I was never a great softball player. My mom made me play when I was younger to keep me occupied in the spring time. Soccer was never my thing either. Just add it to the list of sports that leave me feeling unfulfilled.
If there's no hip checks, aggression, fast paced plays and skilled skaters…chances are I'm probably not interested. Hockey being my obvious first love, a few friends of mine suggested a sport they thought I might like just as much - roller derby.
What is roller derby you ask? Two teams of five race around a track in the same direction. Each team has a "jammer" who tries to score points by lapping members of the opposing team. The team's job is to stop the opposing jammer from scoring points and attempt to assist their own jammer in scoring. Insert tough hits, tactful body blocks and high speed sprints on four wheeled skates...getting the picture now?
Tiggz and SooKee from the San Fernando Valley Derby Girls offered to teach me how to skate and play derby for a day. I showed up to the rink decked out in plenty of Kings merchandise hoping to fit in with some fellow hockey fans. I felt like the new kid at school, quietly scanning the intimidating group of girls and secretly hoping I didn't look silly.
Instead of donning last names on the back of their uniforms, players had creative pseudonyms stretched from shoulder to shoulder, with most names doubling as satirical puns. My eyes had a field day scanning the clever titles. Buckingham Malice and Deny Ya Twain, to name a few, made me giggle out loud. These girls were athletic and clever. Tiggz and her infectious smile put me at ease. She noticed noticed how scared I was and did her best to lighten the mood.
"You're going to be fine," she laughed. I've known her since I've moved to California and she's been trying to get me to put on a pair of roller skates since I could remember.
SooKee skated by to make small talk about the Kings before we started. She's a die hard hockey fan and bantering back and forth with her about my team made me forget there were eight wheels separating my feet from the ground.
Once I was all geared up, I got a few nods of approval from on-looking derby girls and with a sigh of relief I glided onto the rink. There was a silent acceptance by the team…or maybe they could just read my mind saying "I come in peace."
We started with the basics: how to skate, how to fall, how to block and how to check. Stopping and whipping were the hardest. Although the stopping motions on roller skates were similar to those on ice skates, it was almost impossible for me to grasp. I felt like my legs were tied to cement blocks and I was trying to move underwater. Maybe this was an indication that I needed to hit the gym and become a slave to the leg press.
As my confidence grew, the basics became easier and the clunky "quads" on my feet felt a little more organic. Tiggz decided when I was ready and before I knew it I was thrown into my first ever "mini scrimmage." One lap around the hand-tapped flat track and my heart was pounding. I avoided a few checks and made it around the circle alive. The rush rivaled the feeling I get when skating a shift in a hockey game; the same amount of energy and aggressiveness is required.
I skated around with the whole team until the manager of the rink came to shut us down for the night. Killo Kitty, the league's founder and practice leader, tweeted her whistle for the last time signaling practice to be over. The floor cleared with the team in all smiles. The compliments I received really made me feel accepted. I rolled onto the carpet feeling satisfied and exhausted. I was quick to learn just how much endurance derby truly requires.
Tiggz, who's always looking for new recruits, let me know that there will always be a spot for me on their team. I learned, I sweat, I made new friends, I tried something new and I had a blast. Mission accomplished.
For any girl that's looking to try out roller derby, I highly recommend finding a league nearest you and test out the ropes. Especially if you're a hockey lover, this will surely satisfy all your adrenaline needs.
