Now, me talking about roller derby is really nothing new, but last night the Castle Theater played "Derby Baby-A Story of Love, Addiction and Rink Rash" and it got me thinking about how much I love it. The documentary was well done, truly captured the good, the bad and the ugly of the modern roller derby movement and really filled my heart with all of those feel good vibes roller derby is so known for. Words couldn't even express how I was feeling after watching it, but I'm going to try to get it out now.
First of all, I completely recommend watching this movie if you want a glimpse into what this crazy sport is all about. Speaking of this sport, one of the things that the movie explored was the way that what we do is perceived as entertainment and the movement the last few years to be recognized as a sport instead. I will be honest, when I started derby I was so intrigued by the culture of it that I wanted to completely submerge myself in it. I wore the colorful tights and knee socks and bows in my braids. I got cute skirts and shorts just for derby, put bright colored laces in my skates and stickers on my helmet. Over time though, I started to realize just how athletic this sport was requiring me to be. I have always played sports, so that wasn't anything new to me but it was kind of unexpected that this crazy culture I was so intrigued by was also really tough! When I would watch bout video after the fact, I was shocked by the amount of time I spent adjusting all those cute pieces of my boutfits. I didn't realize just how distracting they were to me. So came a change in my derby wardrobe, tighter fitting yoga capris or thin fishnets and spandex shorts, and ultimately less fuss while playing. This seems to be a trend with derby girls that commit themselves to the athletic aspect of the sport, and almost a natural progression. Every league experiences the differences across their members, and that's the magic of roller derby, no one seems to care. My favorite part of roller derby (and a major piece of the Derby Baby movie) is the melting pot that it is. Leagues around the world are all made up of women of all shapes and sizes from different backgrounds coming together for the same reasons. Some girls come in for the boutfits, some girls come in for the physical aspect, some girls come in as a bucket list type of thing. There's no cookie cutter derby girl, and that's A-Okay!
Roller derby motivated me to get back to the fit in shape person I used to be, and essentially saved my fat ass. Derby isn't the only reason I have lost weight, but it was what I needed to kick start lifestyle changes that in turn have improved my game.
Roller derby has provided me with a whole new family while also reminding me just how awesome my real family and friends are as they support me in this craziness. Through all my ups and downs my derby family has been by my side, cheering me on, celebrating my victories, and supporting me when I hit some road blocks. Just a simple text from a teammate "Hey Jackers, thinking of you!" can turn a shit day right around. Like any family, there's going to be tension and fights and unpleasant times, but luckily our family is all in this for the love of derby and chooses to make that more important.
Roller derby has done wonders for my self esteem. Not only have I found something I am good at, but like anything else I have ever done, it wasn't easy. I have been frustrated and grumpy many times when I just couldn't master a skill, but thanks to a little support from my team I always conquer those obstacles. When I do finally figure something out, there is no greater feeling. Roller derby has broken me down and built me back up. To quote Mr. Ice Hurt, I "cashed in my reality check" when I didn't make the AllStars last year and I worked my ass off to become a better skater. That shit sucked, but now that I know what rock bottom feels like it makes it all worth it. I remember that feeling and it is my motivation every time I try to master a new skill or take the track with my team.
Roller derby is a support system, a stress reliever, a physical outlet, a community conscious group, a sisterhood, a badass, super fun, one of a kind experience. Roller derby is empowering, it is all volunteer based and run by the skaters, for the skaters. Nobody gets paid to do it and yet there is so much passion packed into it. That is amazing to me.
If you have never seen a bout, I really encourage you to check it out sometime soon. The MissFits are committed to bringing family friendly fun and community support to McLean County and are always looking for new fans to share it with. If you have ever considered strapping on a pair of skates and trying this wonderfully scary sport out, I really think you should! Even if you have never skated, our freshmeat committee starts from square one and has a system to build you into the derby girl you want to be. Yes it takes a lot of commitment from you, but your new found sisters are always going to be by your side. We always need off skates volunteers and on skates refs as well, so if you are a lady OR a dude that thinks this all sounds a little awesome we have room for you in our family as well.
Roller Derby is the best thing that has ever happened to me and I'm so glad I have the opportunity to be a part of something so awesome.
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