Welcome!

I hope this is a place where we can all support each other and also help each other on our goal toward weight loss and becoming a better derby player. My name is Heather, Hellblazer is my derby name. I started roller derby a year ago and was in the worst possible shape. A year later, I'm about 50 pounds lighter, but have a long way to go. My goal is to become a faster skater, my weight holds me back I know. I need to work on my endurance, which in turn will help my speed I'm sure. I want to be healthy and fit and in better shape than I am now (obviously). What are your goals? What do you hope to get out of this?

Replies

  • CChandler81
    CChandler81 Posts: 100 Member
    Nice to meet you Heather! I also started derby last year, March of 2011. Finally made a team this year after taking wftda min skills 4 times:-0 Haha I did not know how to skate when I started and I am proud of how far I've come, skating skill wise.
    I've gained weight since last year instead of losing it. Derby was kind of my excuse to eat more. I've sucked this season and been plaqued with injury so I've only bouted with my team twice- in May and just a few weeks ago, in August.

    My goal is to lose about 20 more lbs, although building strength is more important than the number on the scale. I'm also looking to improve my endurance. I'm decent at laps b/c I have good, strong crossovers but my endurance at practice and in scrimmages sucks. I get knocked down A LOT so I'm focusing on core strength and becoming quicker on my feet. Ultimately, I want to become a jammer. I'm short (off the radar!) and find far more satisfaction from getting through a tough pack than I do blocking. At the same time, I want to improve my blocking skills. I can hold a wall but can't hit for nothin':-)

    Anyhow, that's me and everything I'm hoping to improve and work on for next season! Ours ends in a few weeks but tryouts are in Oct and I'm worried about making my team again. Thankfully we're implementing home teams next season so regardless, I'll get to play every month!
  • I'm actually lucky as we are a new team. Our league was an apprenticeship league this year. There are a few girls that started before me, but not very many. There are probably about 25 of us all together and we are all at different skill levels. None of us have taken the official skills test yet, but we've all done it with our coaches and refs. I passed it all but the 25 in 5. That's the one I really worry about. Our team has never done anything with fresh meat as we are all fresh meat. The team started in late 2010, but they didn't start really skating until April or so of 2011 and I started in August of 2011. It's been a bumpy road for me. I have struggled with my weight and confidence issues; I never think I'm as good as anyone else and half the time am ready to quit, as I feel I bring the team down. However, I am getting over that and realize that each and everyone of us is an asset to the team. I may not be the best, but that doesn't me I won't try my hardest. I also had a bad ankle sprain in March, so I know what it is like getting over an injury. I'm excited as we start a fresh meat clinic in October (it will be our first one). It will be good to be the one that has a little knowledge at least!

    I love roller derby though. The confidence it has given me, and the strength. I can do things now, I never thought i'd be able to do before. If, a year ago, someone had told me, I'd skate at such intensity and speed for two + hours at a time, I think I'd laugh at them. Roller Derby is an awesome and empowereing sport and I think each and everyone of us who go out there and skate should be proud of ourselves. There's a lot of people that wouldn't be able to do it.
  • 25 in 5 is the hardest for everyone it seems like so you are not alone if you are nervous. My goal is to get STRONGER and toned in the off season and be ready for 2013! in 2010, I weighed in at 136 lbs at 5'2" (which is overweight for that height) and I wanted to get in better shape to be more help on the track (cause I was just bleh) so I joined MFP with my teammate Mount Crushmore and joined a gym and tracked my food. Little did I know i would end up losing 21 lbs throughout 2011. I knew I was overweight but I never thought I could lose that much! My skating skills got so much better as well as my game play. We practiced 3 days a week and then I would do strength training at the gym 2-3 times a week so I was working out 5-6 times a week. It was A LOT of hard work and I had to keep myself motivated but it felt great to get in shape the RIGHT way....by exercise and eating better.

    I am usually a pivot but this season I had to help my team out when they were short and jam some. Those that know me, KNOW I HATE JAMMING! It's just too much pressure, too much attention....I HATE IT! But I did what I had to for my team (why *****ing and whining about it). And I hate them for that :D So another goal of mine is to be a better jammer and not complain and cry about it when the star is handed to me and I think being stronger will help me with this new stupid jammer role I have to take on.

    HEY! I TRIED TO CUSS IN MY POST AND IT CENSORED IT, DAMMIT! MFP...I need you to let me be me and that is a cussing machine! :D
  • Excellent post. I need to start strength training. I practice at practice 3 days a week, and try to skate outside on the days I'm off work, but I don't ever go to the gym! I think that's going to be my goal, hell, there's a gym where I work, I could do it on my lunch break! It's just getting motivated I guess. Plus, if I go to the gym I miss out on gossip! I really need to stenghten my core though. I think that is litteraly and figuaratively the foundation of roller derby. If you don't have a strong core, you don't have anything. Our coach makes us all practice jamming just to be aware when you're blocking I guess. I'm like dude, I'm the slowest and fattest on the team, I will never ever ever jam! I hate it, but we all have to do it during practice. Yuck.

    Yeah, I don't get the censorship either. We are all adults. We're derby girls, we cuss; it's the nature of the beast!

    Good luck with your Jamming.
  • SkateboardFi
    SkateboardFi Posts: 1,322 Member
    hi! my name is jasmine! i've been skating for almost a year now, and have moved around too frequently to have officially been rostered under a team. my goal is to basically build my strength so i can equally do skills on both legs. i have made my 25 in 5 but i really want to get that time down, and want to be so prolific on skates, that i can become a kick *kitten* jammer one day! i love the sport and am always looking for ways to improve myself as an overall athlete. i've skated with the southern slayer derby dames of columbus, ga, as well as the diamond state roller girls of newark, de. i have recently moved back to new orleans and am awaiting their tryouts in a few weeks and canNOT wait to get back on my wheels haha.