tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11848293201142320042024-02-21T01:46:40.777-08:00Every Bunny Loves DerbyRoller Derby Insight from a Forever RookieBunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-20979524038838743722011-12-05T09:48:00.000-08:002011-12-05T09:48:49.869-08:00Lesson Twenty-Eight: Get HellBentI know you're hungry for another set of silliness from your favorite Bunnie. But this time I want to just say thank you to every last fucking one of you. I began writing for my own amusement and hell if I didn't actually make a few of you pee a little. I'm not prefacing a good bye letter! damnit, so keep reading! I just wanted to take a few minutes to tell you about a company that is near and dear to my little black heart. That's HellBent Helmets. <br />
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A few years ago me and my best girl, Beattie Sedgwick, came up with a brilliant plan for world domination. It involves lots of loud noises and the end product is a beautiful sparkling custom helmet with a shit ton of attitude. If you want one of your very own or if you want your whole team to shine like the stars that you are, you can order now at <a href="http://www.gethellbent.com/">http://www.gethellbent.com/</a>. The prices will vary but the most basic package is only $100 USD (plus S&H) and includes a new Triple 8 Brainsaver Helmet (with or without the comfy Sweatsaver lining)- painted any color you want, with your name and number in any font you want, an awesome layer of flake to make it really sparkle, and then clear coated to protect that superfine paint job. <br />
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We put all our heart into this new business and can't wait to see you all in your custom HellBent Helmets!Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-53904241062067878702011-10-09T13:21:00.000-07:002011-10-09T13:24:19.911-07:00Lesson Twenty-Seven: We're all in this together.<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> 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<w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="19" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="21" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Emphasis"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="31" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Subtle Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="32" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Intense Reference"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="33" semihidden="false" unhidewhenused="false" qformat="true" name="Book Title"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="37" name="Bibliography"> <w:lsdexception locked="false" priority="39" qformat="true" name="TOC Heading"> </w:LatentStyles> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]> <style> /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">Can I just get something off my chest? <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Roller Derby is the best sport on the motherfucking planet.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Go home if you disagree.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s not just great because it’s both physically and mentally punishing and inspiring, not just because of the <span class="st">camaraderie</span>, well kind of.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But also because this, my friends -the sport of roller derby- is the next great movement that future generations will read about in the history books.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yes, that’s a fact.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Roller derby represents our generations answer to the rights and privileges gained through years of struggle by our predecessors.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I picture history books saying, they got the right to vote, the right to own a house …and then… they got dressed up and played roller skates. This is what our foremothers dreamed of- a world in which we could be smart, strong, outspoken, any color, shape or size, gay or straight and fully unapologetic- fists in the air.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I think about that a lot when I uhh… disagree with someone on or off the track. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Let’s face it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You spend 3 days a week smelling someone and you may get to the urge to throw a helmet once or twice a year.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Or maybe you send a shitty e-mail or five.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s easy to forget your manners.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Below are some tips for saving the drama and navigating the art of sportsmanship gracefully.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">For your entertainment- How to: Don’t be a douchebag, Douchebag.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Unity as one, stand together</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Before you go attacking your own, remember you’re in good company. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You could go anywhere in the world and have a friend on account of roller derby.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Remember, we’re all really on the same team- Thee roller derby team.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Choose your battles</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Leagues have tons of decisions to make and everyone doesn’t always agree.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Before you go full douchebag take a step back and look at the big picture.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Is this life altering? Is some stupid shit really worth it? Huh? Whether the end of season party has silver or black confetti?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If we have that kind of uniform you hate- do you have to burn the whole place down? <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Get a grip. If you want a successful group- everyone can’t win every battle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sometimes you have to take one for the team and shut the fuck up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Don’t take it personal</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Everything isn’t about you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sometimes it’s just about the facts.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If someone says something that ruffles your feathers, picture they said it in a baby voice and everyone thought that was weird.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sometimes things really aren’t all that deep. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Keep a level head</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Never escalate a situation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Try to reason out a good compromise without raising your voice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Stay calm and carry on a civil conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Showing a little restraint will always work to your favor.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">You don’t have to like everyone</p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are some personalities that are just not going to mix well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If someone gets on your nerves just get some distance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t be an antagonist. Sometimes it’s a tone of voice or the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal">way</i> they said it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Give your teammates the benefit of the doubt.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Repeat the mantra: We’re all in this together. We’re all in this together. </p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Be a gossip stopper </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Every time you hear something negative about a teammate behind their back, say something positive about that person.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not only will it steer the direction of the conversation to the positive- it lets the gossiper know that you’re not on that negative tip.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Say it to my face</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Don’t spend a week drafting the most perfectly cutting e-mail.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>These are your friends.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If it’s so important, you need to say it their face.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That way you can talk it out and there’s less chance that you’re misunderstanding each other.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Fix shit</p> <p class="MsoNormal">When a dispute happens be the first to offer an olive branch.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you show someone that you are willing to resolve an issue they are more likely to do the same. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A kind gesture or a simple smile can ease tension.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>put it off.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Don’t look back in anger</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Resolve a problem with a fellow skater and leave it alone.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t think about what an asshat they were- it’s over.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This isn’t some acquaintance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s your teammate so give them a second chance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">This isn’t ‘Nam, man </p> <p class="MsoNormal">There are rules.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The rule is you can’t directly curse someone or physically assault them.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Not the refs, not the coaches, not the NSO’s, not the players.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You got to keep it clean.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>First off, if you can’t say something nice don’t say anything at all.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Secondly, don’t do it in practice. And thirdly, if you love roller derby- you’ll want to play the game by the rules.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The rules define the sport.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And in our sport we respect each other.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Plus, you can sit in the box or go home for your big fat mouth.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But keeping your trap shut in rough waters is easier said than done.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Here’s a trick I use:<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you want to say something mean first make up something 20 times as vulgar and depraved and say it to them telepathically.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then laugh to yourself because they can’t even hear you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Respect your opponent</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The hardest time to play nice is when you’re really in a pinch. When a player or team has you in a proverbial choke hold take the opportunity to learn something.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Sometimes losing is the best training.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Appreciate the gift of knowledge and respect a worthy opponent.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Always shake hands.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Always say good game.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No excuses.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Being a poor sport can sour your roller derby experience quickly.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do your part to make derby fun for everyone by not being douche-y, and I’ll do the same.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-18823859424460150482011-08-09T12:52:00.000-07:002011-09-13T18:21:50.094-07:00Lession Twent Six: "I NEED AN 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mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">I once saw a sign in the window of someone’s Camaro, NEED HELP CALL POLICE.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was one of those sun blockers you put on your windshield on hot summer days.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For years I thought about that sign. Like, what a weird thing to put on your car.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I assumed it meant; if you need help- you should call the police.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It was this odd friendly advice sign slash sun blocker thing.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It wasn’t until I watched that movie “Alive” where the Brazilian rugby team gets stranded in the mountains and they start eating each other.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then I realized, they should have had one of those signs.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My point is, without good communication we would all be cannibals.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s science. So, let’s talk.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Let’s be friends.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And let’s be frank. Just the other day, I found myself screaming “USE YOUR VAGINA!!!” and realized…this is not the most effective communiqué. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So what is? LOL</p><p class="MsoNormal">There's a lot to cover when it comes to communication so here are some highlights:</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Just do it.</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal">The first thing to remember about communicating on the track is this; Actions speak louder than words. Saying something is no replacement for doing some work.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you miss a jammer call it out while you reposition yourself to block her again.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you get fenced in yell, “I NEED HELP!” while juking and hitting your way out.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t yell and wait for someone else to do work- do work yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Remember that you are accountable for this jam, this pass, this moment.<br /></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Touch me.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">When we’re on the track (ok, and at the after party) I want you to touch me.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Coming up on the inside? Touch my left hip and let me know you got that line.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You see the jammer on my outside? Give me a little nudge in her general direction.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Am I running away from you? Grab my jersey- get your wall together.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When you’re on the track- think of your teammates as an extension of your body.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Check in with them and let them check in with you. All. The. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Fucking. Time. </p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Point.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Give away the opposing jammer’s position with one point of your finger.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Point to a gaping hole in your defense and get some help to fill it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>This is easy and effective, and I promise the opposing jammer will pretty much hate you for it.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Have a plan. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Size up the competition and get a plan in place while you have 5 or 30 seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Now’s the time to use all your new found awareness to the good.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Who’s in the box? How does that change the plan?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>What’s the jammer like? What are you going to do about it? A good Pivot will base her/his plans on the abilities of their pack.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You think you can go one on one with that jammer? Speak up.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Are you the least experienced?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Ask for the inside line, and protect that shit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do you have 3 minors? Maybe you’re not the one for this power jam.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Use that huge brain to beat your opponent before you ever take the track.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>In fact, use all five of the brains you got.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Be flexible. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Things change and so do you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You had a pack practically stopped when you see the opposing jammer stand in the penalty box.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You have ten seconds to get to the front with all your friends and run away from the point maker.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>While you’re moving to the front you should be shouting, pointing, and pulling at your teammates.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We’ve talked about switching from defense to offense in 5 seconds, be prepared to change your strategy that fast if it’s not working.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Communication is key in these situations.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You need to get everyone on the same page- and now.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Speak up. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">We’re not making full sentences.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>We’re not contemplating the way of the buffalo.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Use your outside voice and say it all with a few words.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“TO THE FRONT!” “Fall BACK!” “Run!” “Slow!” <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Outside/Inside” “No Jammer!”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“GET HERRRRR!” “NEED HELP!” By the time you get a complete sentence past your mouth guard, the moment is over.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Say my name. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Say my name and you’ve got my attention- even if I’m not looking at you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So don’t just stand there alone in the back of the pack, say it- “BUNNIE- I NEED AN ADULT!!” and I’ll be there in a flash.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Never be afraid to ask for help, we’re always better together. You alone blocking someone with fancy feet? Call a friend to help fence them in.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Never be afraid to ask for help, but remember roller girls help those who help they selves.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Shhhhh, </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Be a secret squirrel sometimes; everything doesn’t need to be broadcast.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Did you spot a goat that needs to be caught? <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tap a teammate and give a little nod in the unsuspecting goat’s general direction. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whisper to your jammer before the jam starts, “I’m your offense, follow me.” <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">It’s a two way Track. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">As much as you talk, you should listen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Your own jammer has something to say and she’s not trying to waste her breath if it isn’t important so listen to her when she’s coming up on the pack.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Listen for your Pivot- remember the plan can change ten times in one jam and you have to be ready to make an adjustment.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">Shenanigans</p> <p class="MsoNormal">You got something against shenanigans? How about the time I told your jammer to call it off …and she did.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Yeah, totally useless.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Take the opposing teams mind and fuck it. Tell them it’s your first bout.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You just lost a contact, your vagina hurts. “I can’t feel my feet…Can you feel my feet?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tell them their jammer went to the box, you love red box, you’re allergic to socks. “Yeah man, I got a rash.” <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tell them there’s no pack, you smoke three packs a day, their skates are untied.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“This jam is no contact, right?”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And while they are thinking about the dumb shit you just said, take action.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p style="font-weight: bold;" class="MsoNormal">How do Bunnie?</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Keep constant dialogues spinning in your mind.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Remember that awarebearness checklist? Run through that.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Get comfortable calling the next play in your head.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Start to say it under your breath.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Soon there will be a time when your adrenaline is pumping and you realize that voice calling out orders is ::gasp:: YOUR VOICE.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Remember when we talked about knowing what’s up at all times? Now that you are an awarebear- it’s time to clock in.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No thinking about jelly beans and unicorns, you are personally responsible for staying alert- and letting your team know it. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>When you communicate effectively with your teammates you’re nurturing those bonds between you and building your tight knit bee hive. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>All. The. Fucking. Time. </p>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-32162182857187253402011-07-05T11:14:00.000-07:002011-07-06T18:32:11.730-07:00Lesson Twenty Five: What the fuck are you looking at?<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>Normal</w:View> <w:zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:trackmoves/> <w:trackformatting/> <w:punctuationkerning/> <w:validateagainstschemas/> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText> <w:donotpromoteqf/> <w:lidthemeother>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther> <w:lidthemeasian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables/> <w:snaptogridincell/> <w:wraptextwithpunct/> <w:useasianbreakrules/> <w:dontgrowautofit/> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark/> <w:dontvertaligncellwithsp/> 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mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size:10.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNormal">If there is one lesson you can learn that will improve your play overnight it’s this one.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It takes lots of practice but if you get this- everything else will come.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It’s simple but it’s not easy.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Take your eyes, and point them …BEHIND YOU!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’ve heard it before, so why aren’t you doing it?<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Maybe you think you do look behind you…and you do…sometimes.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But since you only practice a quick glance to the back of the pack randomly during a drill or jam, that’s just what you do on bout day.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you’re serious about stepping up your game don’t wait until there’s a jammer on your ass to look behind you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you want to be a better communicator, teammate, or a pivot, you will have a steady stare going on behind you and occasionally you will check out the scenery ahead of you. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">And now for a break down: </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Next practice is all about looking behind you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Set yourself to swizzle and put one hand out in front of your body.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You need that hand out front like an antennae feeling for bodies ahead of you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Turn at your hips and shoulders and check out the scene behind you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t just look, study.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>By the end of a pace line drill you should be able to write the attendance list for tonight’s practice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Don’t be afraid to amuse yourself.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I like to play games like, “Who has the most stripes on their socks?” and “Who’s matching me today?” And my favorite, The-“How long do I have to stare at your forehead before you turn around and look behind you?” <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Game.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Do it so much that you become very comfortable looking behind you all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then as your skills develop, you're developing along with them the added bonus of having that natural tendency to look behind you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next step- Get your peripheral on. Don’t fool yourself, looking behind you may have been the first skill you learned but it’s one of the most advanced skills you can cultivate; it’s an art form.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You’ll notice, as you get better at using your peripheral that you don’t have to turn your entire body all the time.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>A slight turn of the head down and to your left can tell you a lot about what’s happening in the pack while still giving you a full view of the chaos you’re currently dealing with.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Move your body out to get a better view while turning your head down and to your left.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then, ever so stealthily, cut inside slightly and grab a view around your right side.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Stretch your peripheral vision every time you use it and it will get broader and more reliable.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>And that’s a promise.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The best reward for increasing your peripheral vision is that you gain the ability to hit without telegraphing-and there’s nothing like a surprise attack!</p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next step, shhhhhhhh, listen.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Can you hear that blocker moving to your right? She’s right behind you and just out of your peripheral, with breath like a dinosaur.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You have your eyes attached to a jammer who’s coming up the middle.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But you know that blocker’s coming around you because you can hear her trying to flank you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you take your eyes off that jammer for one second she’s going to juke around you and then she’s gone.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>So stay ahead of that blocker but get on the jammer, with the knowledge that you’ve got a creeper on your outside.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Listen for her skates, listen for her breath, listen for a big inhale-AND- jump out of the way because you’re about to get hit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Practice listening by listening.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I know, really great advice! But sometimes it’s the easy shit that we forget to practice.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But but butbut, <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>there is so much sound during a jam- coaches, referees, fans, skaters- all shouting!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That’s a valid point, but you’re missing the point.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At first, those things distract you.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At first.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But just like you develop your vision and attention, you develop a careful filtering system for hearing what matters.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>At first, the only thing you need to hear is the referee saying your number, calling lead jammer, or designating where the pack is.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Your coach is talking to the jammer and the pivot.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You are listening to your pivot and your teammates, and they are shouting so just keep those ears perky and stay close.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then, you filter out the crowd sounds and you’ll start to pick out the really important shit.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The next step, know what matters. I know it seems like chaos in a pack. Focus on a few things at first, and then gradually add more when you can.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Focus first on the opposing jammer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Know where she is, how much time she has left in the box, and what her mouth guard looks like.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>No joke, I use the mouth guard as an example, but you need to know her …intimately.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Zone in to her position like a stalker with a record, man.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then you should have a pretty good bead on who’s in the pack and what they are up to.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That goes for both teams. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>If you have a handle on the opposing jammer and your pack, stretch your awareness and find out where your jammer is.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Before long you have the whole scene on lock.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I know it seems so easy, but I want to talk about being a great communicator and a great leader and those things start with a solid foundation in awarebearness.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Get this lesson because the rest depends on your ability to know what’s happening.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>I’ll leave you with a pretty picture.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Someday soon you’ll notice that you aren’t missing the jammer as much as you had before.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>You thought it was just poor blocking skills or you thought she was just too fast for you. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>But the truth is, you can see her coming 120 feet away now, and she doesn’t stand a chance.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"> </p>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-34646468086873426052011-06-04T09:38:00.000-07:002011-07-06T18:34:16.698-07:00Lesson Twenty Four: No shame in my game.When I was a kid the little league baseball coach told my mom I couldn’t play on his team anymore. I had got three black eyes in just a few weeks. “She doesn’t protect her face, and it’s just dangerous at this point.” Cut to me, looking like a little derpette at 7 years old with two big purple eyes. I told my dad I couldn’t play anymore because, “I suck and everyone is better than me.” He said, “Listen- there will always be someone better than you.” At seven I thought he was a dickwad…but now, I see he’s right.<br /><br />To my ladies on the B-teams and new skaters, you keep your chin up and have some pride. If you’re on the B-team- you’re A-team must be pretty bad ass. If you’re brand new just know- it gets better. But I get it, sometimes it makes you feel inferior. You forget that this league is YOUR league too. You forget that you have the potential to be the best damn skater in the country. If you will it dude, it is no dream.<br /><br />It’s hard sometimes to keep it all in perspective. On the real, there is an emphasis on the development of advanced skill havers- sometimes to the detriment of the new recruits. I understand it- skaters with advanced skills are going to get bored working on the basics and who doesn’t want to be THE BEST!? But let me tell you why I bristle when I hear the term “Fresh Meat.”<br /><br />Her kid is wondering where mom is, she spent all her extra money on new wheels and pads, her dude says he doesn’t approve, her family doesn’t get it, she’s not sure she can even do this, all her friends think she’s bat-shit crazy, she’s brand new and hasn’t got one friend on the league. It’s the first day of school all over again. And on top of that? You call her “Fresh Meat” and tell her to get off the track while the big girls play. Fuck that shit.<br /><br />Come here darling, my name is Bunnie, I was new once, just like you, so was everyone in here. We all started just like you, don’t be shy, before you know it you’ll have as much skill as anyone on the track so let’s start with some basics. See that girl out there getting 35 in 5? Two years ago she couldn’t cross over. Oh, and that one that just laid out one of the guys? Yeah, last summer she was holding on to the walls. You’re going to be great one day. Don’t worry your pretty little head, just get out there and skate.<br /><br />I put on some confidence, because I know I’ve got some skill I never had before, but let’s be real- I know my weaknesses. I know where I can improve. My turn stops? Slow. Skate backward? Ehh, ok. And ask me to skate counter-derby direction? My legs are like robots that never got that upgrade. Those things can get better. And like I said before, everyone has something to improve. Don’t let that stress you out- just get on the track and do some work.<br /><br />I wish all the time that I had a video of everyone’s first practice. Just so you know- everyone sucks at first. Even speed skaters have to learn to juke. Jam skaters have to learn some strategy. Everyone has to learn how to hit. And yes. There will always be someone better than you, but they weren’t always. They got that way the same way you will- practice, practice, and more practice. Hold your head up and know that this is a very hard sport. There is no shame in learning. With a little patience and a lot of determination you are well on your way to derby greatness.<br /><br />My philosophy is this- I believe that new skaters are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way. Show them all the strength they posses in stride. I see a future in roller derby. Someday, everyone will know a roller girl/boy. And the average career for a derby girl is three and a half seasons. So who’s going to lead us into the next century? Junior Derby, Men’s Derby, New WFTDA apprentice leagues, Flat track, banked track, old school rules, new rules, co-ed teams, pickup games, “noobs” and the fucking “Fresh Meat” … the future is bright and it’s full of derby. So show some love to the ones coming up.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-38451941501277577852011-05-18T13:26:00.001-07:002011-05-19T09:04:39.717-07:00Lesson Twenty Three: Are you Bout ready?<span xmlns=""><br /><br /><br /><p>I had a day before the funeral of my fiancé. Reality still hadn't set in, and it was bout day. In fact, it was my first bout against another team. I was mentally unprepared for anything. It was an away bout in some fucked up old high school gym with particle board taped together to make a track. My mind was a maze, nothing made sense anymore. I was still thinking, maybe this is all a dream. I'll go home and there he will be, waiting at the door. I wasn't focused.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><p>My derby sisters asked if I would still play, but I didn't even have to answer. They could see, there was no other place I could go-nowhere to turn but left. My knees shook. I wasn't thinking about the rules, or the game, or the opponent, or the floor; I wasn't thinking at all. I was there to make big hits. And I did. I was terrible. I spent the whole game on the floor and in the box. This is the conversation I wish I could have had with myself before that first bout, and before every bout.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><strong>Real gangsta ass bitches don't flex nuts, </strong></p><br /><br /><p style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><strong>cuz real gangsta ass bitches know they got 'em.</strong><br /></p><br /><br /><p>That's not an exact quote…but you know how it goes, you try to be intimidating but it's a little transparent. You hype yourself up all day, then inevitably you play like you played in practice. So we can stop with the bush league psyche-out shit. You're not a raging bull, you're a derby player. Working yourself up to be aggressive can actually hurt your performance on bout day if you're not focusing on the important shit first. Take a deep breath and calm the fuck down. You are a warrior- but you're a smart one. Think first, then annihilate.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Be aware-bear. Knowledge is power. Maybe you did research on the other players, maybe you read the rules five times this week, and maybe you talked strategy with the coaches for hours, maybe you got your whole team together and had a conversation about what you can expect from each of your teammates. And maybe you didn't. Either way, take the time between jams to assess the situation.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>In the 30 seconds between jams, find out your penalty count. Know who you'll be on the track with, and study the way the current jam is going. Find the weakness of the other team so you can exploit it. Use a failed jam to recalculate what's not working- and what is.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>And I know, you have some concerns that you think are really going to matter. But those are just distractions. For example…you think once the jam whistle blows you'll even notice a crowd? I promise, you won't have time to notice them until the final whistle-pinky swear. Also, please quit bitching about the floor. Once the bout starts, you're stuck with the floor and you're stuck with your gear, so man the fuck up. Accept the things you can't change and let that be something that distracts other people, you have work to do. Don't give yourself any excuse to not succeed.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>When it's time to take the track run through this <strong>check list</strong> to really focus your attention.<br /></p><br /><br /><p><strong>Where are your buddies?</strong> If you're not the pivot, check in with them- what's the plan? Prepare to get close to your friends. You don't necessarily have to line up together, but you should have a path in mind to pack it up before the jammer gets to you.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><strong>Check on the opposing blockers</strong>. Size them up, and get in a dominant position on the line. Move your body so close that they move. There, now they are reacting to you and not the other way around.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><strong>Find your jammer.</strong> What are her strengths? Are you worried she'll have trouble in this pack- or is she a loner? Is she a vet or an alternate jammer? Does she take the outside or fight for the inside line?<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><strong>Then find the opposing jammer and be thorough.</strong> What is she wearing? What do her skates look like? What color is the jammer panty? Is she wiley, are you going to need a partner to block her? Is she going to hit her way through? Is she a speed skater or super agile? Then let her know who you're looking at. Wave at her, or point, tell her you're ready for her. Or… is she in the box? That changes things, go back to the top and get on the same page with your team.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p><strong>You're a driver, you're a winner. </strong>Just before the whistle blows, reassure yourself. You have prepared for this moment. You know what to do and you're going to do it. If you go down you'll get up faster, you'll dominate, and you'll stop the jammer. You're team is the best and no one can beat you.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>The truth is, bout day is not as scary as you think it's going to be. It seems that way when you don't know what to expect. You should expect nothing short of the most intense practice you have ever had. You should expect that it will all be over before you know it. Expect to be a little nervous, and expect to overcome it. Expect to wait around for hours. Expect that no one will remember your name; they will remember your team and how well you worked together.<br /></p><br /><br /><br /><br /><p>Finally, until bout day get yourself to practice. That's where games are won and lost. You have to imagine when you're there that the other team is practicing just as hard as you. So make it hurt. Push yourself harder. And above all else, focus. </p></span>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-45632648483062217662011-04-20T22:24:00.000-07:002011-05-19T09:06:38.228-07:00Lesson Twenty Two : I got 99 problems, but a foul ain’t one.WTF! WFTDA is testing out a new rule set where there’s NO MINORS!? …but I thought refs liked minors? Just kitten, but I feel sorry for the refs if the rules are changed. It’s a fierce look you get when you call a major. Not like Tyra Banks fierce, but like…Are-you-sure?-Because-I-could-come-claw-your-eyeballs-out-if-you’re-not!-type of fierce.<br />We are the pioneers of modern roller derby. We have to let some change happen to move into the future. I can dig it, just hope we don’t get dysentery along the way. Honestly, my only objection is that I might have to take another rules test. But then, I can be petty.<br /><br />Before I get to the point, I want to take a second to tell all ref crews everywhere- Thank you! For keeping the game clean and fair. For knowing your shit, and calling us on it. And for… you know, insubordination. In penance, for my fouls, I give you;<br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><strong>The Refs Prayer</strong></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Our Ref crew, who art in stripes,</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">hallowed be thy whistle.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Thy ruling come, </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">thy will be done, </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">in scrimmage as it is in bout.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Give us this jam our penalties,</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">And forgive us our track-cut,</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">as we forgive those who track-cut against us. </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">And lead us not into altercation, </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">but deliver us from foul trouble. </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">For thine is the track, </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">the pack and the jammer, </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">for two minutes at a time. </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center">Good Job.</div><br /><br /><br />This whole issue has me thinking about fouls…well, that and the fact that I came one minor from expulsion in our last bout. So here, for your perusal, is a list of foul trouble, and how to avoid or end it.<br /><br /><strong>Failbows</strong><br /><br />You’re doing one of two things. Either you lead in with your elbows before a hit, or you push off your victim with your chicken wing after you’ve landed a hit. Either way you have to relearn that, because it’s a habit. When you go in for a hit, take your arms out of the equation by pulling them ahead of your torso. Land hits with your body and your hips, not your elbows. Take a few practices off shoulder checks and just use that ass. You could be compensating for weak lateral movement- so work on it.<br /><br /><strong>Sprawling</strong><br /><br />Getting called for Tripping or a Low block? Work on your four point falls, and tuck like a turtle. In some cases you can avoid a foul by showing a ref that you’re trying to fall small. And work on your foot work- hop like a bunny or skate outside.<br /><br /><strong>Flailing </strong><br /><br />Flailing is never good, it happens though. Someone hits you off balance and you instantly act like a starfish. Work on your form and your core strength. If you stand up a lot during practice, stop it. Randomly spend time on one foot-arms at your sides-until people at the office start calling you “Flamingo Girl” behind your back, but you don’t care, you don’t flail.<br /><br /><strong>Being a Dick</strong><br /><br />Passion. That’s your only excuse, and you didn’t think of it until the third shot of tequila at the after-party but now, you are really sorry for that outburst in the second half, and your only excuse for it is passion. So in the future, if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all. And I’m serious; if you aren’t a captain or alternate, don’t talk to the ref crew until the bout is over. Also, you should probably get laid more often if you’ve got so much passion lying around.<br /><br /><strong>OVER THE LINE! </strong><br /><br />This is not ‘Nam, there are rules- and lines. You can get yourself in all sorts of foul trouble if you aren’t aware of your position in relation to the track lines. First, you have to really give up the idea that maybe no one saw you cut the track. If they didn’t this time, they will next time. It may seem like the easy route, but making it a habit is a shortcut straight to the box.<br /><br />Nextly, you have to come correct, when you re-enter the track from the box, you must really come in behind the pack. If you’re re-entering from being blocked out, be certain that you don’t come in ahead of anyone who was in front of you when you went out…and if you aren’t certain, come in behind the pack. Basically, you never want to improve your position on the track by leaving it.<br /><br />If you’re getting called for out of play penalties it’s because you never give up! But when a jammer is fifteen feet out and gaining speed, you need to really rethink your line of attack. Where are your friends? Go find them.<br /><br />Those are a few examples but below is a five step program to help us conquer foul trouble.<br /><br /><strong>Step one: Show some respect.</strong><br /><br />The referees at your practices are volunteers just like you. And they are practicing, just like you. Plus, they have feelings-just like you, and like unicorns. And you wouldn’t scream at a unicorn would you? So don’t be a douchebag, Douchebag.<br /><br /><strong>Step Two: The refs are ALWAYS right. </strong><br /><br />And before we move on. You’re going to have to get real fucking comfortable with that. Even if you burn an official review, what the ref saw and called is what will stand. So say it with me. The ref is always right. In reality, your job is to play and their job is to determine if you fouled. So do your job and let them do theirs.<br /><br /><strong>Step Three: Read a fucking book. </strong><br /><br />Read and re-read the rules. Ask questions, do research. Become interested in the rules and use them to your advantage. This is your sport-learn it inside and out.<br /><br /><strong>Step Four: Know thy fouls.</strong><br /><br />Get very interested in the fouls you get called for. Know what you do wrong so you can correct it. Ask a ref to help you understand the fouls you get. For a few, it will only take a couple humiliating trips to the penalty box before you repent of your foul and change your ways. For the rest of us it’s practice, practice, practice.<br /><br /><strong>Step Five: Sometimes the refs are wrong. </strong><br /><br />It’s going to happen, you will be called for something you didn’t do. So accept it, and get to the box. Don’t waste time arguing because sometimes you’re wrong. And the refs are always right.<br /><br />And now for the moral of this story. In all of history, there has never been and never will be another you. Unless you’re a twin… or cloned… then there is kind of another you but generally speaking, you are the only one, whoever gets to be you. Lucky you! And just like we learned last time that your actions are who you are… so will you be remembered. What I’m getting at is, be remembered for all the great things you do, not for being in the box.<br /><br />…..omg it was sooooo hard to get through that whole post without making a single BOX joke!Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-85313224532901957472011-04-03T15:50:00.000-07:002011-05-19T09:07:12.104-07:00Lesson Twenty One: Haters gonna hate. Skaters gonna skate.It stings. You’re name isn’t listed on the roster or you didn’t make the team. Although you know it’s not, this feeeels personal.<br /><br />You check the other names on the list, silently cursing each one. You believed you were good enough to make it, and now disappointment sets in. You’re going to need a minute to digest this. It’s ok, take your time. I know. Cry, pout, scream-Get it out. And when you get done chuggin that haterade, get on the track.<br /><br /><em>“A man is the sum of his actions, of what he has done, of what he can do, Nothing else.” </em><br /><br />Mahatma Gandhi said that, so did Aristotle and I just said it: All very intelligent individuals. So give yourself a moment to be disappointed that you didn’t make a roster, or the team you wanted, or a league. But don't spend all day. Next take an inventory of your practice habits. Take in some feedback. Then get to work, son.<br /><br />Above my bed I wrote “You = Your Habits” in big black letters with little stars. So when I wake up every morning, I’m reminded to do the things that I want to be. The stars are just for decoration. I’m reminded that an all-day-hate-a-thon makes me a hater. But a skate-athon? Well, that’s what will put your name on lists.<br /><br />Remember when we talked about being posi like it’s going out of style? Do that. Instead of focusing on the idea that someone didn’t pick you for their team, find the reasoning in it. Is there anyone who can’t improve? Everyone has something they need to work on.<br /><br />Focus on your speed, agility, strategy, endurance, thoroughness, teamwork, communication, foot work and foul trouble. Try that Pivot panty on. Triple threat yourself. And try to have a positive fucking attitude! Practice. Practice. Practice.<br /><br />Be so busy practicing that you forget about the lists. And watch- you start to focus on this moment, this scrimmage, this practice, this drill, that jammer-your coaches will notice. They’ll put a little star right next to your name.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-89758950960887540582011-03-02T20:11:00.000-08:002011-05-19T09:07:48.201-07:00Lesson Twenty: Friendship is rare.I was waiting for a bus for like an hour in the sweaty part of summer. It was around Sixteenth and Penn in Indianapolis and I was wearing a miniskirt with two toned tights and a black teeshirt…and checkered knee high socks…and gray New Balance…with a big bag and a sparkly green helmet. Toootaly blending in. A few guys came up and asked if I was a prostitute, no, cool, thanks for asking. A third guy approached but didn’t ask right away. What’s my name he asked…. “uhhh Buuuuuuuunnie? Yes, Bunnie, that is my name”…shit that makes it sound kind of worse. I looked down at my colorful outfit.<br /><br />“Well, Buuuuuuuunnie where are your friends?” Then the bus came. And the whole ride I thought about that question. Then I wrote a metal song about it.<br /><br />(Metal Voice)Fucking Teamwork. That’s what I’m fucking talking about. I’m talking about your fucking friends. You want some friends? Go to practice! They are fucking everywhere! Fucking friends! Fucking everywhere! Everywherrrrrrrr!!!<br /><br />You have to imagine it with a double bass drum and it kind of speeds up at the end.<br /><br />Then there’s hand claps, I made up a whole routine. But you know what I mean- no matter how badass another team’s jammer is, it’s a whole lot harder for her to pass two of us than just one. Together we can control her speed and position-and not just the jammer. We can control the whole pack- together.<br /><br />And the only trick to teamwork is practice time. That’s the main ingredient. Plus you want a fucking friendly disposition. So spend time with your friends. When you spend time together on the track- and off it- you begin to learn each other, trust each other, and anticipate the next moves of one another.<br /><br />When it’s hard, and it is, just remember you aren’t alone. You have a whole team full of people who are working towards the same goal. It’s easy to lose sight of the important shit when you focus on yourself. When you’re muscles are burning it’s easy to believe you alone are in your pain. Don’t forget about the girl next to you who came even though she has a blister covering the ball of her foot. She still came- to play with you. Derby is a very tough sport. It’s a rare chick (or dude) that will actually do it. So here we are, a bunch of rare chicks/dudes, playing the best sport on earth. Start to let a little of that rare-ness go at practice. Try to get that hive mentality.<br /><br />You begin to see, this sport isn’t just about you. It’s about the one that held the jammer long enough for you to get to the front and help her out. The one who hit you hard when you first came back, and made you smile. The one that hipped you to that great deal at sock it to me . The one who loaned you her stickiest wheels…even though you’ve got a really bad reputation for losing things. We aren’t just friends between whistles, we are comrades. We are a team. It’s us against them. We fucking rock.<br /><br />And that’s… fucking team work.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-52642339245544267262011-01-23T11:52:00.000-08:002011-05-19T09:08:27.091-07:00Lesson Nineteen: The Five Second RuleSometimes, just before I fall asleep, I start to slide off the bed. I feel my skates roll out in front of me as I flip backward into deep dark dreamy sleep. It’s the kind of thing that makes you glad you started skating…again, and again. I took a little sabbatical from all things derby and got in touch with my spirit animal (giraffe). Oh, and started a little helmet painting company with my best girl, Beats. <a href="http://www.gethellbent.com/">Helmet painting</a>? I mean, that’s what people do when they take a break. They think of ways to smash derby into every crevice of their lives…right? Alright, I fail at vacation. It’s been a long time since I wrote to all my adoring fans. Thank you both for your patience.<br /><br />So where were we? Having trouble switching from offense to defense? Let’s start with the basic definitions.<br /><br />DEFENSE: You are called a BLOCKER for a reason! SO BLOCK THAT JAMMER! Wall up with your teammates, dominate her out of bounds, slow her down with a plow stop, and trap her in the pack.<br /><br />When? ALWAYS. The opposing jammer should ALWAYS be on your mind. If she’s on the track you’re blocking her. If she’s in the penalty box, you’re keeping an eye peeled for her reentry. Bottom line is, you are always, always, ALWAYS looking for their jammer. Consider her your personal responsibility.<br /><br />Offense: Get your girl out of the pack. Block the blocker(s) on her. Break up walls. Take out the biggest threats. Whip and push your jammer though the pack and do it FAST! You are Link and she is Princess Zelda. Go save the fucking day.<br /><br />When? When you don’t have an opposing jammer to block. Their jammer goes to the box- immediately switch to offense. Their jammer breaks free from the pack- immediately switch to offense. Immediately! And even when you’re helping your jammer- you ARE thinking about that opposing jammer. Because you are ALWAYS responsible for the opposing jammer.<br /><br />The reason we have to focus so much on defense is that defense is the best offense in town. The longer you keep the opposing jammer in the pack, the more likely your jammer is to get lead. And statistically speaking the more times your jammer gets lead, the more likely you are to win. That’s because getting lead jammer means controlling the jam, it means controlling the point spread, and therefore it means winning the bout more often. So no matter what I’m about to say; your number one priority is ALWAYS to block the opposing jammer. Still a little confused?<br /><br />Introducing: The Five Second Rule<br /><br />The rule is, when the opposing jammer leaves the pack: You have five seconds to get your jammer through the pack.<br /><br />Seems simple huh? But five seconds is more like an instant when you’re in a jam. So, let’s break it down.<br /><br />You have been relentless, but something happened and the opposing jammer broke free from the pack. From that second, that “OH-SHIT-SHE-GOT-AWAY!”-moment, that’s when you start counting.<br /><br />Five…Four…Three…Two…One…and back to BLOCKING THAT JAMMER!<br /><br />Five. Find your Jammer<br /><br />Four. Who is holding her hostage?<br /><br />Three. KEEEEL THEM!<br /><br />Two. KEEEEL THEM MOOORE!<br /><br />One. FORGET THEM! Where is the opposing jammer?<br /><br />Still confused? Just remember, as a blocker you have only two options- either hurt their jammer, or help your jammer. The most important point here is that you should be doing WORK 100% of the time.<br /><br />If you’re still uncomfortable in a pack, stick to defense. If you’re getting more comfortable try using the five second rule to switch back and forth from defense to offense. Before you know it you’re a work horse and that’s the best kind of horse to be.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-70074630251188597042010-06-01T03:50:00.000-07:002011-05-19T09:10:06.098-07:00Lesson Eighteen: New shit has come to light, man.I had this dream where the world was about to end and this huge spaceship was filling up the horizon and it was the future so you can imagine all the buildings were sleek and tall. Everyone was about to die and then I saw this tiny little fish. Only it wasn't a fish since it was swimming in the sky, not water...anyway it was swimming and somehow I knew- This thing is the messenger. And somehow- I guess since it was my dream- I got to be all in charge of everything. The little fishy alien squished it's way right up to me and blurted out that the big thing in the sky about to kill everyone was it's mom. I hysterically screamed- "TELL HER TO STOP!!!" I pointed and commanded the thing to high-tail it back to the ship and make waves! It pouted and looked at the sky then back to me and shrugged saying, "No, I can't do that... I'm too small. " I was furious at the stupid alien fish thingy. How, I struggled to imagine, could you see the end of the world approaching and not even try to stop it?! I woke up still shaking my head. It bothered me all day. I thought of all the ways I should have killed the little bastard. I shook my head weeks later- even today- wondering what the hell that was supposed to mean.<br /><br />Well that's interesting.<br /><br />The first "specialist" I saw about my knee was pretty wimpy. The doctor and two of her interns crowded around my knees, frowning, pushing and pulling and talking code for "I don't know." I left with no idea what was wrong with me and a list of excersizes I was sure were actually meant to piss me off. They were inner leg lifts and a few stretches. How the fuck am I ever going to play roller derby again with this sorry excuse for rehab?? I was pissed. Ice. Elevate. Be pissed. Ice. Elevate... But I'm persistant.<br /><br />I went to a fancy knee center- with a real gym inside it. They specialize in knees AND sports injuries. AND they took a bunch of x-rays. It was fancy. I waited in a little room on a little bed covered with a thin sheet of paper that stuck to my now atrophied thighs. I was trying to guess at what he might tell me. I tried to prepare myself not to burst into tears if he said my knees had taken all they could handle and derby was no longer an option. Is this the end? My shoulders sagged and I must have looked pathetic when he burst through the door.<br /><br />A few minutes later, after my legs had been suffeciently man handled and he'd shared a few quizical looks with his accompanying therapist and a few gutteral grunts, the doctor spoke. And his first question wasn't about what I couldn't do. He wanted to know what I'd been doing to strengthen the muscles around my knee.<br /><br />I was surprised. The other doctors had said to ice and elevate, do a few lame stretches (while watching House) but otherwise no "pushing it" was ordered. I told him I'd been biking to work a few days a week 13.5 miles each way. He shrugged. "Is that flat land then? Or are you really working hard?"he asked suspiciously. I smiled. I already liked him.<br /><br />I took the stairs down to the parking lot sporting a seriously goofy grin. I sent my derby wife an all caps text with about ten exclamation points-for safe measure. And as I setteled in to my daily commute I started thinking of which gym I'd be going to, what machines to use, what my goals would be, and then... why hadn't I been doing these things months ago?! What had changed?<br /><br />It's so wild that such a small thing- like a few good words from a doctor- can change everything. Well, that's fucking interesting...man.<br /><br />You can change everything by changing your mind. If you believe it, it's already the truth. So go ahead and try it out. Next time you start to feel like you should just coast off to the side and maybe sit down for a second, maybe take a breather... check this Handy Index of Excuses and follow the prescription.<br /><br /><strong>I'm Tired</strong><br />Play smarter. Take big deep breaths. And stop whining- Everyone is tired! This is Roller derby!<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I Need Water</strong><br />Yeah. And are you going to die of thirst before this drill is over? Think about kids in Haiti. Maybe they're thirsty too. But do they stop in the middle of drills to go get water?<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I'm gonna PUKE! </strong><br />Cool man. Remember to hydrate and get right back in, we need a jammer.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I need to stretch.</strong><br />Ok. In fact, why don't we all just stretch. And we'll take off our skates and get mats. We can put on Moby and we'll call it Yoga. ...no, but really though. Stretch what you need to stretch. But do it with the quickness, we're down a man.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I'm having an off day.</strong><br />I'm having an "off" life. That's the reason I play derby. This is your time off from everything else. So whatever's on your mind, get over it and get in the game.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I've got a hang-over.</strong><br />Such is the life of a rollergirl. Roller girls all over the world got drunk last night. There, I said it. Now you can use that thought as a tiny consolment. and Hydrate.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I have a headache/ cold sore/ runny nose/ stomach virus/ diarrhea...yuk./ halitosis/ backache/ sore throat/etc.</strong><br />So, are you in or out? Because if you're in, you're going to have to let that all fade into the nether regions of your gigantic brain. You can do anything you want. Even with diarrhea. and Hydrate.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>I have the flu. </strong><br />Fucking go home! NOW! Before you get us all sick! You fucking lunatic. ...but I dig the commitment, dude. Next time, call in.<br /><br /><strong></strong><strong>My endurance sucks.</strong><br />Wonder why. Here's a news flash- building your endurance actually! (Literally!) physcially! HURTS! But don't worry, it won't hurt as bad next time.<br /><br /><strong>I'm out of shape. I'm too big. I'm too weak. I'm too slow. <em>I'm too small</em>....I'll never make a roster. </strong><br />Not with that attitude. Decide not to give in to excuses. You should know by now there are no good ones. You either do, or you don't. So put your mouthguard in, and go knock someone down!Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-5017216989583921252010-05-07T07:05:00.000-07:002010-05-07T07:08:53.981-07:00Lesson Seventeen: Let's go Surfin'!Check it out. I think you should act like you're surfing, little hula girl, and skate across that apex of the curve like it's a giant wave. Wanna try?<br /><br />First take all the scaredy cat- "i'm gonna fall down"- shit and tuck that in your hip. That's where your gravity is so it's your safe place and you need to act like a careful kitty and keep your balance. So, you need to get into position. Hmmm...Maybe this is one of those times when you take off your skates. (It should be a rare time.) Get on the floor in your stocking feet. And then, get in your derby form.<br /><br /><br />MEMO<br />Re: DERBY FORM<br />------------------------------------------<br />To Whom It May Concern.<br />Derby Form shall consist of the following:<br />+ A nice straight back<br />+An erect constitution. Shoulders back. No slouching.<br />+Feet shall be placed a shoulder width apart with weight evenly distributed.<br />+ Knees bent at a 45 degree angle such that the hands, when outstreched shall meet squarely with the knees.<br />+One should give the appearance of a person not yet sat in a chair and thereby ready to pounce in any direction at any given moment.<br />+ When in derby form one shall be aware of all that surrounds her/him. A serene knowing look should gaze out to meet any oposition on the track.<br />-----------------------------------------------------<br /><br />Anyhow, it's an old memo. Maybe you didn't get it.<br /><br />Now that you're in form, you need to think of yourself on the apex of a turn. Your left foot is riding the inside line. Reach your left hand down and touch a point just left of your left foot. Bend your left knee deep and tuck your butt towards your heel while you're stretching out the right knee a bit. Pretend that point you're touching is the apex and look out towards the opposite side of the pretend track. Let your shoulders follow your eyes. The wind in your hair... And now your coming back, you're in a chair, at work, wasting company time reading derby blogs....But you were there... you know what it feels like to surf. To glide around a corner and make the floor push away, boomeranging you forward and onto the straight away. Or at least you can imagine.<br />I think the real secret is in your muscle. If you can harness your muscles and push inside on a turn, while pushing with your legs for speed, you can balance the pull of centrifical force pulling your center out to the suicide seats. It takes practice and muscle...and balls...and faith in physics.<br />It may sound like it's a lot to go into for just what your position should be at the apex of a turn. But think about all the chaos that goes into one turn. It's a blender. If you can hold your shit on a turn you can do all kinds of fun shit. You can learn to move that kinetic energy into the opposing jammer. You know, those big perfect hits to the out side that send girls sailing. Cool, man.<br />And think about all those fools who will try to hit you on the turns.. If you have your bearings and you're steady spaghetti you can always Roll out. Rolling out is newer.. it wasn't a memo it was a tweet.<br /><br />Tweet::@::Roll Out- Get low and in front of a hit. Bend those knees and get super wide and steady. Brace yourelf and lean forward. Roll your shoulders down and towards the inside of the track. Stick your little neck out and push your hips in front of that blocker before she lands the big hit and puts your lights out. And keep skating. Keep skating.<br /><br />Rolling out of a big hit is one of those useful tools you want to keep handy. You'll save yourself a lot of floor spilling if you can just get low and get out of the hit.<br /><br /><br />Anyhow, try some surfing and tell me how it goes. Also, dudes, send me some inspiring pictures of you and your league.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-32082147667056822782010-03-01T08:11:00.000-08:002010-03-01T08:19:53.665-08:00Lesson Sixteen: Hang in there, Kitty.Let's talk about something more serious than roller derby. I know!! Is there anything more serious than derby? There's nothing more life-giving than excitement. The thrill of progress and the act of trying give meaning to a sometimes more challenging reality. Life often gets in the way of derby dreams but it also inspires those dreams to exist. I know.<br /><br />I'll tell you something sad to tell you something beautiful. Last year about this time I woke up in a nightmare. I had to say goodbye way too soon to someone too special to be gone. It was and is a defining moment in my life. I remember crouching on the floor in a mess that morning wondering, “Where do I go from here?” It's only now that I can tell you what miracle saved me from myself in those dark days. The first responders asked "Is there someone you can call?" and there wasn't anyone I could think of but my derby sisters. When I am weak, they are strong. They came and they comforted, and they stayed and they've never been more than one phone call away.<br /><br />In the next months I stayed in bed. I avoided strangers that love saying, "Cheer up!" and "Smile!" ... dumb strangers. But I was safe at practice. No one was making me try to feel better. No one made me regurgitate the story. And the practices let me forget about the empty house for a few hours. And I was making real progress. I felt that feeling you get... the feeling like you're really alive.<br /><br />There were times between practices and bouts that I wallowed. I admit, there were some very dark moments, but then there was derby too. It was the singular reason to go on, to get out of bed and live again. When I lost all momentum and felt I couldn't bare one more day I only had to ask myself 'How could I let my team down?' Hell, I rode in rollerstank perfumed cars all summer, shoulder to shoulder with these women. So, how could I cry about being alone?<br /><br />I’m not saying derby saved my soul, I’m definitely damned to hell... probably for all of infinity or something. All i’m saying is derby saved my life. More than once, and it will again. And that, my dearest friends, is the very beautiful part. I (heart) Roller Derby! And I love my team and my teammates.<br /><br />But enough about me, don’t you want to know the lesson for today ??<br />Time is like a blocker- sometimes it gets in the way. That's when you have to knock it on it’s ass and take its point. There will always be obstacles in your way, but you will prevail if you only perservere. Realize you are stronger now than you've ever been and you're only getting stronger as long as you hang in there, kitty.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-20935919380371085552010-01-20T09:30:00.000-08:002010-01-20T09:45:12.453-08:00Lesson Fifteen: Trust me, I'm a Rollergirl.<!-- ======================================================= --><!-- Created by AbiWord, a free, Open Source wordprocessor. --><!-- For more information visit http://www.abisource.com. --><!-- =====================================================TF-8"><title></title> <style type="text/css"> <!-- #toc, .toc, .mw-warning { border: 1px solid #aaa; background-color: #f9f9f9; padding: 5px; font-size: 95%; } #toc h2, .toc h2 { display: inline; border: none; padding: 0; font-size: 100%; font-weight: bold; } #toc #toctitle, .toc #toctitle, #toc .toctitle, .toc .toctitle { text-align: center; } #toc ul, .toc ul { list-style-type: none; list-style-image: none; margin-left: 0; padding-left: 0; text-align: left; } #toc ul ul, .toc ul ul { margin: 0 0 0 2em; } #toc .toctoggle, .toc .toctoggle { font-size: 94%; }@media print, projection, embossed { body { padding-top:1in; padding-bottom:1in; padding-left:1in; padding-right:1in; } } body { text-indent:0in; text-align:left; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:none; font-variant:normal; color:#000000; font-size:14pt; font-style:normal; widows:2; font-family:'Nimbus Roman No9 L'; } table { } td { border-collapse:collapse; text-align:left; vertical-align:top; } p, h1, h2, h3, li { color:#000000; font-family:'Nimbus Roman No9 L'; font-size:14pt; text-align:left; vertical-align:normal; } --> <div> <p><span lang="en-US">We were in Appleton, Wisconsin playing the Fox City Foxes when it occurred to us that we needed someone to bust up a particularly great wall of behemoth blockers. We needed a specialist, a heavy hitter with evil hips. We all looked to her, and she to us. We trusted in her because we had all been hit by her and we all knew that wall would not stand one more jam. </span></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;"></p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: left; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-top: 0in; margin-right: 0in;">You know the secret to a good cup of coffee? Consistency. Knowing you'll always get that same great flavor makes you long for one more cup at your favorite stop rather than chancing burned grounds at a new place. You trust that this next cup will not surprise you with it's nasty. </p> <p></p> <p>Consistency in derby means you are reliable, you can be trusted to do what you do. There is no substitute for trust on the track. When our pivot leaves the inside line to chance a hit on an opposing jammer she wants to know down deep in her soul that her beloved wingman has got that line in check. She needs to trust that you're paying very close attention to what is happening and you won't leave her hanging. </p> <p></p> <p>So how can you build that trust? It starts at practice, every practice. The best packs are full of attendance award winners. So, step one; be at practice. Step two? Do work! Be the first to challenge yourself. <span lang="en-US">The only way for your teammates to trust you is for you to trust you first. </span> You not only need to be good at a particular skill, you need to master it and you need to become confident. Sounds like a lot of work, yeah? Good thing you're a Rollergirl, most people wouldn't be able to handle all that striving and sweating. But then, Rollergirls are a tougher brand of women. </p> <p></p> <p>The last step to being really trustable is staying on the track and building some comradery in scrimmage. You want to volunteer to be on the track every chance you get. Look at the bench coach, tell them you're ready and be prepared to do some work. The more you work with your teammates the more they will begin to know your ways. And knowing, as G.I. Joe says, is half the battle. </p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> <p></p> </div>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-86668113122514151822009-11-27T11:06:00.000-08:002009-11-27T11:11:56.840-08:00Lesson Fourteen: How to grow a set.<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">The best compliment I probably will ever get came from my aunt LaDonna.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She said she wished she had been more like me in her life and taken more chances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>She said, “You really have some balls, girl.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Damn straight. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Derby is a natural magnet for women with a little venom in their blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Women with something to prove, a deep need to be challenged and endure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Look around you at a practice, it’s full of scrappy survivors, ready to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Take a look into the steel eyes of your comrades during battle and you find a glimpse of yourself too.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">But since the age of zero we’ve been coddled and dressed in pink, told to be quiet and for christsake be nice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And here we are on the other side of womanhood trying desperately to awaken the five year-olds we once were, playing in the dirt, beating up boys, and acting a damn fool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We got tired of playing nice, so we started playing roller derby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Now I say that to say this right herr: When you lace your skates and you roll across that floor you must become that warrior that sleeps inside you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You must shake off the decades of doubt and reach deep into the core of your spleen where you will find one giant pair of balls that say, “Oh fuck yeah I can.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I’m telling you, they actually say that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And the reason you truly truly must is this: There is no room for self doubt in derby.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It is a mentally and physically exhausting battle and you MUST stay positive to be prepared for the challenge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">You did it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You already decided to play.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There are twenty girls at home watching House for each and every one of us at practice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So take a second to pat yourself on the back and realize you are the fucking shit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You rock. </p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My advice today is this: ban any and all negative thoughts from your head.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Saying, “I can’t” is blasphemy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Discouragement is viral so buck up!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p> <!--EndFragment-->Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-87603918947965658322009-11-17T08:26:00.000-08:002009-11-17T08:34:22.085-08:00Lesson Thirteen: Notes to an injured BunnieBeing injured sucks asshole. There’s no pretty way to put it. If I were in a death metal band I would write songs about how deep the hate river flows inside me for bio-freezed knees that keep me out of play. Yep, sure would. And it’d be big in Sweden. <br /><br />This gimp-ness has got to end! I know a few ways to make sure I’m on skates for a while. I’ll give myself the advice today. I’ll write it out in a nice little bloggity about staying playing and we’ll both read it and say things like, “Hm, sounds like a plan, stan.”<br /><br />I’m going to start off by doing some inner leg exercises! My knee issues stem from the fact that I have some super strong muscles that aren’t exactly in proportion to the weaker inside muscles. And with hips like “woah” the angle from hip to knee makes it easy for my knee caps to be pulled off to one side. Ouchers! So inner knee exercises it is!<br /><br />Next up is an Equipment check! It sucks to stand on the sidelines but if your equipment is broke there is just no need to chance the damn thing. I found this out last practice. I should have realized it was a bad idear to glue my skates back together after the boot started to rip from the plate but no, I have a thick skull and thought it would be just fine and dandy. The truth is any little thing can make you skate funny and that leads to more injuries. Also, making sure you have the dopest, thickest pads is KEY to knee heaven. <br /><br />Then I’m going to get on the floor and work out what doesn’t hurt until I’m all better. Part one of getting better is realizing you aren’t some like super hero. And part two is taking care of your body like a normal person would. I’m not saying we’re normal… we’re rollerderby-uns, and that makes us special but not immune to the physical errors we’d all like to ignore. While I’m working on other things I’ll be throwing myself a posi-party. That’s as in posi-tive. I’ll be thinking of sunshine and rainbows and knocking bitches down. All the things that make bunnies smile. …oh and carrots.<br /><br />So are ya with me? Let’s make the most of being pissed off that we’re injured. Let's get better and stay better and play better! Yay Better!Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-48946668726968090782009-10-22T07:45:00.000-07:002009-10-22T07:46:01.086-07:00Lesson the Twelth: If you're so fast, why you always behind me??The best part of my day? Holding the fastest jammer on our team behind me in scrimmage. Not so fast now, are ya speed skater? ::evil bunny grin::<br /><br />You’ve got to get in where you fit in, and so what if you’re not the fastest skater on the team. Use what you have, and I’ve got W-I-D-T-H! I’ve got long Bunny legs in a wide stance that can span half the track and a little bunny tail that will be all up in that jammers face. As for speed, I’ve got it side-to-side. I can block her outside and still beat her back to the line. But this isn’t about me and my big head bragging. This is about how to! Right?<br /><br />Welp, first you set your self to swizzle skating every chance you get. Get comfortable, really comfy, with all eight wheels on the ground in fluid motions. Swizzle skating is the basis for all great blocking. And if there is one thing you should master it is the swizzle in all its very simple forms. “But why Bunniebunbun? What’s so great about slaloms? What’s so fancy about an hourglass?” you ask. And I say some explicative but then really to address your questions I’d offer this little gem right herr; with all eight wheels on the ground, with a solid and wide stance, with your shoulders turned in to the left and your eyes peering magnificently into the eyes of that hurried jammer, with all that going for you, why not?<br /><br />My brandest newest advice: Swizzle your heart out. Let swizzling be your automatic gear. Work on widening your stance by sitting down into it. Let your shoulders guide you around the track, always turned the direction you’d most like to go. And of course keep those eyeballs peeled! <br /><br />Once you’re comfortable, really comfy, begin to challenge yourself by lunging across the track from inside to outside and outside to inside in just one strong move. Do it faster and control it more each time. You’ll notice that the positioning of your toes and shoulders will determine your course while the thrust and change in your body weight distribution determines the speed of this lateral movement. You want to point yourself in the right direction while basically throwing your weight hither or thither, depending. <br /><br />This is the kind of skill that will neutralize those bronze-baby-skate-havin-grand-slammin-jammer types. Work hard on these things and soon you’re going to be one hard to get by blocker!Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-66272948907575640732009-10-13T12:16:00.000-07:002009-10-14T06:31:53.533-07:00Lesson Eleven: Fake it 'til ya Make it!<div>I hear so much about strategy lately and to be honest, I just don't get most of it. I try to understand but my big bunny brain is just too full of nonsense and exaggerated claims. So, in case you're like me I'm going to show you how to fake like you know what your doing.<br /><br />Stay real close to your buddies. Touch them, look at them, listen to them, and try to do what they do-especially if they act like they know what to do!<br /><br />Stay tuned-in. This takes uhhm...uhhh...practice. When I'm not taking medication for ADHD it takes even more practice, and forget it if there's something shiney. During league scrimmages and practices I try to avoid any un-derby-related topics. During a bout I could be a victim of spontaneous human combustion and never know.<br /><br />Talk to yourself, shout at others. Keep a running dialogue of what is happening at all times and shout out the good parts. ("Jammer coming up right behind me, like kind of to the outside- no! Inside! Oh shit, here she's trying it again- outside! I've got the line! You go out! We missed her! Water falling now- I'm going up! She's getting tired and frustrated. Our jammer is ten feet from the pack, five feet!")<br /><br />Keep your eyes wide open. In practice, it sometimes gets boring to always look behind you. But if you practice this during every drill it will become second nature.<br /><br />If you're still unsure of what you should be doing try taking a look at my fancy flo-tegery chart below.<br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5392447811471071042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 306px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdzZuQd4crsVphbuMVff_NnyV3lwwWcClRtyQqKX0OXToZSQWDGOjlkojo-azzwd4EJ6HrG_fzNWjwhXZscfEMpXp_2zqMY8ZPRj43USM8ePtcKmfbxxwAo8I1e_dZAHw7BGwv2UMT2rk/s400/Flowtegery.JPG" border="0" /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGUQUliPdgbWQpomqa055qU3Mc5B6Jqfby-nveyXzlqdLxDh-ciKNVAT2cFtVmdTW5Z-iOxizCI-rE7ifyDppI6nb5-CK-JA6mzpLEibvfUeTCvbO95zcAy79KwU5bj8oci_K1dG4QoyA/s1600-h/Flowtegery.JPG"></a></div>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-79752009755128744342009-06-17T22:34:00.000-07:002009-10-13T14:29:40.404-07:00Lesson Ten: I totally just stabbed a guy...it's cool, he had it comin<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;">Sike! Nah, but really though...</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';"><span style="font-size:85%;">I wouldn’t want to meet me in a dark alley lately.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>I am such a blonde bunch of aggression right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>I think it’s all because of derby, or the lack. I can’t skate for a minute and all the sudden I’m ready to rumble!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Lucida: ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;" >I couldn’t skate last week at a scrimmage because I did something doubleplusungood to my knee the week before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>I didn’t take care of an older injury and ended up making it much worse.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Boo! (No worries though, it’s on it’s way to healing up real good and proper this time.)</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Lucida: ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';" ><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span style="font-size:85%;">I watched the scrimmage between our ladies in green and a fan-fucking-tastic team from Louisville- </span><a href="http://www.myspace.com/derbycityrollergirls"><span style="font-size:85%;">DCRG</span></a></span><span style="font-size:85%;">.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>It was wrenching! On the one hand you got your total helplessness, there is no assisting from the sidelines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Then on the other hand- it’s so easy to learn from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>But fuck that blah blah learning shit- I want to play!</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Lucida: ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';" ><span style="font-size:85%;">So, this is our plan to get off the sidelines, and stay off the sidelines. Ready! OK! <?xml:namespace prefix = o /><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Lucida: ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;" ><o:p>Firstly, take care of yourself and all your movable parts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>You play a fucking contact sport so take your vitamins.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Do good things; drink water, get in shape and stay in shape, fix your injuries, get big and strong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>RAWR!</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Lucida: ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;" ><o:p>Secondly, this is a team sport so be a team player.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Push yourself to be the best, most reliable player you can be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Just like <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">you</span></i> hope somebody is holding the line because you’re going out to get the jammer, they are looking to you to bust ass to the front of the pack or meet them with a wall that works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Be good lookin’ out an <span style="font-family:arial;">shit</span>.</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-Lucida: ;font-family:'Lucida Grande';font-size:85%;" ><o:p>And third of all, don’t give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>Don’t give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>No matter what happens, if you give up you most def are not going to be helpful. Did I mention it’s bad to give up?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"> </span></span>I may have written about that before but just in case, don’t ever give up!</o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Lucida Grande';">Now I’m off to push over little kids on their bikes and use bad language.</span><br /></span></p><!--EndFragment--><!--EndFragment-->Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-49938351197320662572009-06-12T16:21:00.000-07:002009-06-12T16:25:10.089-07:00Lesson Nine: So whatcha whatcha whatcha want?<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal">“I want to play roller derby.” I couldn’t believe I’d said it out loud.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I wanted to take it back, go back to the girl I was before I wanted anything hard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>But it was the truth and when I realized how much work it would take to get me from zero to derby girl, I was scared as all hell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">I quit soccer, softball, cheerleading, band camp, college, and more jobs than you can shake a stick at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I quit because I thought I couldn’t, because I wasn’t strong, wasn’t fast enough, and didn’t have enough coordination, endurance, patience or time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I was ready to quit before I started.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then something very important happened. </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Someone said, “You can’t” So I got skates and pads and joined a team.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Someone said, “You’ll never…” And with a rebel gleam in my eyes, I tried.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Someone said, “You aren’t…” So I pushed myself harder than ever before.</p> <p class="MsoNormal">Then after more than a year of trying, someone said, “You did it!” And I looked back at all my hard work, all the days I could have given up, and I couldn’t believe my ears when I said, “I did it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>I play roller derby!” </p> <p class="MsoNormal">Every derby girl has one thing in common- she doesn’t give up, she can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Learning to play the game is hard, training is hard, practicing three times a week is hard, staying fit is hard, realizing you aren’t even halfway there is hard, making the roster is hard, controlling your pre-bout nerves is hard…but quitting, that’s easy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">For every new skater that joins our team there are at least ten more who say they want to play, but never made it to a practice. The truth is they can’t do it, because no matter how much they want it they aren’t willing to put in the time and effort it takes to get there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>When you cross that threshold, when you commit yourself to training, when you show up, you’ve already separated yourself from those who can’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Today’s lesson: Yes, you can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>In fact, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">you</i> are the only one who can.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No one else can make you into a derby girl.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The only time you fail in derby is when you give up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>So, don’t stop moving your feet, practicing, challenging yourself, and never stop believing that you can be anything you want.</p> <!--EndFragment-->Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-90740783466852604882009-05-06T12:02:00.000-07:002009-05-06T12:52:00.133-07:00Lesson Eight: When I move you Move, just like that.That's it. That's the whole blog. - Move when I move. I'm the blocker on the other team. I'm the one causing trouble for your jammer. I'm the one that knocked you on your ass last jam. I'm making you nervous. I'm the other teams jammer, the one that's gotten through every last time she's jammed. I'm too fast for you to chase. So get over here in front of me and move when I move.<div><br /></div><div>The heart of the matter is; you've got to work on lateral movements. Just like your coaches have been telling you all along. But I always thought it was more important to be fast. The truth is you can stop the fastest skaters with a wide stance and quick lateral movement. </div><div><br /></div><div>Get very used to always looking behind you. Before the whistle, check out their jammer -what's she look like, what is she wearing, etc. If she's not wearing a mouthpiece you're the one who should notice first. When the first whistle blows you have to get off the line, figure out what the pack is doing, wall up, and begin to control the pack. Once that second whistle blows your eyes are constantly flashing back to their jammer. You should gage her speed and prepare to give her position to the pack at all times. She's the most important girl in your derby world for the next two minutes. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So it's the moment of truth! She's right behind us and coming in fast. We know she prefers the inside so we're trying to stay put to the left but she's riding the outside and we'll miss her if we don't go out and get her. Our favorite teammate is close and hears us yelling, "Jammer on the outside- going out!" and they immediately bust ass to the front inside line while we go out to meet the jammer. We keep our eyes on her and start to match her speed. We juke out when she does but not as hard. She knows the outside route is the longest and it's just a matter of time before she jukes back in. We have to always be ready to beat her back to the line. She's trying to pull us out far enough to pass us on the inside. But we're not havin' it, we're ready. We've been working on lateral movements. We move when she moves. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div>Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-42972380861445349722008-09-22T01:18:00.000-07:002008-09-22T01:20:28.880-07:00Lesson Seven: There is No Pouting in DerbyFrom The Never Ending Story:<br />Atreyu and Artax had searched the Silver Mountains, the Desert of Shattered Hopes, and the Crystal Towers without success. And so, there was only one chance left. To find Morla, the ancient one, the wisest being in Fantasia whos home was the Shell Mountain somewhere in the deadly Swamps of Sadness. Everyone knew that whoever let the sadness overtake him would sink into the swamp.<br /><br /><br />The day of tryouts I was sick. Not with the flu, worse. I was physically ill at the idea of the tryout. I would be on display; fully vulnerable to the judging eyes of my peers. I pulled into the parking lot of the rink and tried to rinse out the taste of vomit from my mouth with some water. I can do this, I thought. This is like any other practice, I thought. I took another gulp. I should go back home and crawl under the covers and forget about tryouts for another few months, I thought.<br /><br />I went inside, still intent on going home but locked in the death grip of this thought: ‘If I go home now, I go home a coward.’ I had to go inside and face my fears. I had to put my shaking legs and turning stomach aside and focus. So, I put on my skates and warmed up. <br /><br />The best advice I ever got was, “Never give up. The moment just after you give up could have made all the difference.” <br /><br />I didn’t make the team that day, but I never gave up. In derby, and life, you will take a beating, metaphorically and otherwise. But don’t get loaded down with despair. You’ll need all the strength you can for the after party.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-22071829600753820412008-08-21T08:49:00.000-07:002008-08-21T09:53:19.804-07:00Lesson Six: Poker, and knock her downMy grandpa won his house in a poker game. His dad, and his dad's dad played poker. And when my dad was 15 he was already collecting slot cars for the neighborhood kids' poker game debts to him. As a child I sat on his lap, careful not to tell his hand. I fell asleep to the low rumbling sounds of men talking and playing poker in the kitchen. <br /><br />I got lucky and got the kind of dad that wants to stuff all the wisdom he can into my big girl brain. He taught me an awful lot about people, math, and story telling- all through poker. <br /><br />In poker the game starts before you ever sit down to a table. In derby, you can get ahead before any whistles are blown. So, here for your pleasure are some chips off the old block. In Derby I like to call it “Strategery.” <br /><br /><br />Poker:<br />1. Protect your hand. Make sure no one sees your cards, or reads them off your glasses, or looks over your shoulder, or nothing else!<br />Derby Translation:<br /> Protect your plans and be stealthy. No giving hints and no letting on that you’re scared or nervous! I like to just confuse people, but being kinda blank works just fine. <br /><br />Poker:<br />2. Be aware. Look and listen to the reactions players have to one another, to their cards, to their seat, to their drinks, and to you. <br />Derby Translation:<br />Check out the players around you. Be the expert when you get onto the floor. Size up the competition. Are you getting the shifty eye from a pivot? Think she’s got a plan, is she tired, what has she been up to the last few jams?<br /><br />Poker:<br />3. This is your game, make them play.<br />Derby Translation:<br /> Once the whistle blows, you start. Don’t wait on another player to push you into reacting. Make them react to you. Take control.<br /><br />Poker:<br />4. Be prepared to be flexible. This is a game, with lots of variables, and lots of controls.<br />Derby Translation:<br /> If the plan you have isn’t working- ditch it. The ability to constantly re-evaluate your game plan is key. Plus, changing it up makes the other team work harder pin you down to a specific strategy. <br /><br />My final advice is to work together, work together, work together! Your best resources are the four women on your team. Together you can make a killer hand. Make walls, make plans, make points.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-83726338762195830872008-07-28T09:14:00.000-07:002008-07-28T09:16:18.672-07:00Lesson Five: Change Your MindLesson Five: Change your Mind,<br />I hit the ground yelling, marrow seeping from my bones into my leg -spreading dread and adrenaline. In slow-mo-shin my ankle flipped, it flopped, it gave up and lay there in my boot, a dead fish in a sea of sound. The sounds said, "Oh my ohmyohmyohmy" and "oh no ohnononono" and mostly, "FUCK FUCK FUckfuckfuckfuck!" <br />As though we had written the scenario carefuly and read then from the practiced script, we played out the night with precision. "The Medic", played by Lass Gasp gave direction, exported the broken bones to the bone fixery, soothed nerves, and used her insider connections to insure the very best of care. The entire cast gave stellar performance after stellar performance. The stars were out.<br />When I woke up a few days later in a nest of pillows and blankets, at home, I had only enough voice to say, "Thank you thankyouthankyouthankyou" and fall gently back to deep slumber. It was then that they pulled together, charted and measured my exact needs, and while I slept they made it all ok. "My League Derby Loves me" I thought. And, "I derby love them too." <br />So of course, when I finally could sit, I sat up. When I finally could hop, I hopped, when I could stretch at last, I did. The day came that I could get outside and I smiled and soaked in the sun. I thought, "If i can go outside, surely I can go to the corner" and I could. I thought, "If I can get all the way to the corner, I can go to practice" and I did. I thought "If I'm at practice, I can stretch, I can do crunches," and I did. I can, I can, I can...I can do all things through derby. <br />For me, my league gave their time, their groceries, their compassion. For them, I will get better. I will be better than ever before. <br />18 days ago I broke my leg,<br />This week I get to swim,<br />in 20 more days I will walk,<br />and by derby, I will skate again. <br />And this brings me to my lesson for you, from me. <br />My advice is this; stay positive.<br />Say "I can", "I'm not tired", "I can do it","I can do it again"<br />Smile when your muscles hurt. Laugh when your tired. <br />Don't let yourself down and don't let your team down.<br />Don't waste time saying, "I can't"...not when you have every reason to believe today is the day that you can.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1184829320114232004.post-56176629319362338382008-07-28T09:13:00.000-07:002008-07-28T09:14:21.111-07:00Lesson Four: Get on the FloorYou and I are mild mannered. We're not the type that starts fights, right? We are smart enough to know that physical violence is uncalled for. We are civil women of character. <br />That's all very true. But jesus help those who are against us.<br />Not so long ago, in a place far far away, two evil women "started shit" with a member of my beloved Circle City Socialites. The incident quickly escalated until five members of our team (including me) were forced to "throw down on them bitches." <br />Of course, the poor evil doers never had a chance and the whole thing lasted only a few minutes. But in those few minutes, we learned something invaluable about the women we are. <br />I woke up feeling, different, changed, ... I woke up in a bathtub actually. But the change was not from the tub-sleeping. My confidence grew exponentially during the night. I not only feel secure in the fact that I can handle myself in most any situation; I now see that there are 25 other girls, just as bad ass, and they will pin a girl to a cop car if you try to "start somethin."<br />I woke up with a whole new respect for my teammates. They are some savage bitches. At the practices since then I've become less concerned with politeness. I've stricken the words "I'm sorry!" from my vocabulary during scrimmages. The reason is not because I'm now a jerk, no no no no, silly. It's that I know they can handle me. They sharpen themselves against me, and I sharpen myself against them. And If that means I get knocked down alot, welp, that's why i've invested in ice packs and ibuprofen. <br />So my advice today is this: <br />Beat others as you would like to be Beated.<br />Challenge yourself. Challenge your team. <br />And occasionaly, you should sleep in a tub. It's good for your constitution.Bunnie Low-Browskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16145671181052209146noreply@blogger.com0