Cult of Roller Derby

I'll start this with Wiki's definition of Cult because this year, I believe in the cult of derby:
The word cult pejoratively refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre.^[1] The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices. The narrower, derogatory sense of the word is a product of the 20th century, especially since the 1980s, and is considered subjective. It is also a result of the anti-cult movement which uses the word in reference to groups seen as authoritarian, exploitative and that are believed to use dangerous rituals or mind control. The word implies a group which is a minority in a given society.

So, I was informed from a mutual friend, that one of my closest friends can't stand roller derby, my roller derby friends, me talking about derby...and all things in the middle that involve me and well...DERBY.
I get it. Years ago when I had to tell my father that I was a lesbian, he forbid me to talk about my "lifestyle" around him or in his house. That was 2001, I haven't spoken to him since. I am not loud and biosturous...I will never be the one to make the scene. But I will not be asked NOT to talk about the things that I love and that dominate most of my life. Back then it was a girl named Caroline, now it is a game named Roller Derby. Pioneer Valley Roller Derby to be exact.
So when my 7 year friend "Betty" tells another of our friends (who loves derby) all about how she won't support me and avoids it like the plague. It just gets to me.
Really people.If you are derby players...you know the game. After the first year, it sucks a little bit of your soul every day until it can officially claim you as it's bitch after your first full season.
My first season I came in with excellent skate skills but no derby knowledge. But I still rostered every game but the first. I have traveled and came a long way since the last season from being the one that got to sit out if another player was in the box...to this season, being the one that really needs to stay in. (just so you know, It almost makes me pee my pants when I know I get considered one of our A team players. Bustin' my ass to keep it that way) .
But, this rant isn't just about me.This is about the "derby widows". The friends that get left behind when the Cult of Derby takes you as it's own. I have a lot of friends that say "oh, it's off season we get you back to hang out again!" well, sadly we practice year round.  I miss those friends. They still love me but have developed lives without me. Again, sad.
And I  know I am not the only one.
Please share your stories with me. I KNOW I am not alone.
Please don't get me wrong. I love all of the friends that have been given my way in life. Derby puts a stress on lots of relationships. If I wasn't dating a rollergirl it would be much worse!!!

So, Please, to make me feel more nomal...share your stories with me. I know you have got them!!!


What I want to know from you are your stories about losing friends, making up with friends, getting your friends to finallly join our cult

First Bout of the Season

Well, as luck would have it, a few of our veteran skaters were injured, a few took time off, and one retired from derby last September only to recently come back. So, coming into our first home game of the season presented us with some challenges. We went into this having a mostly new roster and had only practiced twice together as a team. Some

So, we played Ithica League of Womens Rollers, A/travel team the Suffer Jetts. We opened to a fully packed arena in the Williston School's Hockey Arena. We think we had around 550 ( last years local season opener as I best recall had 350). So far doing good.

We moved our sport court to their location, which was a hockey rink that was thawed and had astro-turf laid on it. If you have ever ran along the beach in the wet sand....that is what skating on this was like! You would give a good push, but the floor would absorb all your energy. Half way through warm ups I was already feeling the shin splints. But I knew all my teammates were in the same boat as me.keep going!
Whistle blows.....we flail. at the end of the half time we have somewher around 28 points, Ithica 116.

Regroup.  that's me as pivot below...

I don't know what kind of awesome bonding happened with our teammates in the locker room in that half time, but we came back with the fury of 1000 dragons (I got that off my birthday cd from Davey Jones). At the end of the second half the WMD's arose to have 103 with the Ithica Sufffa Jetts at 164. So basically my team, the WMD's came up nearly 80 points since the half and Ithica only cane up 48. We techinally won the second half.  Yes, we still lost, and you know what...I don't care. My team for all it's newness, pulled itself together and had the absolute BEST attitude all the way through.

I was so amazingly proud of us and what we did together. I played with women that I had not had the priveledge of playing with before. Found crazy Pivot skills in Coors Lightening and was really WOW'd by our newest jammer prodigy Wanda Hurtu. and our Captain, Clam Jammer who both had several Grand Slam Jams!!!
                           

Yep, that's me!

Come see us in a few weeks! It promises to be great and will probably sell out. Get your tickets early! http://pioneervalleyrollerderby.com/

and check out Chewbecca getting the word out about our upcoming flea market!!!

That's all for now!

I don't like horse movies

Two years ago a friend and I were at the movies going to do a double feature for the day. She looks over at a poster and says "hey, what about this one", I say, "I never really liked horse movies", she says "no, Whip It  is about roller derby not kentucky derby". I had never heard of the modern day version of roller derby and like so many people I meet these days, assumed it had withered and died in the 70's.

We see Whip It. Somewhere in there the character Iron Maven is talking with Babe Ruthless and mentions that she is 36 years old. I am not too old for this sport! I get a handful of girlfriends to come to the local roller skating rink with me on "adult skate" night to see if I can still stand up and make it around the track. One of them finds a flyer for the local roller derby leagues "Fresh Meat Night".

Cut to today. That's me in the blue. I am jamming for some reason unknown to me as I am always a blocker, usually swing. Up until that night, I had jammed only a handful of times at practice. This was our last home bout, and the best attended to date. My mom had come up from North Carolina to watch me play and I had an awful lot to prove. We lost horribly. And I sat in the locker room with my teammates and cried and consoled.

In the little over a year and a half I have played this game, I have seen countless broken bones, dislocated shoulders, and am now myself suffering a sprained ankle (although it happend with derby folks, but not on the track). I am now 40 and know my days of beating myself up for fun and giggles are, well, not as many as I may like. In derby the body wares itself out long before the passion of the skater dies.

I have a good day job and I own a small business on the side. A pottery studio. Up until I started roller derby I spent most weekends making pottery and doing craft fairs. This year I am on hiatus. Living a triple life was wearing me down, and I can always come back to pottery. I don't want to still be skating when I am old and broken. I want to know when to say when. Shuffle my aching, battered body back into the clay studio and quietly make some pots.

My team is coed. We skate with our guys every night, and scrimmage against them and with them once a week. Although I can't say I love to scrimmage against them, sometimes I need the kick in the butt to push me to the next level. And I must add, our guys are amazing and the best of gentlemen. In general, skating with and socializing with a group of people 3 or 4 days a week, you become a family. So, in my case, I inherited 16 little and 3 older brothers. Sometimes, I have been hurt by those guys, but honestly, as mad as I got at them for not taking it easy on me, I would have been doubly mad if they had treated me any different.

So, here is where my story begins. I am off to put some heat and arnica on my ankle and say a little mojo over it so it heals in time for next Saturday's bout against Ithica.

Cheers,

Halle PAIN Yo