Roller Derby is Magic

I never was one for team sports- as in, I’ve never really played team sports before, so this whole Roller Derby thing was kind of new for me. I love people, though, and I have a positive outlook on almost everything I set out to do, so I figured, what the heck, this might just be for me. I’ve learned a lot since then. Teamwork is hard, being a part of a league is hard- it takes time, effort, and there are plenty of bumps and bruises along the way (literally and figuratively). All of that is superseded by the mere fact that it is the most rewarding sport I have ever been a part of. I am proud to be a rollergirl, I am proud to be a Brawler, and proud to be a Bomber. There’s something about the game that is just too perfect to describe in words.

Spiritually, I’ve learned a lot about myself. I’ve learned that I CAN be a team player, and that I can interact socially with people. It has done wonders for my self-esteem, my confidence, and my attitude on life. I believe now in myself as an athlete, after almost seven years of being a pretty much sedentary angst ridden, socially awkward teenager.

Physically? I feel amazing. Well, I feel very sore all of the time, and my hamstrings are really tight, and I end up spending fifty dollars a week in copays for physical therapy… But at the end of the day, I feel like I am really making a difference in my life and that I getting stronger and better after every practice… Not all practices make me feel better, just like not every scrimmage was an improvement… Overall, though, I would say that I am feeling myself get just a little stronger. The more I push, I feel small improvements- like I can do one more pushup than last practice, things like that- and that is what really matters.

As SporkofTitan (Potomac Ripper) said, “Roller Derby is magic.”

I know what that means. That means that no matter what, this game is amazing, and this is why we play, and this magical game is what changed my life.

Magic.

- Lana GetDirty #450