Derby Madness

Last night at derby practice something funny happened. I was skating with Flexi Wheeler, one of our best skaters (she's been skating for 40 years!!) and she asked me if I had done any contact stuff yet like blocking, hitting, etc. I had barely gotten out the word "No" when she bashed into me. I went down on one knee and recovered quickly, so that was pretty fun.

We continued to do a couple other maneuvers with her cutting in front of me and leaning against me. I think I fared pretty well. Flexi even said she was impressed at how solid I was on my skates when taking a block or with her leaning in on me. Yay!!

She got me out of my comfort zone a little too, getting me to skate a bit faster and trying to make me "put up or shut up" about crossovers. I just need to f-ing do them and not be afraid of falling!! Falling is not the end of the world!! hehehe Though, truth be told. I'm not at all afraid of falling forward, that's where all my protective gear is (knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards). What I'm afraid of is falling backwards!! That really hurts!!

I think my main fear of crossovers is that I feel like I'm going to trip over my own feet. That's been know to happen to me just walking down the street, and now I'm trying to possibly do it on purpose?!? Yikes! ;) I am getting steadier and steadier on my skates by the day so I think it's only a matter of time until I can do them without being freaked out about falling. Flexi also said that with skating faster, you actually get a better sense of balance. So I will be working on that as well.