With the start of the new year, I had made myself one single solitary resolutions. And that was to make WFTDA my bitch and become bout eligible. I am ecstatic to say I am oh-so-very close :D
The SCAR Dolls had decided to do a league wide skills testing at the start of the year. Great idea. It was to be broken up over a few weeks. The first week we did the 25:5, falls, hops, jumps. The next week was for hips, whips, pacing, obstacle avoidance. It was sooooooo much fun. Although I am convinced that I am completely off my rocker saying that it was fun. but it was.
Our first week of testing I was super nervous. basically because of being tested on falls. I feel that I fall small but it is the recovery and getting skating again that I struggle with. So an hour before practice started I decided to go to open skate. Probably the best idea, because that day was the best I have skated...probably ever. I successfully completed by one knee falls, the ones that I was most concerned about.
Skating on one leg was something that my sister (Evilution) and I have been working on at open skate. And it sure did pay off. I was skating with confidence and did much better than I thought I was going to do.
Next the 25:5. I was close to puking I was so nervous. Endurance is most definitely not my strong suit, but it's getting better. I was also nervous because I am still working on doing cross overs. I know you can still do the 25:5 w/o cross overs but they sure do help. I told myself that I would be happy with 15 laps. That was something that would give me a good standard to work towards. That skill is definitely more mental than anything. I tried to keep with the positive self talk to keep pushing. The encouragement from my counter, assessor, and the fellow derby ladies helped so much. helped me dig that much deeper and push that much harder. the final number? 20.5 laps. Did I pass? No. Am I happy with that number? Fuck. Yes. I did so much better than I thought I would do. Plus to add 5 laps? No biggie. Not to mention that I fell during the skill. I felt like a bonehead, my focus and confidence shaken. It's hard to recover mentally from that. But I'm super happy with it. I'll get it next time :D
We had a girl fall pretty hard, it was quite scary even as a on looker, I could only imagine being in her skates. I haven't seen her since it happened but I hope that she has recovered and that she will try skating again.
I did pass the 4 point, baseball, or double knee fall. or hipcheck and the 25:5. that may seem like a long list, but I have come leaps and bounds from when I first started by clinging desperately to to the walls :)
I feel like that I failed those falls because I was so exhausted. It was a physically demanding and I loved it. I don't even remember going through some of those drills. That's good right?!?!?!
I love me some derby
Auf Wieder Slayin
