I was the kid in highschool who was so anti-gym class and sports that I would protest by running the opposite direction of the ball in gym class when we played basketball or football. I would sit down on the grass when I was inevitably placed in the farthest nether region of the outfield in baseball. A total dork, I was the kid who was pitifully bombarded with balls in dodgeball. I was perpetually the last one picked for teams. I loathed gym class. Until I discovered I could do super cool things like archery, ping pong, and bowling if I fufilled my gym requirement in summer school.
It's not that I wasn't athletic. I was a dancer since I was 9. I was super shy, didn't have many friends and I really missed out on the fun and camaraderie of being involved in a team sport. I was always pretty good on skates. I started when I was 5, and for most of my gradeschool and high school careers I LIVED for being on skates and going to the rink. Where I grew up they would do all night skates, where they'd lock you in from 8 pm to 8 am. And I would skate that entire 12 hours, stopping only for the bathroom or a snack.
Everything is more fun on skates.
Or maybe I'm just more fun on skates.
Last night at practice we played basketball on skates. And suddenly the absolute rush and excitement of being on a team came into sharp focus. I actually loved basketball last night, and I have to say, I don't think I was nearly as atrocious at it as I was in my tortured, super dorky high school days. I could actually dribble. I could dribble while skating backwards! I was proficient at passing the ball back and forth with my teammates, while skating both backwards and forwards, and I surprised myself with my aggressiveness of blocking. I actually attempted to knock the ball out of people's hands and jumped a few times to knock it out of the air. True to form, I still couldn't make a damn basket to save my life. Always the overachiever, I was constantly whipping the ball all the way over the backboard. But no one laughed at me, at least not maliciously. My teammates actually still passed me the ball. Amazing.
I'm told there is video and I can't wait. I'm sure it was quite the spectacle. For Vice Quads practices we are in a little gymnasium in a gradeschool. It really was excellent use of the space, and in my opinion pure coaching genius. This activity contains so many of the skills we need for derby. The footwork, skating in different directions, running on toe stops, teamwork. We were sliding like crazy people for the ball when it rolled, tomahawk stopping all over, shooting from standing on our toe stops, squatting down and swooping the ball up after someone dropped it. Laughing our asses off and sweating like maniacs. Totally totally awesome.
When I put my skates on it does something to me, alters my confidence and personality in the most outstanding ways. I fancy myself an entry level super hero. I become brave. I take chances. It has always offered me that, since I was 5 and put on my first pair of metal, adjustable strap on skates and conquered my bumpy driveway, that awesome wind on my face, egging me on.
Saturday's practice was also totally fun too. I was just unable to lift my arms to write about it for 2 days after. We did a ton of military crawls and a wrestling type warm up. We were on our hands and toe stops, legs bent and torso raised off the ground. We had to walk forwards and backwards in that position many many MANY times. Fun fun fun. So. Much. Fun.
My newest goal is to be proficient at crossing over when skating the opposite direction on the track, both forwards and backwards. When skating counter-clockwise (normal derby direction) I have no problem crossing my right leg over. When skating backwards clockwise, I am the queen of crossing that right leg over. I'm like freaking Nancy Kerrigan, performing in the Ice Capades. (Ooooo....there's another excellent derby name, Nancy Impairigan!!) Whenever skating direction dictates a left leg cross over, be it clockwise forward or counter-clockwise backwards it's as if there's a humongous magnet holding that left leg to the floor, not allowing me to lift it and perform the cross over. It's wacky how confused my body gets, how instilled the muscle memory of skating counter-clockwise most of the time is, and as a result how foreign crossing over with the left leg becomes. I know I can do it, but in the moment my body is totally confused.
Being that it is Valentine's Day it wouldn't be right if I didn't pay a little homage to the crazy little pot- bellied angel dude in this post. He has hit me hard with one of his heart tipped arrows and I am smitten with all these amazing, energetic, hilarious women and this sport.
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