Oh the Bout!

How do I describe Saturday’s bout?

Physical.  Intense.  Focussed.

Physical:  the other team plays a physical, offensive game.  We play a more defensive game.  It took a bit to get used to that.   The floor was a sport court floor (hated it at the beginning, loved it by the end) and it made for some interesting skating.

Intense: Yeah, at one point I was standing on the line between a blocker and a jammer from the other team and I felt SHORT.  There was a couple of the other players who were just in your face, giving you the stink eye, trying to distract and intimidate you.   And then we all laughed and had fun at the after party.  It was awesome.

Focussed:  Sugar Rai as a line leader made it very easy to get focussed and calm.  Look at her and breathe… deep in and deep out.  Breathe.  Focus.  Don’t look at the track.  Focus.  It made me a better player, I think.

Best parts of the game:  Watching Trauma jump the over the Moon.  Getting first penalty and not knowing what the hell was going on and almost glad to be out of the frey and hearing the ref call “BLACK, 7K… whatever… DESTRUCTION OF PACK”  My derby number is 7KDZ… it made me giggle.   Being able to keep focused on where the jammer was and keep up with the rest of the team.   Making a new friend.

Worst part of the game: Psyching myself out at the beginning.  Thinking I wasn’t going to be able to cut it because in warm up I wore out quickly.   Having to say good-bye to Triple Threat.

My only injuries are a bruised thumb and a scrape on my right shin.   Overall – I came out of the game fairly unscathed.

 

Next bout: June 28 in Quesnel.  That gives me a month to cross-train and get in shape so I can do better, feel better and perhaps avoid a penalty.