There's A New Sport in Town (or Somewhere Nearby)

The conversation usually starts out with someone asking me about my T-shirt, sweatshirt or the bag of equipment I'm lugging around with a helmet dangling from the straps.

"I'm involved in roller derby, and this is my league's logo, or this is my roller derby gear, I'm on my way to practice" ... "YES!  We have a roller derby nearby!"

Little did they know they've just opened the door for me to talk about my favorite thing in the world — roller derby. I'm normally shy and not one to strike up a conversation with strangers, but ask me about roller derby and I turn into a different person. To me, derby is just that amazing that I could talk about it for hours.   

I found roller derby in the early days of its resurgence, back when there were leagues really only in the larger cities and college-towns: New York, Chicago, Madison, Boston, Philly (my original league), and of course, Austin, Texas — where the rebirth began. I was interested in refereeing right from the beginning because I wasn't sure I could devote the time that skaters have to. Little did I know that this new thing would grab me by my soul and never let go. This was almost seven years ago, and after one short stint as a retired official, I had to get back to it. I loved it so much and it had become such a part of my life.  

Roller derby is now played on a flat-track instead of the banked tracks of the past. It is also striving to be regarded as a legitimate sport and trying to shake the campy image that people have of it.  

When I say that finding roller derby has changed my life for the better, I almost feel like that is an understatement. I now have hundreds of friends, and real friends, too, not just social media "friends." The connection we all have to this sport we are building keeps us tied together. Tournaments and big events are like reunions that we actually look forward to. If a derby person is going to East-Nowhere on a business or family trip, they know they can meet up with derby people and have a tour guide, new friends, a place to sleep, or a practice they can attend to get their derby fix/attendance requirement for the week.

I have changed for the better inside as well.  I have been able to overcome crippling shyness. I can speak better in front of a crowd. I now have a desire to eat better and be more fit, and the nasty body and self-image issues from weight are less likely to bother me. I know that I am accepted for who I am within the derby community, and what makes me unique brings something to my circle. I have learned how to deal better with difficult people, which helps at work and in other life-situations. If I'm having a bad day, a good practice will change things around for the better. I can now plan an event for thousands of people over the course of three days and in multiple locations, and know how to work with a team of planners, and not let ego get in the way of producing the best event possible. I know now that if I need anything, even if I need to be picked up from a train station in the middle of the night, there is someone to call.

That is just some of what lies below the actual sport of derby and what the fans and spectators see, but it's some of what drives men and women from all walks of life to come together several days a week to spend their money, risk injury, and to dedicate so much of their "free" time to making this sport work. I can't imagine my life without roller derby.  

Also, the sport is fast, furious, hard-hitting, and exciting. It really is so much fun.  See!  I've already gushed so much about why I love derby, and I haven't even touched on the sport itself.   

For anyone interested in learning more about roller derby or getting involved, check out your local league. The one closest to Ocean City is Shore Points Roller Derby, and they can be found on line at: http://www.facebook.com/ShorePointsRollerDerby.

Anyone who would like to learn to play can get a head start by dusting off you old skates (the older kind, not in-lines) or heading to a local roller rink to brush up on their skills.  Becoming part of a team requires hard work and dedication, but that a willingness to learn and to try is worth more than already knowing how to skate, stop, or fall properly.