Level I - Czech

I went to orientation January 20th, 2014.  As it has always been on my list of what I want to do, life has always gotten in the way, there has always been a reason why I can't sign up.
Loveland Colorado best offering for a youngster was the Skate Castle. I remember the first time my mom took me.  I remember the bunny on the wall in skates, and the bathroom stalls not having doors, and the way it felt so push the accelerator in skates on the driving game.  The biggest was the envy I felt at the kids who were way better that me, and how much I tried to copy their effortless backwards crossovers.  I told myself that when I was grown up and could get a job, I'd be the DJ skater guy who threw the dice and whistled at people.  Well, that never happened because when I "grew up" my hobbies were far from being at the Skate Castle. 
Quick side note, I flew out back around 2002, and took the girls to the rink, and was able to talk to the owner. He told me they were shutting down the rink, and I was able to tell him just how much roller skating meant to my youth.  It was bittersweet.  I think there is an MMA studio there now.
*SMH*

  

It was in my face when Roller Derby came into play. I saw the flyers, I longed to join.  But there was the logistics conflict.  I worked nights, I didn't have money, I didn't have a babysitter, I couldn't afford to pay for a babysitter while I did an activity that was solely for me, I didn't have health insurance,  and for the cherry on top, I didn't have a car.

I was not going to be doing any derby any time soon.

Years went by.  And my dream just sat stagnant and nagged at me from the back of my mind.

As the new year rolled in, and I examined My 43 Things, I finally added "try" Roller Derby.

Now that I am old and out of shape, its better time than any, and I manned up and went to orientation.

And I was hooked from the first whiff of that smelly Dollhouse.  

For the first 4 months I pushed myself through DPV, and constantly reminded my inner quitter that this is just for fun, just for me, and I will never be a total badass, but trying is where its at and enjoying the amazing people I am skating with.  But amazing badasses I met, from my fellow moms, to the refs & NSO's to the All-Stars. 

I gear up, I sweat, and laugh, and everyday I am a little less out of breath, and I leave felling a high that no drug in the world can imitate.

June came and I started actually going to bootcamp. I went because the mom's said they were going to, and if they're gonna try, well, then, I am too!

There are 3 levels to testing, and testing is each month.  I failed level 1 three times, and each time brought a different reaction and a different feeling.  Test 1, sticky feet are the death of me, I don't have the power to get high on the apex's to add speed, the legs aren't strong enough yet.  I will be lucky if I can now tap out before doing 5 laps.  I did better than I thought, but still only passed a few skills.  Test 2, I really tried, I skated a lot to prepare, and it hurt when I didn't pass.  I left tail between legs and had to reorganize my head and remember I am here for fun. Test 3, I just did my honest best and threw caution to the wind, and had fun.

September 8th, 2014 I passed Level I.  The road ahead is long, but really, I am in no hurry. 

With all the amazing skaters there are to enjoy, I am excited in my role to cheer and just smile and give it my best.

Juvenile Dollinquents vs Phoenix Derby Brats

Labor Pains Inviational 2014

8th Grade

She started the 8th grade.  Damn, when I was in 8th grade, the trouble really began.  In 7th, I was still trying to fit in, but in 8th, that was where all hell broke loose.  It was like something clicked in my head, I was like 'oh to hell with this".....

I keep waiting for the bottom to drop out, for this amazing kid to turn into my me, as a teenager.
..............................maybe I'll be lucky.......

Playing With Dolls 3

This was amazing. Shea got to be coached by Bomber, Psycho & Ringer, all all-stars from San Diego, PLUS The Quadfather, Regulater-Her and Bam Bam from L.A.

Here's how I like to tell the story, day 2, and of camp, everyone is invited to scrimmage. If you want.
The girls all looked like deer in the headlights. Then you began to hear the murmurs of "if you scrimmage, I'll scrimmage" and they all slowly talked each into it. Then, they all were in.

Ric-A-Shea has ONE caveat. She does not want to be the jammer.  She looks at me, I shrug, with the I'm not the boss here kid. She goes to Regulate-Her and pleads her case, Regulate-Her responds with a firm "every skater will play every position and you will be fine" and she turned to me with terror in her eyes, her eyes welled with the fear. She looked at me, and I RAN away! I had to hide from her, she was on her own her, and Regulate-Her scared me too. :)

As I watcher her sit on the bench, I was hoping she would make it to the bucket if she puked, but then she began to smile and joke with her team.  She lined up for equipmetn check and checked her toe stops and she played roller derby.  On her first jam, she took 15 points and was nominated MVP by the opposing team. 

 

As Ringer says "Make It Awesome!"

My Own Roller Con

 

While my Facebook feed filled me amazing photos of everyone enjoying roller skating and the Las Vegas poolside, I sat in my own white trash pool and pouted. I'll go next year... I chanted.

The Queers

It was 16 years ago that Ryan and I got matching Queers tattoos. 
I am sure he would have loved the irony of seeing the Queers the night of the Pride Parade.

Pride 2014

Pride Parades are among my most favortist things!

A Stunning Invitation to Try Again

After 6 months of DPV,  it was time to give the Bootcamp testing a shot.  It consists of stride, posture, skating the track,  sticky feet, 1 footed glides, knee taps, t-stops, plow stops, 4 point falls, small falls, stopping within 10 feet of the track. My biggest hurdle is still the endurance, when I started this adventure, I was winded in like 2 laps.  I am able to push a bit further than that, now, but every practice is still a challenge.  At first it was the shin splits, then the ankle pain, and now were on to back pain.  Rose told me that it was just my muscles building and it will go away.  She is right, that one does, but a knew one surely does show up. :)
I passed on only a few items, but more that I had expected to. So that's encouragement enough.
We get alot of positive reinforcement from coaches.  However, the testing proctor, Mayhem, it a joke person.  I was told that that was why she's got the job.  She will not pass you if you are not ready, for everyone's safety.  I get it.  Even though it kinda sucks to not pass something, I know I'm not ready to even begin to think about level 2. Let alone, it is a pure reflection on how much effort I am putting in.
I know that those damn sticky feet will be my nemesis, so, its my deal to practice, practice, practice and get that nailed.  No one's gonna do it for me.

Effort, I need to give more.

Skating Overkill? Nah!!

 

Sunday - Skated at open skate; practice banked & flat

Monday -Ref Training

Wednesday - DPV with Havick - Banked Track

Thursday - Bookcamp with Assaulty - Banked Track

Friday - Skated the evening session at the Rink

Aside from the normal 40+ hour work week, 5 hours of commuting, 

and  trying to keep a household running, I'm feeling pretty good this fine morning.

Aside, from the burning thighs.  Ah... thighs.....

Donnie Darko Diagram

For movie night, we featured Donnie Darko, a personal favorite.  Next day, Shea has a diagram on her whiteboard, deciphering the timeline. :)

One of THOSE people

You know how you know you are old? Rather than taking a smoke break at work, you take a gym break.  Seriously, I am lucky enough to work at an office that has a gym.  yeah, still find that hard to swollow.
But here is my dilemma. I really want beefy arms, like Trodgor. :) So, I try to go 3-5 times a week on my lunch break and only lift arm weights.  Now, I am getting callouses on my hands.  I do not WANT.
I am contemplating, become one of THOSE people, who wear gym gloves.  I would have never thought it. I hear that Clea has been hitting the gym, and I have challenged her to a mighty arm wresting match, so I better get those glove on the fly, and pump it up!

Ric-A-Shea Levels Up

It's no lie, I have always wanted to be a roller girl.  I have always watched the website, read the newsletters, and dreamed of manning up, when I saw the Craigslist ads to join.   But it was always something, it was time commitment, financial commitment, it was having to find a babysitter, it was not having a car, not having health insurance. (See Maslow's Hierarchy)

Finally, it was time.  The excuse well had run dry, I had the family support, the money, the time, the ride, the insurance, and I could finally do something for me. I went to orientation in January ,and started DPV.  I went home in my glowing sweat and told Shea there was a Jr.s program.

She looked at me disapproving, knowing me and all my crazy schemes I try to get her on board with.
I demanded she just come to orientation, and if she wasn't in, cool. No harm, no foul. 
But she had to go to orientation.
(There are only a few things you get grounded for when you're 13 in my house)

I have no idea what she was thinking when we walked into this place, this sweaty, smelly, hotbox of an oasis of power.  She had to be just as scared and intimidated as I was.

So, we sat at the table with two other scared little girls and their dads.  As Hellphie gave the spiel, the sign up sheets were slowly slid from under my hand and and to my surprise, she was intend on filling that bad boy out.  Before I knew it, she was in loaner and on the track, being coached around by Blazin' Half Asian.  Who Shea still will tell you, was the first friendly face who made her feel at home.

As a self proclaimed "Tiger Mom", I have forced my offspring into as much as I could.  You know idea, of throw it all at the wall, and see what sticks? Welp, I figured I'd just expose to to anything and everything, and hoped she'd find her passion.

That day, she found it, with full speed ahead.  She went full immersion into Derby Culture.
A kid who only gives 100% when I am chasing her down, finally cared about something.
WHEW!

 She failed Level I twice, each time gave her more drive to work harder and be persistent.

Ric-A-Shea passed level I on June 28! 

Echo Park

We headed up to LA for the Varsity Brawlers vs Hard Corps derby bout.

Echo Park was way cool!

Even if it had naked peeps riding bikes all over..