Sunday Morning Derby Practice

A recently new adventure I've begun is assisting with the coaching of the Roc City Roller Derby Team. This is a women's flat track derby team going into their second year. Until a few months ago I didn't even know people were still participating in Roller Derby. My memories of roller derby from the 70's & 80's were that it was merely championship wrestling on skates. Fake, staged, all for show with no real purpose other then mindless TV entertainment. Come September this past year our Speed Skating team put on a learn to speed skate clinic and a couple members of the roller derby team participated. We got to talking, they invited to one of their bouts, a little more talking, and now I'm helping to coach their team.


I believe there is a camaraderie among skaters, whether it be ice, inline, quads, speed skating, roller derby, you name the discipline there is a common bond. Put shoes on your feet that enable you to go really fast and move in ways you are not normally capable of and it changes you. I can't explain how, it just does. The way your body moves through space, the sensations of the wind, the vibration in your feet & legs, the forces pulling at you, and fluidity of the motion, all acting on you at once. It's exhilarating, scarring at times, but mostly just fun. You experience the moment, nothing else matters, worries disappear, and your mind just clears. Having a bad day, throw on a pair a skates and after a short time you begin to smile, laugh, and your body feels great. Falling? It happens, just get back up and keep skating.

So to get back to this mornings derby practice, I was quite surprised by the number of skaters that showed up despite the horrid weather. 20 degrees, snowing hard, white out conditions, and the roads not plowed. Those that arrived for practice were definitely ready to skate. We got in the building 30 minutes late due to the rink personnel arriving late. 45 minutes of warm-up, stretching, & agility drills, with some plyo's thrown in, then to the skates. Matty & Sara, two of the other coaches took the girls through multiple drills focusing on pack communications, fall & recovery, and jammer passing. With all the falls, hits, and general derby mayhem, the girls were all smiles at the end. They were tired and happy. I didn't work them as hard as the previous week, being we got such a late start. They should be able to walk fine tomorrow.

I've got a lot to learn regarding derby skating, the falls being in one, strategy, and the rules.  OMG are there a lot of rules.  My impression of roller derby is no longer that which I described earlier.  These girls are athletes, dedicated & enthusiastic, no doubt about it.  There personalities are much like the speed skaters I come to know.  Their competition comes from within themselves.  They strive to better their skating skills, their physical condition, their sense of teamwork, and in doing so they better themselves as a person.


Skate on.    
~TR