(This is cross-posted at BlogHer.)
I’ve never been especially good at roller skating. I did skate a little bit as a kid, and sometimes I’d go to a rink that was located about 30 minutes from our house. When I was a teenager I attempted to graduate to roller blades. I would borrow an extra pair from a friend and we’d skate outside on the streets around her home. I armed myself with a helmet and protective padding, stuck to the flattest roads I possibly could, and never went particularly fast.
The one time I didn’t stick to a flat surface was a memorable experience. I wasn’t paying attention to the road, and I found myself going down a hill that I hadn’t planned for (I’m sure my version of “pre-planning” would have involved steering myself into the grass and walking down the damn hill). I was picking up speed and didn’t have any idea what to do. I made it almost to the bottom before my feet decided to shoot out from under me, and — WHUMP! — I fell backwards, straight on my butt. I was pretty sore for a while after that.
When I was in my late teens I decided to try again, so I bought my own pair of roller blades. I had a few friends who liked to go to a not-very-busy road and skate around, so I did that with them several times. I ended up giving the skates away a few years later, though.
The thing is, I’m not fearless enough to be good at roller skating. I was — and still am — afraid of falling. If I decide to introduce a little violence into my cardio, I’ll go pummel a punching bag or something (ha!).
This is why, when I attended my first in-person roller derby match not long ago (yay, DC Rollergirls!), it reconfirmed for me that I made the right choice in not pursuing this sport — the shoving, and the jostling, and the blocking, and the falling are a huge part of the action. While it certainly makes for an interesting spectacle, I have no desire to volunteer as a participant.
Roller derby is definitely a physical sport, but in the absence of shoving and falling, watching a pack of girls skate around a track can sometimes get monotonous. (Please don’t yell at me — I’m not denying the presence of rules. I also admit this is the observation of someone who doesn’t know very much about the sport, and doesn’t regularly watch any other sports in-person or on TV. This is the same reason why people enjoy watching fights break out in ice hockey, right?)
Sometimes when a roller-girl would fall, she’d take out a referee at the same time. That was cool!
I think the most fascinating aspect of roller derby is the people who choose to participate. Many of these women have normal, everyday jobs, just like I do. But after work they go to these strenuous practice sessions, and sometimes they have to train for months (including learning the “correct way to fall,” which means falling forward on your protective padding instead of backward) before they’re allowed to play in a formal match.
Is roller derby something you would try?
Related Reading:
A photographer from DCist attended the same roller derby match I did and took photos.
HowStuffWorks: How Roller Derby Works
Jeanne at Periodic Elements of Style fell in love with roller derby after attending her first bout a few months back. She was immediately caught up in it because “I’m super-competitive, love terrible puns, and am all for women doing awesome fun things.”
Meredith Barnhill: The future of roller derby is brats… (12-18 year-olds, that is)
Roller Derby Disorder gives tips on how to protect the toes of your skates. (Many roller girls resort to using duct tape!)
The Long Island Roller Rebels give recommendations for what type of skating gear you may need.
Yo, Yenta! attended a roller derby match and loved it. She also loves rollerblading. So why doesn’t she try the sport for herself? “[N]ow that I’ve witnessed the violent spectacle of roller derby up close, I have realized something important about myself: I am a total wuss. Those chicks would make me cry inside of five minutes.”
New York Times: With Names That Could Kill, Women Rev Up Roller Derby
Daily Herald: Not your mama’s rink: Roller Derby has come along way, baby
11 Comments
I was at that match (game? not sure about the proper terminology.) It was a damn good time even with my very rudimentary understanding of the rules.
I have to admit, I find most sports really boring to watch. I feel like kind of a sham sometimes because I DO exercise and I really enjoy it but watching it? No thanks. I know absolutely NOTHING about teams or players or any of that.
I suck at all forms of skating. I think its genetic. I’ll watch it though! Especially if it involves chick fights! woo!
this may seriously undermine the impression people who have never met me have of my masculinity, but here goes:
i can’t watch figure skating. because i find myself having to turn every time someone jumps, worried that they’ll fall and crack their skull wide open or break their face into shards.
so you’d think roller derby would be out of the question. but it’s kind of like football with all the collisions. and it’s on wheels. i.e., it’s like football on wheels. and for some reason, that’s actually really watchable.
I would totally rollerderby just so I could dress up in those crazy costumes!!
There’s something undeniably hot about chicks with tattoos and skimping costumes beating each other to a pulp on roller skates…
I reallly wanna do this when my daughter is a bit older.
some for the overtheknee socks and a lot for the experience.
it’s big here in austin!
hahahah! I just watched a re-run of No Reservations and Anthony Bourdain was in LA, where he somehow got roped into watching roller-derby. In a word, NO. I would not roller derby. Not only can I not rollerskate, but I might cry and how would I ever live that down?? Even Bourdain wouldn’t do it!! ;-)
Love Roller Derby. So much that I went as a Roller Derby girl for Halloween…
I love roller derby, I think if you don’t understand what’s going on – and don’t have a favorite team/player it’s hard to stay excited about!
I love the rush, though. My tryouts are January 4th, so we should see what happens but you are right, I’m just fresh meat and I skate at least 3, 2 hour periods (if not 4) 3 times a week!
I’m also thinking of taking up Crossfit, too. :)
So glad you went to a bout.
Just saw this post! Thanks so much for linking to my blog! I roll with Big easy and it’s been a really interesting experience getting to cover something in which I’m participating. :D