I went to Saturday newbie practice again, with the husband and little one in tow - just to get the family out of the house and moving - there's a playground next to where we skate. I did a bit of drills, some laps, helped a little, and then we had appointments to get to. It was nice to see people, and get moving some more. Our new girls are looking amazing, I can't wait to see them play!
At night I went to the hockey game at our new venue to help promote our season, and it turned out to be a really good time. I took my older daughter, because she wanted to help, and her best friend goes to all the hockey games, so they met up for a sleepover there. Hockey fans are such a natural fanbase for derby! I had done promotion with the league at the venue for a cage fighting/ MMA event a few months prior, and response was not so warm. At hockey, everyone was excited to take a schedule, ask us questions, watch our footage, and lots of people said they would come, and asked for season ticket info! It was really, really exciting, and fun to talk to people about our league.
This was good remedy for what ails me, as far as trying to find some excitement in what we're doing. Seeing the fans so pumped to come see us was amazing. Especially they way the super - rabid hockey superfans kept talking to us about our sport in the context of sports - almost no one was asking if it was fake or talking about its older incarnation on tv. They were talking about it as the new sport they wanted to learn about and be a fan of. That's progress. Or maybe, that's our real market? Hockey fans - I love them!
My captain and another skater I love pretty much talked me into going to Munecas practice on Sunday morning, but in the end I didn't go because I had a big test to study for, and I had promised my older daughter and her friend a movie in the afternoon for making Honor Roll. I saw the Uninvited and helped them shop for Valentines Dance dresses instead :) Priorities.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
February 5th - First Thursday Team Night
So I went to my team's practice in Santa Fe again. This time for some exercise, but also because we're doing a team dinner on First Thursdays. ( I capitalize because this was always a free admission to galleries artwalk Baltimore event) I had fun working with new kids again, and broke a sweat drilling some. The best part for me was the family feeling that's happening - and I don't mean among teammates. There were 2 friends of skaters watching, a happy grandma with a new skater's baby watching, and at one point, someone's husband and kids popped in to watch and cheer for bit.
My first league was full of moms, and our kids and partners were around all the time - it was a very family friendly environment. Here, when I first arrived, I was one of 3 moms, and the kids are rarely at practices or league events. It feels more like home to have peoples' families around. It's part of what I found really empowering in the beginning - that we could do this thing as mothers, and didn't have to keep our family lives separate from it. We could be all the things that we are (athlete, mother, friend, teammate, worker, etc.) in the space we created, instead of compartmentalizing. I loved the idea that all of our kids were growing up exposed to this environment we'd created - all the diverse women, the hard work and competition, making things happen together. It especially made me happy to think about what the little boys would be like when they grew up, having been raised in derby practices, fundraisers, and bouts, babysat by rollergirls, etc.
After practice we had dinner together, and it was a really good time. As usual, derby attracts amazing people, and I was delighted to learn more about the newer folks, who are all fascinating. There are also even more moms than I thought, which is also nice. People brought partners, too, and their other halves were equally as interesting and fun. I am excited to get to know all of these people better. All told, I am feeling better, but still not excited by actually playing derby. At least I'm feeling more like I've found a home, though. It's a start.
My first league was full of moms, and our kids and partners were around all the time - it was a very family friendly environment. Here, when I first arrived, I was one of 3 moms, and the kids are rarely at practices or league events. It feels more like home to have peoples' families around. It's part of what I found really empowering in the beginning - that we could do this thing as mothers, and didn't have to keep our family lives separate from it. We could be all the things that we are (athlete, mother, friend, teammate, worker, etc.) in the space we created, instead of compartmentalizing. I loved the idea that all of our kids were growing up exposed to this environment we'd created - all the diverse women, the hard work and competition, making things happen together. It especially made me happy to think about what the little boys would be like when they grew up, having been raised in derby practices, fundraisers, and bouts, babysat by rollergirls, etc.
After practice we had dinner together, and it was a really good time. As usual, derby attracts amazing people, and I was delighted to learn more about the newer folks, who are all fascinating. There are also even more moms than I thought, which is also nice. People brought partners, too, and their other halves were equally as interesting and fun. I am excited to get to know all of these people better. All told, I am feeling better, but still not excited by actually playing derby. At least I'm feeling more like I've found a home, though. It's a start.
Monday, February 2, 2009
I practiced a little.
I went to travel team practice yesterday morning. I did drills, and watched scrimmage. There is no way in hell, after not skating for months, that I'm scrimmaging a team that's going to a tourney in less than 3 weeks. Maude forbid my form is sloppy and I break one of them - we have a shortage of strong players here, and I won't be responsible for shortening that roster... Drills were fine, my knees were killing me all day after, just achy from all the impacty agility training. Nothin exciting, just nice to watch the tt do their thing.
Sad to hear the newer skater sitting out with me talk some party line brainwashing of one particular super competitive skater about how "you can tell who really wants it by who shows up." I said "and you can tell who has other priorities by who doesn't - that's what home teams are for. not everyone needs to be a Rock Star." More on this subject later, but I' m about over the positioning of some people to oppose and shame anyone on a league who isn't willing to give up their entire life to play derby 24-7. Everyone has value in a league - EVERYONE, each at her own ability and availability. Even the girls who don't "want it".
Sad to hear the newer skater sitting out with me talk some party line brainwashing of one particular super competitive skater about how "you can tell who really wants it by who shows up." I said "and you can tell who has other priorities by who doesn't - that's what home teams are for. not everyone needs to be a Rock Star." More on this subject later, but I' m about over the positioning of some people to oppose and shame anyone on a league who isn't willing to give up their entire life to play derby 24-7. Everyone has value in a league - EVERYONE, each at her own ability and availability. Even the girls who don't "want it".
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