My fresh meat experience so far...

To borrow a quote from a fellow freshie; "Roller derby is the most challenging sport I've ever been a part of, physically and mentally." It's been a long journey in the 2011 Greensboro Roller Derby fresh meat class. In many ways, it doesn't seem long enough. We are roughly six weeks away from our assessments and I can tell you now, I'm worried. I know I'm not ready and I don't know what it's going to take to get there but I'll keep pushing. Let me begin at the....beginning.

In January, I decided to take the leap and tryout for the Greensboro Roller Derby fresh meat class. I didn't know what to expect. Was I going to be too unskilled as a skater? Was I tough enough? Would these people be friendly and helpful or look at me like "what the hell is this girl doing here?" What I found was a great group of friendly people who were just as excited as me for us to be there. That sealed the deal. I went to all three tryout dates and began practicing as a freshie. I can't believe how far I've come over these past few months. I can do so much more than I thought I ever could do on roller skates. You see, I never enjoyed skating as a kid. In fact, I avoided it if I could. The only real memory I have of it was when I was little and my parents tried to take me. They held on to both of my hands and all I remember was my sheer terror as my feet moved in directions beyond my control. Part of this journey has been about conquering a fear and challenging myself to be better at something I was awful at. I still have plateaus to cross and mental blocks to conquer but I keep trying. I have days where my head just isn't in it, no matter how much my heart is. It's normal for everyone in this sport, though, to deal with failing confidence. Everyone gets mad and thinks "That's it! I'm done!" When you get past those road blocks, however, you feel amazing and you fall in love with it all over again.

The physical aspect has been a challenge, too. Derby demands you to squat until you think your legs can't take it and then squat more after that. You have to work outside of skating, too. Doing yoga, going to the gym, or running are all beneficial to a derby skater. For the first time in my life, I feel like I'm in pretty good shape. Still, I feel like I need to be in better shape to last out on the track. Two minutes of skating may not sound like a long time but when you're speeding up, slowing down, manuvering, looking for opposing players, and blocking, you are amazed at just how tired you can be after that. Or try skating as fast as you can for 5 minutes straight, like we'll have to do for part of our assessments. Then imagine doing the equivalent of lunges and squats for 5 minutes while skating, which we do when practicing our falls. Yeah, endurance is a necessity to make it in this sport, along with muscle strength, balance, and mental focus. You see derby isn't just a bunch of girls on skates, going around a track, hitting each other. It's a sport, it involves strategy and physical ability. However, it's a sport that many people never in their lives thought they could do, until they tried.

The greatest part of this experience so far isn't just about accomplishing personal goals but it's been getting to know the amazing people I'm on this journey with. Our vet trainers, coaches, and vet skaters have all been so great. They encourage us, include us and are all around fantastic people. Our fresh meat group has become an awesome support unit. We encourage each other, help each other, and believe in one another. I know if I don't pass assessments this time around, I'll be back. I can't stop now.