New Year, New Blog

I'm Steph - AKA Shiza Rebel of the Severn Roller Torrent roller derby league and this is my shiny new blog, created right on cue after the first practise of the first month of 2009.

So... roller derby. Firstly, roller derby is FUN. Skirts, skates and stripy socks - what more does a girl need? That was pretty much the attraction for me - the whole image of be-who-ya-wanna-be that surrounds the sport. Gym posing has never held any attraction for me, I can't run for toffee and my hand-eye co-ordination is awful. Roller derby is a sport I can see myself being OK at and I love that its not something where you're expected to be super fit (or super young!) to be able to do.

Also, did I mention the stripy socks?

So... first practise of the year, and my first practise with my new rollergirl name. It took me ages to choose a name. Morgan le Faytal was a close second (and probably more appropriate) but I finally went with this one because - and you'll laugh at this - I already use a variant of it at selected internet haunts so I know I'm comfortable with it. Plus the song from which its taken is kickass. So thats why the name. If we're shortening it, I'll go with Rebel please which has a certain irony to it given what a mouse I can be. I'm very very shy and learning people is proving at least as hard as learning to skate.

Today's practise went well. Its great seeing just how much people are improving week on week although personally I felt decidedly wobbly, it being three weeks since my last practise AND having sat on my backside and ate my weight in chocolate and mince pies over Christmas. This wasn't helped by post-practise munching of many, many things that aren't on my metaphorical diet sheet but I was starving.

Its... harder work than it looks from the outside and my thighs are seriously going to regret it tomorrow. I really need to make the effort to work on my leg muscles away from practises as they're decidedly out of condition. I also really need to put some more effort into learning how to stop. I can do forward. I can fall fine. I can't stop though which is a little embarrassing. Once or twice would be OK, failing every time just smacks of lack of effort.

I'm also embarrassed to say I still haven't managed to fix all my teammates names in my head. I almost know everyone's real name, but only a handful of skater names which I really must put right.

I'm going to leave it there for now. I've two more practises this month (I think) on the 10th and 17th. The 24th isn't happening as our hall isn't free and some of the girls are off to watch the Edinburgh team kick some ass, which sadly I'm missing as it coincides with someone's 30th that I promised to attend months ago and the week after I am on the south coast.