Derby Days #3 - Real Life and Skating
Hey all,
Things have been going well for me. Basically my life has been utterly consumed by the loveliness of skating, and I'm totally into it. I've had some shit days and I've had some awesome days. But I figure, as with anything, you're clearly going to have good with bad.
As far as school stuff and my regular life goes, things have been going really well. Today I got to run around the zoo with a pack of first graders (at one point I didn't know who were the animals, lol), but they were supercute. I like the fact that I'm getting to know my students in the lower elementary now. It makes me feel like I'm more a part of the community.
Wednesday I'm going on a date, so that's pretty cool. I have no idea how it will go, but there will be sushi involved, so hey. Sushi.
My days "off" I've been doing some cool stuff. Had an awesome Margarita rooftop party which went extremely well. :) Went tubing with a bunch of rollergirls which was pretty effin sweet too. Nothing like going down the river in an inflatable tube with a bunch of beer and awesome friends. It's been a great past couple of weeks. This summer is shaping up to be a really good one for me.
Now the derby bit:
I FINALLY joined my skatertots mailing list (basically it's a messageboard for all the girls trying out - so far it seems to be about 14 of us + whoever shows up I guess). Apparently I've been training towards a specific level because I thought that that's what they wanted and the welcome packet PDF says that, well, that level doesn't exist anymore. So it seems I'm actually now going above the requirements (which is DEFINITELY not a bad thing at all). This is what it says that I need to do, and then I'm basically going to write what it is I need to do. Honestly, you all don't have to read this. I'm just logging this for myself at this point.
CCRG has developed an assessment system to ensure that the coaching squad can tailor
drills and practices to particular skill levels and to maintain a level of safety in
scrimmaging and bouting scenarios.
• White Star/Tryout
o All women trying out for the league must pass this assessment to be
accepted onto the league;
o Requirements: 22 laps in 5 minutes, - * At this point I can do 23. I want to be at 25 or above by the time tryouts roll around
form, -* I'm working on form. I think I have it down if i can just keep my knees apart. That's just a lot of squats, which I need to do many, many more of
balance, - * With balance, I can definitely go on my right foot and skate halfway around the rink and a little less on my left. I can skate in a small circle on my right, but the left I need to work on.
crossovers, -* Crossovers are getting smoother. Did reverse crossovers tonight and those were pretty decent for the first time doing them.
stops, -*My t-stops need to be smoother, my plowstops I'm pretty good at, but dear sweet god I have to get better at my turn around toe-stops. My friend Ben worked with me tonight on just turning around and gave me some tips that were fairly useful. So long as I don't look like a flailing idiot.
falls, - *My rockstar and 4-point falls are pretty good and I have a decent recovery time on those. My one knee falls I really need to work on, but that will come with doing more lunges, and again, squats. Those evil, evil, things.
whips, -* Okay, whips? Those are fun but I need to actually practice those. I seriously had no idea these would be on the assessments. I can totally do them, but I don't have a lot of power behind them.
pushes -* have NO idea what they mean by this. I guess I'll find out saturday
and pack skating; -* I'm all right with keeping up with the pack. I'm not falling behind like I used to.
o Blocking, Pack skating, pack speed are introduced -*I did a blocking drill, so I'm okay with that. So long as it's not a crazy block snake line. I'm not used to those yet since my lateral movement isn't very...lateral.
Overall, looking at this list, I feel more comfortable and secure. I think I'm making tryouts a lot scarier than they actually are. I just really don't want to fail again. I would be extremely disheartened and I already know that if I don't make it I will hide in my house and not skate for a while. So the only logical thing to do is to make the team and be awesome. I can do this. I can. I just gotta keep with this intense schedule that I'm rocking out on. And do squats. Lots. Of. Squats.
me
Things have been going well for me. Basically my life has been utterly consumed by the loveliness of skating, and I'm totally into it. I've had some shit days and I've had some awesome days. But I figure, as with anything, you're clearly going to have good with bad.
As far as school stuff and my regular life goes, things have been going really well. Today I got to run around the zoo with a pack of first graders (at one point I didn't know who were the animals, lol), but they were supercute. I like the fact that I'm getting to know my students in the lower elementary now. It makes me feel like I'm more a part of the community.
Wednesday I'm going on a date, so that's pretty cool. I have no idea how it will go, but there will be sushi involved, so hey. Sushi.
My days "off" I've been doing some cool stuff. Had an awesome Margarita rooftop party which went extremely well. :) Went tubing with a bunch of rollergirls which was pretty effin sweet too. Nothing like going down the river in an inflatable tube with a bunch of beer and awesome friends. It's been a great past couple of weeks. This summer is shaping up to be a really good one for me.
Now the derby bit:
I FINALLY joined my skatertots mailing list (basically it's a messageboard for all the girls trying out - so far it seems to be about 14 of us + whoever shows up I guess). Apparently I've been training towards a specific level because I thought that that's what they wanted and the welcome packet PDF says that, well, that level doesn't exist anymore. So it seems I'm actually now going above the requirements (which is DEFINITELY not a bad thing at all). This is what it says that I need to do, and then I'm basically going to write what it is I need to do. Honestly, you all don't have to read this. I'm just logging this for myself at this point.
CCRG has developed an assessment system to ensure that the coaching squad can tailor
drills and practices to particular skill levels and to maintain a level of safety in
scrimmaging and bouting scenarios.
• White Star/Tryout
o All women trying out for the league must pass this assessment to be
accepted onto the league;
o Requirements: 22 laps in 5 minutes, - * At this point I can do 23. I want to be at 25 or above by the time tryouts roll around
form, -* I'm working on form. I think I have it down if i can just keep my knees apart. That's just a lot of squats, which I need to do many, many more of
balance, - * With balance, I can definitely go on my right foot and skate halfway around the rink and a little less on my left. I can skate in a small circle on my right, but the left I need to work on.
crossovers, -* Crossovers are getting smoother. Did reverse crossovers tonight and those were pretty decent for the first time doing them.
stops, -*My t-stops need to be smoother, my plowstops I'm pretty good at, but dear sweet god I have to get better at my turn around toe-stops. My friend Ben worked with me tonight on just turning around and gave me some tips that were fairly useful. So long as I don't look like a flailing idiot.
falls, - *My rockstar and 4-point falls are pretty good and I have a decent recovery time on those. My one knee falls I really need to work on, but that will come with doing more lunges, and again, squats. Those evil, evil, things.
whips, -* Okay, whips? Those are fun but I need to actually practice those. I seriously had no idea these would be on the assessments. I can totally do them, but I don't have a lot of power behind them.
pushes -* have NO idea what they mean by this. I guess I'll find out saturday
and pack skating; -* I'm all right with keeping up with the pack. I'm not falling behind like I used to.
o Blocking, Pack skating, pack speed are introduced -*I did a blocking drill, so I'm okay with that. So long as it's not a crazy block snake line. I'm not used to those yet since my lateral movement isn't very...lateral.
Overall, looking at this list, I feel more comfortable and secure. I think I'm making tryouts a lot scarier than they actually are. I just really don't want to fail again. I would be extremely disheartened and I already know that if I don't make it I will hide in my house and not skate for a while. So the only logical thing to do is to make the team and be awesome. I can do this. I can. I just gotta keep with this intense schedule that I'm rocking out on. And do squats. Lots. Of. Squats.
me