Freshmeat Class begins…
So the entire month of waiting has brought me to the first fresh meat class with excessive trepidation and much hype in my own mind. Of course I have only put on my brand new skates 2 times in the 3 weeks that I have owned them. The first time was in my kitchen the very week I bought them, where I then fell and kicked my 3 year old, bringing her to tears. She lectured me for days that “we are not allowed to wear skates in the house”. The 2nd time I put them on was right before driving to this class to pose for a photo in full derby gear for Facebook.
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| Optimistic in my new gear! |
So it is here I find myself walking into Roll On America for the first time ever, not having actually skated in 6 + years. Open skate is happening and I stand around looking lost near the entrance with my neighbor until a roller girl finds us there and points us in the right direction. We are taken to a dark, cold, crowded (slightly scary) back room where a group of girls & women are already gathered with paperwork. And yes I am exaggerating but not for the last time I wonder if I am in the right place.
We, the fresh meat, are introduced to a few of the vet skaters, a Bad Ass Mama, a Juggz and a Meanie. As someone who is psychotically organized I find the meeting mildly confusing with several folks chiming in with different opinions. (I later attribute this to recent changes in the league). The girls around the table seem to regard each other with bewilderment or possibly this is my own reflection? As I size them up, most appear to look much more badass than me and all look far cooler. After introductions, in which one future skater introduces herself as having been shot recently (WHAT!?), I again wonder if I am in the right place. But I join the rest of the group in strapping on my new pads and lacing up my skates. And try not to throw up on the floor.
Cautiously we make our way onto the rink and I think possibly I will never be able to do this as I watch the leveled up derby girls. They race around the small track with such determination and turn in a blink to the whistle. I am in awe of them as I struggle to just stay upright on my skates and learn about derby stance and using my toe stop to stand. This is much harder than you would imagine, not using your hand to get up when on skates. My thighs are not prepared for these any of these moves and protest in agony. We learn basic moves that night, a variety of knee falls, toes stops and the impossible t-stop. I will go into details later about learning these moves but the highlight of that class was stealing glances at the real practice. I can’t imagine popping off me knees like they do, or sprinting and hitting. But as my immature, weak legs find their derby balance, I yearn to let go and skate the track. And I know that in my heart I am in the right place.
From a Freshmeat perspective- Jaime
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