So what was so special about yesterday? Well the ERRD all stars trained at our training venue before our training session. They're bouting against the SRDL Assassins on the 12th May. I really wanted to go to the bout but I've got my cousin's engagement party on that night and family always comes first no matter how much I love derby.
I went to training 2 hours earlier to go and watch the ERRD guys train and this time I was going as a fan of the sport. No pen and paper, no write up's (and now I've just contradicted myself with this post). I was looking forward to watching them scrimmage because it's been a while since I've been able to just watch scrimmage/bouts and be a fan cheering from the sidelines. My jaw was stuck to the floor with each skater walking through the door with skaters like Jilla, Danger, White Hawk, Manic Bullet, iKandy, Janis and the list goes on. There was Lola, Fifi, Dobie and Punky representing HARD.
I must admit I was ohh so tempted to put my gear on and hope that no one noticed I wasn't supposed to be there. The reality is though if I did do it I would have been absolutely annihilated and that's just in the warm up. I'm not going to let any secrets out in terms of what they did at training but I went from fan to eager student when they started training. They covered things I've never done at training so I managed to pick up a few new things that I'd love to try one day. It was such a great learning experience listening to these really experienced skaters.
Sharni joined me watching them train and we were both in stitches with Jilla and the stuff she comes out with. I felt for poor Dobie during one of their drills, Danger got her with a good hit coming around the bend that she caught some wicked air and landed hard on her arse. I was so impressed with Dobie she bouted in the CCRG bout the night before, trained with the ERRD guys and then did our normal Sunday training. What a machine! I've seen WIRD's Manic Bullet bout a couple of times now and I'm still amazed at how low she gets when she jams. She gets so low that she could literally kiss the floor if she wanted to while she was skating. It's amazing to watch.
I was getting ready to watch them scrimmage when one of the ref's asks Sharni and I to NSO. I must have jam timer tattooed on my forehead. I go it during our scrimmage because I'm not scrimmaging yet but this was one time when I wanted to just watch and not pay attention to timing the jams because there was a chance the jams would go for 5 minutes instead of 2 because I'd be too busy watching. I did the NSO duties and I didn't even screw up... I surprised myself. The scrimmage was frigging awesome to watch. I'll be cheering for the All Stars while I'm at the engagement party.
I figured I'd fulfil a fangirl wish of mine, both Jilla and Cherry at the same venue as me I sensed a photo op! The ERRD guys were getting ready to leave just as we started doing endurance so I quickly left the track and hijacked Cherry who was training the freshies. After a few technical difficulties (the bloody camera wouldn't work) I eventually got a snap with both of them. I was happy as larry even though my jaw was sore from the massive grin I pulled hehe. There was no tears or marriage proposals like those crazy teenage girls over One Direction. I've just got massive respect for both of them as skaters and what they do on and off the track when it comes to derby.
I had the piss taken out of me by a few people (not that I cared) but how many people can say they've had their pic taken with their favourite skater? I was lucky enough to get it taken with both of them so :P haha I've got the pic out of the way, I would love nothing more than to come up with or against the both of them on the derby track one day and have a beer with them afterwards.
Until I started watching more NRDL bouts last year all I really knew was Jilla but the more of their bouts I watched the more amazing skaters I discovered. One of those skaters was DangeRass so I figured I ask her a photo too with Jilla doing her monster impersonation!
So all in all it was a brilliant start to the arvo. It got better because Santina and Danger Blond were back training with us. Santina and I had a laugh during the pushing drill we were doing but then it all went to crap. With each passing drill nothing was going right for me. I was struggling with each drill, I had Apple, Cheya and Cherry drag my arse around the track for the various drills. It felt like I was doing all this stuff for the first time. The longer it went on the worse it got and the more frustrated I got so of course the self doubting thoughts kicked around in my head, fuck it I'm not quitting. I've just lost my derby mojo, I just need to work hard at getting it back again. Earlier this year I really started to improve after last year's injury affected year so I know I can do it. It's more mental than anything.
So that's about it. Aren't you glad you don't have to put my whinghing on a weekly basis anymore :)
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