Long time no post

I feel quite bad, I haven't been as faithful my idea as I had hoped. I haven't posted in two months. How shameful. That's the life of a university student. Well none the less I do wish to share my fresh meat experience, and I will explicitly tell you all of my triumphs and failures.

The WRDL's freshmeat program takes after the Montreal's Roller Derby Freshmeat program. The difference is the WRDL's program is 12 weeks, I have only three months left in my program. I am coming a long I think. I need to practice more, I am only up to 16.5 laps in 5 minutes, which is a long way from the first day when I only got six. I am slowly progressing, although I have a sneaking suspicion I will not pass this year. Maybe I am just being silly, but I am not sure.

Last practice I was so close to getting to 17 laps, my legs burned as I tried my hardest to keep my feet going around the corners. I still can't crossover, it's a horrifying prospect, especially since I just put new wheels on. I've got Lunatics and Maniacs on the left and right respectively. My old wheels were outdoor ones, and I am still getting used to them. It's only been two practices, and I have heard the rule to deciding if you like your wheels or not is to wear them for several practices.

 I think one of the things that has touched me, and unnerved me is the community in roller derby. I find the women quite sweet and I love them all. I am not used to the support, it makes me at times feel terribly awkward, and at times I want to shy away. It is the plague of the real reason why I joined roller derby, which is I am looking for the confidence and feeling of self I lost to an abusive boyfriend. I however do not feel the same shame in offering support, I will happily cheer on my fellow fresh meat during our five minute skate. I am happy to offer support when they need it. I cannot help when it comes to form, but I can assure them that they are getting better, and not to worry.

I will push on, today I have to wash my pads, I haven't washed them once yet. I keep forgetting to throw them in. I will push on, and write here more as I have dropped a class. Maybe next monday I will have something interesting to say, although I will leave you with what one woman I share a ride with shared with me. Last week we learned to duck walk, and walk on our toe stops. So once I was home I noticed a video posted on my Facebook wall with This is the only thing I could think of while we did our duck walks and toe stop running. Here is said video enjoy!

FM Tweedledum

On Monday I showed up for my first fresh meat practice. I was so nervous, I didn't know if I would be the worst skater there or if I'd be able to do any of the moves. I wasn't the worst skater ever... I definitely wasn't one of the best. I showed up we watched some of the league girls scrimmage that was really fun, then we had to start getting our stuff on.  I am a student I have yet to pay off my tuition for this term, I have to do that Thursday and much to my dismay I can't afford the 187 pads I want so I had use what I had.

Needless to say, I wasn't able to do any of the falls. It was really kind of embarrassing. Thankfully I have the world nicest boyfriend and he's buying them for me... Safety is sexy! So I will have some nice shiny new pads for my next practice.  Then on the 28th I will buy the other 187 pads. To be honest the practice wasn't too bad, it was kind of ruined by the fact that I felt like an idiot. I like to be perfect and letting down my fresh meat trainers by not having the money for pads is a failure in my eyes. Part if me wanted to just the practice when, I was called over, to talk about my padding. Granted I know why I feel like that, I am notorious for projecting my feelings on others. I felt unworthy of being there, which is silly, I have just as much right as the girls who had all the right girls.

The practice went well other than that. I was disappointed to know that, most of the other girls were incredibly good skaters, they all whipped passed me during our endurance skate. I felt kinda silly toddling along, I only got 7 and a half laps... I was a bit disappointed in myself, but my legs were shaky. I worked really hard, I tried really hard too. I am really impressed with all the other girls who were there. They were really nice and supportive. I am also glad that I wasn't the only one who didn't have the right padding, it makes being the odd one out easier.

It's Wednesday now and I am still super sore. My back is stiff, my legs ache and all I want to do is work out my muscles. I am hoping some yoga and a quick interval run around the block will help loosen them up. Lets pray I do think too much next practice, I would really hate to ruin my derby experience with my head it never knows when to stop.

The Sweet Taste of Fresh Meat

So, I am going to be starting my fresh meat program on Monday October 15th 2012. I have been itching to play roller derby for over a year, the Winnipeg Roller Derby League only has an intake once a year in the fall. I was too late last year, too bad for me.

Why do I want to play roller derby? Well I knew it was going on for a while, but it seemed like a thing for really "hardcore" girls. You know those really scary hardcore punk girls who drink, smoke and strike fear in the hearts of all around them. Silly I know, but a part of me wants to be one of those girls. Not going to start drinking or smoking but I want to be part of a roller derby team. The girls are so strong, sexy and amazing I just have to be one of them. Now as to the thing that drove me over the edge and made me a roller wannabe... You have to promise not to laugh. It was the movie Whip it.

I can really identify with Bliss, I am a shy girl. I don't have a lot of friends. I have been through hell and back. When Maggie Mayhem told Bliss "To be her own hero" . I fell in love, I am a sap at heart. I like to try and hide it but those stupid motivational things get me every time. Watching Bliss go from a scared girl with no confidence to this derby girl brimming with self confidence made me want to join roller derby.

So what did I do, I opened up my web browser and typed in Google. There I tried to find out if the shitty city I lived in had a roller derby team. I was skeptical nothing good ever happens in Winnipeg but we do in fact have a roller derby league. I was so excited, I told my boyfriend and he told me I should see if I could sign up right away. I said I would but I was too scared, so a few months went by my boyfriend and I started a Dungeons and Dragons campaign with some friends. It turns out one of my friend's girlfriend was going through the fresh meat program. We had a conversation about it, she said I was too late to start up and I would have to wait.

So here I am, I am starting my fresh meat program on Monday. Part of me is super excited, it's all I have talked about for weeks. I started a workout program to help me excel in my fresh meat program, but I hurt my leg running so I had to take a few weeks off. I am all better now, I practiced skating on city streets but that was too frustrating. If you have ever been to Winnipeg you will understand, the sidewalks suck. I am an OK skater at best, I can stand, go forward, go backwards sort of, I just can't stop. It's really frustrating I have tried really hard to figure that part out but to no avail.

Anyway, I am hoping this blog will be a window into what it is like to go through a fresh meat program. I am super excited I can't wait to start. I know there will be trials and tribulations, I will hurt and probably fail but in the end when I pass my scrimmage assessment I will taste the sweet victory I crave so much. I will be part of that elusive tribe, I will be one of the chosen few.