pleasure to have. Just on the one foot too, because I mostly only skate around the track in one direction. Anyone have a good remedy for blisters?

Fun Skate Was, Well, Really Fun!

Several of the RDRDA skaters have been helping out to turn an old arena into the RDRDA Rollerdome. Although I wasn't there for every night of the renovations, I do feel like I was there as much as I could be to help get regular practice start as soon as possible. The work that everyone did is unbelievable! The floor couldn't be cleaner and smoother. Good job everyone!!

I finally got to take my skates and cruise on the track! Up until tonight I had only my small linoleum floor to skate on. I didn't get to go very fast in the confined spaces around my house... although I did get lots of practice maneuvering and stopping! The cement floor downstairs was a little more like the one at the Rollerdome, but it's often strewed with toys, books, and storage items.

Putting on all my gear for the first time at the arena, I felt a surge of energy run through me. I was excited and scared... I was scared that the confidence I felt on my lino floors at home would turn into a sticky mess on the arena floor. I knew my wheels were great on the lino, but what about cement? Turns out it is pretty different. Skating out there for the first time I felt slow and a little awkward. I was lucky enough to have Scourge Her (the other Trina) skate at the same pace as me and keep me company as I learned my new skates. She is another fellow freshie. She will be benchmarking with me at the end of October.

After a while, I really started getting the feel of my skates... I started going faster, and faster. The only downside to that was that I wasn't perfectly comfortable on them for about 15 minutes, and there were a lot of people on the track. It was a fun skate, so they were also putting out obstacles, jumping mats, and a ball! At first I was scared of the ball (with or without the new skates), but I got brave and kicked it a few times. I also zig-zaged around the obstacles (I had to go around every second one, but I did it). Once there were fewer people on the track, I decided to get some practice on my lap speed. Now, this depends on several things... first, I wasn't sure yet if I could do a proper crossover in my new skates, hell, I wasn't sure I could do a proper crossover at all... second, my skates felt really sticky and slow, I thought I might just move the wrong way and have my wheel stick in an awkward position (this possibly means a big fall if at a high speed)... third, there were still about 8 people on the track to maneuver around at a high speed. Lets not forget, I'm a freshie (inexperienced). All this being said... I didn't fall once!

I met some new people tonight. Everyone seems really willing to accept me as a new skater. I have to say, they have made me feel very welcome! All of them. I got wowed by a few little ladies (and gents)... honestly, these girls (and guys) are amazing! Some I have already met... Mortu Mary, Nomad, and Ginger... and some I just met tonight... Bert, Gigi, Bitch Slap, and TyeDie (hope I spelled that right). I'm sorry if I forgot anyone that thinks they should be on the list... it's been a long day.

It's All Coming Together!!

As I lift the chairs and put them upside down on all the tables, I can feel it getting easier and easier as the days and weeks go by, I can almost do it with one hand now. I even started noticing that cans, bottles, and jars are easier to open. It also takes less energy to go up and down a flight of stairs.. I remember before starting derby, all it took was one flight of stairs and I was out of breath. Doing housework and cleaning at work is getting much easier... I can vacuum and mop the entire lobby floor without feeling like I need to take a break half way through, I can clean the whole bathroom now without breaking a sweat, and I can now carry my laundry up and down two flights of stairs with much more ease. I have less general pain than usual and my muscles are already starting to firm up, especially in my legs. I've noticed that all my jeans are getting a bit tight! This is all the result of getting my muscles back in action, all the important ones, my core. As long as I keep exercising regularly and going to my two hour derby practices, I will keep getting stronger.

Yes... I Finally Have A Pair Of Skates To Call My Own... I Also Call Them "My Lovely's"

So... I finally got my own skates... and my own gear! It seems like it took forever! I just want to throw out a huge thank you to my wonderful boyfriend, Dan, who bought my skates! I wouldn't have them yet without his generosity. I'm a very lucky derby girl!



As soon as I got my skates I had to try them on to see if they fit. They fit perfectly! I was fortunate enough to have a lovely lady, Teri, let me try her skates on at the last practice. It's a damn good thing I did too because otherwise I'd have ordered the wrong size! Since her size three's were a tad bit small I decided to order a size four and hope for the best.

Once I put them on.. they didn't come off for 3 days... except to drive, sleep and work. Everything else I did, I did with my skates on my feet! I made meals, cleaned the house, had a few friends come over, went up and down stairs, and even went to the bathroom with them on! The way I see it, I'm not just breaking in my skates, I'm getting my feet used to them too (breaking my feet in). Yes, by the third day my feet hurt a little, but all for a great cause!

As I was skating around my house relentlessly, I discovered I can do EVERYTHING better in my new skates. I can stop better, skate better, and turn better (I can pretty much do pirouettes in my skates!) I absolutely can't wait to get out there on a real track and see what my skates can really do!! 30 laps in 5 minutes... here I come!!

I'm buying outdoor wheels for my skates tonight too! Lacee is going to show me how to switch them out so I can skate outside. It all seems to be coming together for me now.. .I'm well on my way to becoming the derby queen I want to be.

Waiting For Skates

Roller Derby has been a BIG part of my life in the last month... and it's about to get even BIGGER!

On Saturday, I ordered my first pair of skates... thanks to my wonderful boyfriend (he was wonderful before he bought me the skates). "Seeing you smile and light up like that is thanks enough for me", he says, "I can see that you are passionate and dedicated". I'm so glad he sees how important this is to me. I won't succeed at this if I'm not supported by the people who love me. Thanks Dan!

So, now I get to wait. I've heard it's not long... less than a week, I'm hoping I have them by Friday. I ordered all my pads (elbows, knees, and wrists), and a new mouth guard (the one I have now is way too big). I'm probably gonna put on all my new gear and roller skate around my house for days. I'll be doing the dishes in my skates, and the laundry, and maybe even cook in my skates. I don't care if my kids think I'm crazy!! (I might even wear them to bed)

With new skates, comes a new freedom that I can't wait to experience. I'll be able to skate where and when I want to. Right now I am so limited, I can only practice in Springbrook during scheduled practices. Sure I can train... squatting, stretching, running, etc, but I need to practice skating too! I need to practice all those benchmarks I need to meet. Getting on the team is really important to me and I want to get there ASAP.

Step 1: Receive skates and gear
Step 2: Skate every day
Step 3: Get benchmarked and on the team
Step 4: Become a roller derby superstar
Step 5: Represent Team Canada at the Olympics

Wish me luck!

Benchmarks

A lot of people are asking me what benchmarking is. Benchmarking is meeting specific milestones as a skater before you can join a team. Here's what I need to be able to do to benchmark:

1. 5 laps in 1 minute (achieved) - When I did my laps on Monday I had done 6 and a half laps at the one minute mark
2. 25 Laps in 5 min (achieved)
3. Tee stop (achieved)
4. Toe stop (achieved)
5. Plow stop (achieved)
6. Tomahawk stop (achieved)
7. Knee drops (achieved)
8. 4 point fall (needs work)
9. Gliding on one leg (achieved)
10. Jumping (needs a little work, but I pretty much got it)
11. Crossovers (achieved)
12. Cutting the track (Needs a lot of work)
13. Proper form (needs a little work)
14. Skate backwards (almost good enough)

I don't think I am missing anything. I may be though, I'm still pretty new at this.

A Month Off? I Hope Not!

First of all, the only reason I have a problem with this, is because I just started... and I am on a bit of a roll. I'm sure by next summer I will welcome a month or two off of squatting, skating for 5 minutes without stopping, knee drop drills, planks, and falling on my butt cheeks. But for now... I WANT TO SKATE!!

That's me in my gear. half of it belongs to RDRDA.

The other thing I'm worried about is doing at least 2 hours of cardio every week. That's what I do at practice, so I have to keep that up! I'll regret it if I don't. Anyone have any suggestions that will make it more fun? PS... I HATE running, more than doing squats, even more than not having my own skates. speaking of running... when Lacee mentioned running for practices while we had no track, I cringed a little, physically.I can sprint no problem, but long distance running... OUCH! I'll do it for derby though! Whatever it takes.

I am hearing that there are a few other places we can go, and they were all nice enough to arrange that I could use their skates... I really appreciate that!!I'm sure you all know by now that if I had the money, I would get my damn skates. I can get half decent pads at sport check for about $30.00, which is a little easier to come up with than a couple hundred for good skates!

On the flip side... Lacee, Malady, Papa Razzo, Fiver (and a few others) will be giving up their time to keep us freshies going. If it weren't for them, we wouldn't have practice at all! They probably want a month off. But Lacee, I completely agree, because if I don't keep going it's gonna be like starting over! I'm pretty sure that at least 8 of us that will practice almost anywhere. I'm really hoping we can keep practices going, not just for me, but for all of us freshies, we need it!

Calendar Contest!! Please Vote!!

Please take a few minutes out to go to this calendar contest website and vote for our girl Fatal Fantasy. She is currently in 5th place! Keep the votes coming!

http://derbygirlsblog.com/2011/08/23/derby-girls-calender-contest-enter-to-win/

Squeezing Through

Arg... The snake! One of my biggest failures so far. I'm not sure if I had some kind of traumatic experience that crept back up into my conscience when I had to do the snake drill... but I was scared shit less. For anyone reading who doesn't know what the snake is I can explain:

1. Skaters form a single line within arms length apart, while roller skating.
2. The person in the back of the line begins to weave in and out of the line.
3. That person joins the front of the line and continues in pace with the other skaters.
4. The next person weaves in and out and the next and the next...

I have a few things to say about this drill!

First, It's not only scary to be the weaver, but it's kind of scary being in the pace line in the first place. You have to skate at more or less the same speed as the other skater's in the line, and allow the weaver's enough room to get through. So... while travelling in this pace line you have to be aware of the person directly in front of you and the weaver (I try not to pay attention to the girl behind me because she should be watching me, right?), and stay upright on your skates.

Second, The weaving part is really hard for me... maybe because I haven't practiced it enough, or maybe it's just something I'm going to have to work harder to get it. For the most part when I skate I feel confident, but when doing this drill, I crumble a little. I guess everyone has their weaknesses.

Third, travelling in a line like that with roller skates on travelling as fast as we do, it's not that safe. It's one of the most uncomfortable situations I've been in on roller skates so far. We had a few falls tonight, but all in all, it was good. I have yet to see a pile up, but I'm sure I will. Fresh Meat seems like just the place it could happen! Pads, pads, and more pads.. GO PADS!!

Last, the good thing about doing snake drills, is that it really prepares you for what's to come on the track come game night.... form, focus, and control along with the ability to react to anything that comes your way. The snake teaches you all of those things and more. I have yet to find a drill that does that much for a players ability.

As much as I may be scared of (or bad at) snake drills. I love them all the same.

Extra Practice

Sunday I got to go to the arena for an extra practice! Trust me, I need all the practice i can get. It's hard not having skates, anticipating Monday every week. I'd love to be able to practice other days.

I'm a little anxious to get benchmarked now. When I first started, even though I knew it wouldn't take me long if I put my mind to it, I really wasn't in a hurry to benchmark. Well, now I am! Unfortunately I only have tonight's practice and then I have to take a month off... Unless I buy some skates, outdoor wheels, knee pads, and elbow pads. Everyone that has been giving me a lot of encouragement and some really good advice.

I met Angry Lil' Knome last time I went to practice. She noticed that I was practicing my stops so she came right over and started coaching me on how to do it. Now, lets get one thing straight. She was there on her own time to do her own practicing and she took a bunch of time out to make sure I was doing things properly, as did Mortu. I really appreciate these girls taking time out to help me... they really didn't have to.  I fixed my plow stop, worked on my crossovers, finally got the tee stop, and... I learned how to jump! I'm pretty proud of the progress I've made, so if it seems like I'm bragging... I am. I think I'm allowed.