Sock Derby!

It's amazing how exhausting an off skates day can be. Today I was reminded that running is so much more work than skating! Due to the wacky spring schedule, we were shuffled up to the meeting rooms for practice which meant no skating for us. However, our ever clever trainers came up with a very full and exhausting day.

We were suppose to bring all our gear except our skates. I, in a rush this morning, grabbed my skate bag after pulling out my skates. Sadly, I had forgotten that my helmet wasn't stored in there at the time....I realized that once I opened my gear bag for practice. Thankfully we were being split into groups and someone lent me their helmet for the one section we needed it.

That's where I started. We played sock derby! Okay, it was really shoe derby as we wore our shoes which was a much better plan than sock derby. Fewer toes get stepped on that way. As we are a mix of experienced Debs and those who have yet to go to a bout, we went over some of the basics. It was a lot of fun. No hitting was allowed, only positional blocking. One thing that was pointed out was how easy it is to use your forearms and elbows and why this is a bad habit. I got the chance to play as pivot, blocker and jammer. When I was the jammer for my team, the other jammer got lead and then promptly got a plenty for track cutting. This meant a power jam for us! (We weren't keeping score) This was fine the first pass and I think on the second pass there was a "no pack" call made. By the end of that one and into the next one (or two, I don't remember), I really wanted to be on skates. Running is a constant movement where I have momentum from skates and get a bit of a breather. As there was no lead jammer, I think we went a full two minutes. The coaches may have called it early. I don't know. I just thought I was going to die. I can definitely skate fast for that long, but running wasn't fun at all. The coaches then used the group on the track to explain cutting and then the no pack situation and how blockers can drop back to reform the pack.

After that, we went to see Mischief, who is the current head of Debs. We went over safety stuff again (who are our safety people; what has to be there before we skate; when do you fill out a form) and then got into one of my favorite things. Writing down goals. I've not always been at the practice where we do this but I really like it when I am. It means that at some point I'll get to look back at that card and remember what I thought was important today. We also filled out the other side with our name and skating background and how we got into Debs. I started to write it out and I realized that I started 5 years ago. While a lot has changed (especially in derby; one whistle start instead of two, small plows instead of large ones, no minors), there's still a lot that is the same. I'm still in Debs. I'm no longer in the pink/beginning group but I still miss enough practices that it'll probably be a while before I move up. I'm really thinking of doing some of the NSRG and MNRG clinics this spring so I can get some of the contact work/experience and more time on my skates so that I can eventually move up. Not that I don't like being with the intermediate group, but some day it would be nice to scrimmage.

Finally, we moved to see Nasty for some muscle memory work. This one was harder for me as I was still trying to catch my breath from the crazy jamming. I also may have knocked something back out of whack in my back in all the jostling of pack work. I'm sure my chiropractor will be amused. We worked on balance and foot placement for small snow plows. It's amazing how difficult balance becomes when you close your eyes. The best part of this session was hearing a skater say how the snow plows are really hard for her but the opposite action is really easy. It's affirming to be reminded that some skills will be easier simply by the way in which our bodies are made.

I'm excited that this is the start of a 5 week, uninterrupted practice time for me! I'm working some early mornings so I can make Sunday practice. In fact, the only reason there's an interruption is because of Easter. Looking forward to it!