Gettin' my Skate On in the Merry Old Land of Oz...

photo courtesy of Rick Grosvent

So it’s 4 days after the fact, but I finally have time and focus to write about this weekend.

On Sat 4/23 I skated in my first ever official bout as a Roller Derby Referee. I am so ridiculously in love with this sport it’s pathetic ;)

The funny thing about the prep leading up to traveling to the bout is that I never felt truly nervous… like, “opening night of the big Musical/holy crap I have a solo in the Mozart Piece” nervous… which is what I was expecting.

Somewhat like when I ran the Rapier Academy at the Armory a few years ago, I spent an inordinate amount of time futzing with details and minutiae… until there were no more minute details to fret about; there was only the event, and then it was happening and I didn’t have time to be nervous.

This was similar, except of course for the fact that I was not in charge of anything. I fretted about what to wear, what would be comfortable, what doesn’t make me look too pudgy, will this cut off circulation, does this just look stupid? Then it was packing the go bag, checking my gear, making sure I had ice pack and meds for my shoulder (tendinitis in the left shoulder since last Tuesday), etc. How do I want to wear my hair? If I wear it in pigtails the whole day I’ll have a splitting headache by bout time, do I want to just scrunchie it or let it hang loose until time to gear up? Make up now or at the venue? Shoes? What to wear for the ride up? What to bring for after bout/after party? Is the combo of Wardens Jacket + T-Shirt going overboard? Should I wear RCRD T-shirt? Maybe wear it for warm-ups before donning the stripes? Did I figure out shoes, yet?

Ok, see what I mean? This is the minutiae I wade through before an event (be it SCA, Derby, party, whatever). Mindless, unimportant, trivial… but it becomes DIRE. I think that’s my brain’s way of avoiding the stress; if I’m so focused on the crap I don’t recall that I’m scared shitless and one toe away from total panic. Eventually the trivial bits run out and there is just the 1.5 hour drive to Oswego… and then I fidget. I flip through the rules book. I babble mindlessly. I eat. I stare at the Vultures and Hawks as they circle the skies. I fidget. I fidget. But, it wasn’t nervous fidgeting, it was restless fidgeting. I was ready to put skates on and go. I was done waiting, I was ready to get going, for better or for worse.

So as we (Psi’d Kick, Col Lision & I) are driving through scenic Oswego we get a phone call from another Warden (Ruh Roh) letting us know that Google Maps was made of FAIL and gave bad directions to a completely different venue, and he filled us in on the correct directions. We arrived in 1 piece, went to the Ref’s room, met some folks, geared up, and skated a bit for warm up.

So, where to start…

I think I’m going to recap as much of the bout as I can and maybe save observations for a separate post… because this is going to be long, I can already tell.

Ok, Bout Details first.
Oz RollerGirls (Oswego) vs Crown City Royal Pains (Cortland)

Head Ref & Jam Timer: Flyin’ Phil (OzRG)
Inside [front] Pack Ref: RefPocalypse (OzRG)**
Inside [back] Pack Ref: Chunkendale (RCRD)
Jam Ref: PackMan (OzRG)**
Jam Ref: Psi’d Kick (RCRD)
Outside Pack Ref: Judy Butterscotch (BRRD)
Outside Pack Ref: Muffy Stopheles (RCRD)
Outside Pack Ref: Lois DeGogh (RCRD)
**PackMan & RefPocalypse swapped positions for the 2nd half

Bout started at 6p, Ref/Captains’ meeting was at 5:45. We a bit before 4:30, so we had plenty of time to gear up and have a go on the floor. This was my first time skating on concrete, and it was rather delightful. Psi’d Kick said it was extremely grippy; to the point where he swapped his wheels. It definitely was grippier than the floor at Horizon Fun F/X, I nearly faceplanted from stopping too short to try a tomahawk; and hardly any travel in my knee slides. So, I made some mental adjustments that I hoped would stick during the bout itself; and was ready to go.

A few folks from RCRD showed up to watch and cheer… Derby Mom & Stabbity Ann (she made me sign LOL), Lemon Lightning; and Natasha Musquasha (she’s originally from Oswego and also had a cousin skating with OzRG). That was fun, especially when we could hear them out in the stands (particularly Natasha jam-coaching from the stands, LOL).

So, the introductions begin, the Canadian and American Anthems are played, a quick Derby 101 Demo Jam is run to explain the action… and then the bout starts in earnest! Oz has a slightly different OPR set up, Outside White Boards were at turns 1 & 4, Penalty box was in the corner at turn 4, and generally they have 2 OPRs start at Turn 1 and 1 at Turn 3… at the start of the jam OPR-1 takes off and OPR-2 waits until they’re “tagged” by OPR-3. Phil was amenable to OPR-2 starting at the Pivot Line opposite Front-IPR, so that’s where I started off.

About 2 or 3 jams in I had a couple of instances of slipping when I tried to stop or push off with the pack. Between Jams I kept checking my toe stops and wheels to see if something was on them, and then Phil called an Officials Time-Out. The combination of very cold concrete and the warm bodies/breathing of the 300 or so attendees was generating a lot of condensation on the floor… creating slick spots that skaters and refs alike were slipping on. They brought out a big push broom and a mop, and rolls of paper towels, threw open a few doors, and tried to get some of the moisture up off the floor. Then the bout continued.

We skated for a bit longer, and finally after another OTO and consultation with the captains it was decided that we’d skate a 15 minute 1st half, have intermission to try and get the floor drier, then skate a 45 minute 2nd half. They threw open the doors, opened the upper vents, turned on fans, mopped and buffed at the floor, whatever they could do to get the floors skate-able again.

The Half-Time show consisted of a group of Jam Skaters who I believe someone said were all related… and apparently all of them had their bones surgically removed!! They were impressive, one kid landed flat on his back (on purpose) on the concrete and I swear the sound echoed throughout the entire arena!

So, the 2nd Half starts, and we are all skating tentatively… and I don’t think anyone was able to avoid falling at least once on that floor. Natasha best described it as “a thin sheen of Vaseline on the floor.” It was tough… especially because it wasn’t just that your wheels had no traction so you’d continue sidewise sliding; but toe-stops were pretty much useless. The Jammers reached a point where they didn’t leave the jam line simply because they couldn’t get traction… they either fell or froze trying to decide what to do.

It was especially bad around Turns 3 and 4, that’s where the pile ups tended to happen the most. It didn’t occur to me until after the fact, but despite the challenging skating conditions we had not 1 time out of pause in game play due to injury on the track. That’s pretty damned impressive, I must say. I even had a bit of temper tantrum at Phil because I couldn’t get the attention of a volunteer to mop the ref lane… they hit the track between every jam; and sometimes the inside of the track… but never the ref/safety lane. After I fell and couldn’t get my skates back under me (truly, it was comic… but embarrassing), I yelled at Phil to call an OTO and asked him to have someone hit the ref lane. Then he pointed out there were less than 2 minutes left in the 2nd Half! I hadn’t even noticed, I was so engrossed in the bout :P

So, I managed 2 calls of my own, and echoed a call from another OPR when the offending skater ended up out of range. On my very first call of the evening (Forearms-Minor… you never forget your first call… I guess hehehe) I happened to make it in front of a row of Royal Pains fans, and one yelled out “Aww that was Bad Call, Ref!!!” I couldn’t help but grin to myself and think, “Oh yeah, I am DEFINITELY a Referee now!”

I hesitated on 1 call, but I’m not beating myself up over it; just keeping it in mind until the next time; and I can cancel it out (keeping an internal tally of personally missed calls, good calls cancel them out… aiming for positive personal score).

Hob-nobbed for a bit afterwards, stood for a few group photos, geared down and headed out to the Afterparty. This was in a bar attached to a hotel… Refs were in free but they had to charge the NSOs and guests the $5 cover-charge, which was unexpected… turns out it wasn’t Linus-friendly food (Pizza & wings), so after a drink and a little sitting time we walked next door to Subway and had more substantial eats, then headed home.

reflmao received some very positive feedback from Oz the next day, and we’ve been given an enthusiastic invitation to come back and skate. My overall feeling regarding the trip to Oz? I fucking LOVE being a Roller Derby Referee!

I’m going to save my referee-oriented thoughts for a follow-up post… but suffice it to say… they all said I done good, I felt good about it, and I’m ready to do it again!

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Lois DeGogh, Referee

33 Seconds.

That is how much I beat my previous 25 in 5 time by. I did my time trial last night at practice, and completed it in 4:41. Confidence in making calls notwithstanding… I have overcome my final hurdle in becoming a Bout Eligible 19^th Warden Referee.

I won’t lie to you… it was hard. I was still sore from the aTOMic work-out on Sunday AM. I had an excess of adrenaline in my system. My lungs were on fire throughout the 2^nd half. The ache in my knee returned; plus the addition of pain in the muscle running along the outside of my lower left leg near my ankle. My heel and under my arch started hurting when I first put on my skates but eased to a dull ache by the time the trial started. The final 5 laps were excruciating… but I finished it, and finished it within my personal goal of under 4:50.

We started off practice with some off-skates agility drills (3-cone), I gently jogged vs running, and did gingerly did side-steps and backwards stepping. REFLMAO asked me before we started on skates if I wanted to do my time trial, then said we’d do some agility stuff for a bit then take a break for me to do the trial. Then we went on-skates and did laps Derby and counter-Derby direction, a little backwards skating, a little agility (3-cones stepping, 3-cones skating, 3-cones skating backwards).

We took a water break, he checked with me to see if I was ready, then announced I was skating and asked for volunteers to pace me. Jack Ast and Walter Ego offered, Psi’d Kick stood inside track w/REFLMAO to count laps, and the rest of the Wardens stood outside track to cheer me on.

I started, and even from the beginning I couldn’t get my stride right… already frustrated… but I kept skating and hoping I’d get it back. I did eventually fall into a stride, tried to mix up full-on cross-overs and coasting through the turns… then felt the ache start coming back. At one point Walter dropped out… he’d come in late and didn’t get a good warm up himself… and Jack took over pacing me, then for the last 10 laps or so Walter tagged back in.

As I said, the last 5 were excruciating… I was doing a lot more coasting through the last 8-10 laps just to take some of the pressure off of the left knee. I’d be damned if I were giving up again, tho. I wasn’t quitting this time, and while it wasn’t the most impressive last lap sprint… I did try to get through it skating the entire thing.

I honestly don’t remember if I asked the time or if someone else did… but when I heard 4:41 there may have been a whoop for joy. ;) And then a recovery lap, and then the futile guzzling of water to try and put out the roaring inferno in my throat and lungs. I tried to skate another recovery lap and felt my knee protesting mightily, so I headed over to the beach (wall-bench on far side of rink); where I suddenly could do nothing to ease the pain in my leg (the cluster of muscles above the knee knotted up). I pulled off the pad and tried to massage it a bit; bending hurt, straightening hurt, everything hurt… so I accepted that I’d just have to ride out the ow until I could stand/skate on it again. Which I did (otherwise I’d be posting this from the beach and the crew from Horizons would be looking at me funny and wondering if they should start charging room & board).

Important note to self… last lap sprinting on skates is still sprinting… quads are still going to react the same way [omgwtf-owowowowowow-damnyou-diaf!]

So, afterwards we did Ref discussion on verbal calls, then “dodge the sneakers” laps, then done. I decided I deserved Ice Cream… which is good, because plans were made to hit Friendly’s after practice. I ate too much, but I had my ice cream, and it was good.

My mentor was proud of me (and told me I did in fact deserve ice cream… thanks, Psi’d!), and commented that he thought I set a good pace from the beginning… which I find interesting considering I had such an issue with finding my stride.

I will say this, tho… I am VERY glad I switched back to my old skates. I will swear that that made most of the difference… 33 seconds worth of difference. I suppose it wouldn’t be too much of a reach to say that 2 Coach aTOMic workouts in a row contributed… or maybe not so much (other than being damned sore). I think the conditioning is a factor; I think that may also be why I’m not skating quite the same… even if the muscles aren’t necessarily stronger, they are being pushed, they’re being engaged more than they had been, more is being required of them. So maybe I’m entering a phase of skating “growing pains,” as I now need to figure out how to use these newly engaged, challenged, and achy muscles.

The nice thing is, while I do ache… I am walking up and down stairs with a lot less grief (as in “pain,” not the Viking), my heel hasn’t hurt all day, the pain in the left lower leg is much less, and my ankle is less achy. This pleases me, especially since I have to skate tomorrow night.

REFLMAO told us at the beginning of the season at our first Ref practice, “Congratulations, you’re referees! Now you just need to pass eligibility to skate in a bout.” While I appreciate that… in my mind I wouldn’t consider myself a Referee until I passed the Rules Test and the 25 in 5 and developed some confidence in skating as a Referee in scrimmage. I have completed my tasks… and with full confidence and proper pride I can happily say “I am a Referee,” and mean it.

There is a joy and a satisfaction in saying that that I simply can’t put into words, but suffice it to say… Yay for me :)

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On Injuries… Beyond Band-Aids and Ice Packs

Roller Derby is a dangerous sport. There’s no bones about it. Skaters are hurling themselves at each other full speed on quads trying to knock the other down.   Sometimes, people get hurt. Sometimes it isn’t even the intended target that gets hurt, it’s the skater next to her… or the skater initiating the block… or the referee on the other side of the track boundary.

One of the reasons I chose to not become a competitive skater is because of the potential injury factor. Just this season we’ve had skaters with knee injuries, ankles, a blood-clot because of a mis-diagnosed fracture… since I've been involved with the league there are have been concussions, broken bones, black eyes, injured backs… a gamut of hurt.

However, the referees are not immune to this… the risk is just a little bit less. One of the Refs in Buffalo (Anita Doobie) was off-skates because of what I believe was a back injury, another Buffalo Ref (90°Johnson) because of injured ribs. REFLMAO (our Head Ref ) was off skates because of a sprain that happened during practice (and we weren't even on skates at the time). We had a scare at scrimmage last week because another Ref (Walter Ego) took a skate to the face and ended up face down on the track and not moving for a few seconds.

People get hurt. The injuries are real. The pain is real. I was reminded in the last few weeks that I still stand every chance of getting hurt… sometimes you just can’t dodge that skater who whiffed her intended target and ends up barreling right into you. Or the jammer that gets blocked out of bounds and ends up sweeping your feet out from under you. Or your own clumsiness when you wheel-lock yourself and end up face-planting in Turn 3.

So much is going on during a bout (and even during a scrimmage). Our job is to keep people safe… skaters, Officials, spectators, everyone… the rules are designed to keep game play safe. But Injury is inevitable… injury happens.

I won’t lie to you. I’m still skating in “careful” mode. I still allow myself to fall out of position if I’m along the wall between Turns 2 & 3 and see a block about to happen. I still take my eyes off the track to avoid the coaches in the ref lane or the skaters exiting the penalty box. I still drift past my desired stopping point rather than trying to “stop on a dime,” over-balance, and fall. I’m sure with time and confidence I’ll be a little less “careful,” but the self-preservation streak runs wide and it may be some time before I learn how to be “reckless” – well, maybe ok... not reckless... more like “daring.” But hey, I'm on skates... right? If I really wanted to play it safe, I could have just stayed in the Penalty Box... or in the stands as a spectator. Gimme time...

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One Significant Step Closer, and Moving Ever Forward

Dear Gods, It’s happening. It’s really happening.

Last night we took our Rules Test. It was hard… not Microsoft Exam Hard, but still very challenging. There are so many nuances to Roller Derby game play, and interpretation of the Rules in how Penalties are enforced is a HUGE part of that game play. They say “The Devil is In the Details,” and when it comes to the Rules of Roller Derby… no truer words were ever quoted. The test was written by Walter Ego and edited by REFLMAO, and apparently undergoes a few changes with every taking. We had some discussion about the questions, scenarios, etc; and definitely will be a great set of topics for the next off-skates Ref Practice.

I did well, scored in the low 80s, which really is about the level student I am. Some of the questions I just didn’t read with the perspective in which the scenario was written; so I interpreted the results differently. Some I just didn’t read through clearly. I did pass, tho… and once I pass my skating assessment I will be a Bona Fide Roller Derby Referee. SQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

Ahem, sorry about that.

As I was saying, the two largest hurdles thus far have been the Rules Test and the 25 in 5. From what it sounds like, I may not even have to go through the entire Skating Assessment, just the time trial. REFLMAO said last night that he would be willing to run the time trial every week we’re on skates for Ref Practice if I wanted; that whenever I wanted another go-round, just let him know.

Somewhat as an aside… I may be busting my Referee Cherry earlier than 5/14, and outside my home turf. There was a call for Referees and NSOs at a Bout that Oswego is holding on 4/23, and I’d volunteered to NSO for it. Apparently REFLMAO accidentally included me in the Referee list, not the NSO list… He isn’t too worried, and has no problems at all with me representing RCRD as a Referee. So, I have my Head Referee’s Blessing to skate my first ever bout. Pardon me whilst I do a happy dance.

…still dancing…

…still dancing…

Ok, I’m done.

So now comes the question… do I try next week for my time trial? I’m back on my R3s, didn’t skate last night because of the test. I was planning to stay home and get housework done (and indulge in some overdue Sofa and Movie Time with my kitty) tonight… but maybe I should trek out to Horizon for some Open Skate time. I’ll be skating in Scrim on Thurs. I’ll probably try the Sunday workout again (with much less running until I get new shoes), and there will be skating there… so maybe I could try the time trial again. Worst case I fall short a few seconds again, and will just have to berate myself and try again the following week.

I also contacted Gravity Kills about my preferred NSO Assignment for the 4/17 Home Bout… to which she commented that if I pass my 25 in 5 REFLMAO would probably have me skating. In a Home Bout. This Month. Like, less than 2 weeks. Holy. Fucking. Shitstorm. Batman!

I mentioned to REFLMAO last night that I’d like to stay on OPR for awhile, rather than switching around… because I’d like to work on becoming a bit proficient, if not comfortable, with a position before switching (sex in 1). I figure that will be my first assignment; and I’d rather be “She’s OPR because she’s practiced at it” vs “She’s OPR because she’s inexperienced.” Then I’ll move inside. Eventually I’ll have to suck it up and start learning Jam Reffing and Scoring :P but I’d really like to save that for last because I think that will involve the most work. It may not even be until next Season, and I personally am OK with that… tho REFLMAO may have other designs ;)

I have to say, I am so extremely grateful for all of the positive feedback and encouragement I have been receiving… from the other RCRD Refs, from Otto and Lizzy, from the skaters, from friends and family on Facebook, and LiveJournal (what currently seems to be in a constant state of Bustification), and from people I’ve talked to face to face and watching me fairly buzzing with excitement.

This has become so important to me, and I do feel bad that I’m losing touch with other things that used to be so time consuming… but I really did need this change. My life really was growing stagnant and sedentary and predictable… and dissatisfying. Roller Derby has awakened something new and exciting and amazing in me, and I am relishing every moment of it.

I can’t promise that “I’ll be back.” Our League is growing, progressing, evolving… we are accomplishing some incredible things, and striving for even more. I love that I am a part of this, I love that I am able to grow just as RCRD is growing… I love that, just as RCRD is developing a reputation as a “League that has their Sh!t Together”, I just might be able to become one of those “Referees who knows their Sh!t” There’s still much to be done (in both respects), but the fact that the possibility is there is inspiring, and thrilling.

In the end, what heart doesn’t yearn to be Inspired?

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I'm Beginning To See The Light...

Ah yes, so some time has passed… yet again… since my last post.

The work situation is still… unresolved… but for the moment I am employed, and insured, and therefore I am still skating. I will continue to skate until someone tells me I can’t, and that’s that.

Anyway… I have had some ups and downs on my path to the coveted Zebra Stripes; but I’m trying my damnedest to learn from the downs (and the ups, really), and move on. Don’t dwell on the “needs improvement”s, and don’t wallow in the “great job”s.

>Two weeks ago we did skating assessments, I believe the way it was worded… if we didn’t pass something don’t be too worried about it; but I don’t know if they were the skating assessments required to become an eligible referee.  I did well on everything except the 25 [laps] in 5. Yes, I am disappointed, and frustrated, and annoyed. No, I’m not going to give up just because I fell short (5:14).

I started my trial, and the “fatigue” pain in my left knee re-appeared and I had to stop. I rested for the remainder of the 5 min to let the folks skating finish their trial… took off the knee brace I was hoping would help, tried to stretch and warm up the knee a little more, and tried it again. I finished, but I was in pain (which suspiciously faded to annoying ache by the time I got home). Something about the way I was leaning into the crossovers was causing serious pain. I skated through it; but I’ll admit it… I was whining and crying about it.

I was mad. I didn’t want to give up… again. I could hear Captain Bayne’s voice in my head from 20 years ago saying he was disappointed in me because I had a good pace for my 1.5 mile run and just gave up at the end. I know I can skate well, and I wasn’t skating well, and I couldn’t skate the way I knew I could skate because it hurt and the pain frustrated me.

>After a couple of scrimmages and open skate nights, I’ve decided to go back to my R3s and shelf the Dashes for awhile. They don’t fit right;  I can’t get the lacing snug enough to keep the skate from sliding around my feet without cutting off circulation or cutting across the “bend” in my ankle. I also discovered that I have too much play in the wheels on my left skate (coincidentally the one with the fracked up truck). I took the nut off, and saw that the axle was too narrow for the bearing (Bones Reds). The other skate was fine; but if I tightened the left one enough so that the wobble was gone; the skate didn’t roll well… and I almost fell trying to do my crossovers because the wheels weren’t spinning right.

I also tried a couple of combinations of inserts to try and remove some of the play around the heel/Achilles tendon… and the fact that skating for more than 10 minutes makes my left heel hurt. So I tried the sports inserts I bought for my fencing boots a few years ago, I tried a rigid arch support insert, I tried gel heel caps, I tried the gel heel caps + rigid arch support… nothing worked without causing some other kind of discomfort or downright paint.

This has made me quite annoyed, because I’m basically shelving a $130 pair of skates because they aren’t working out. Glad I didn’t splurge on a $300 pair of skates that don’t fit… I am convinced that the ill-fitting and crappy truck-bearing skates had an effect on my 25 in 5. I’ve since switched back to the R3s, and while I have to get used to the laces/straps adjustments again; I already feel more comfortable.

I may throw the outdoor wheels on the Dashes, I may try to discover the magical combination of tweaks that make them functional again, I may just say “fuck it” and see if someone want’s ‘em.

>I have asked one of the Refs to act as a Mentor for me… a somewhat dedicated person I can go to with questions, maybe offer some advice or guidelines, etc. I think it’s residual to having the Don(a)/Cadet relationship; only not so formalized or demanding.  This isn’t to say that I won’t be asking questions from the other Refs or anything like that; but it is someone besides our Head Ref that will be getting my constant questions and emails, etc. He said this will be a learning experience for him too, so maybe this will be a good arrangement all around.

>Tonight, I am smiling because I had moments this weekend where I truly felt like a Referee.  I went to the Saturday Scrap at ACRD (Syracuse), and I did Outside Pack Ref again.

At one point Otto was going to each OPR and offering tips or asking how they were doing, etc. When he came to me he smiled and said, “I don’t need to tell you anything, you’re doing exactly what you’re supposed to… you know what you’re doing.”  A little later one of the jammers pulled a Minor Elbows during the 1^st pass,  and I signaled it in like I was trained. Only, the Jam Ref didn’t see it. Otto did catch it, and confirmed it… so it wasn’t a wasted call. The Jam Ref even said that was something he needs to start being more aware of; keeping an eye out for the OPRs while the Jammers are in the pack.

There was one call where I hesitated, and I shouldn’t have because my first impression was the right one:

          O>Black Blocker is in the pack and focusing on getting in position next to an opposing blocker. Black Blocker is somewhat small, and tends to swing her arms high forward and back while skating.

          O>White Blocker moves up behind Black Blocker, looking for a hole to snake through and into position.

          O>Black Blocker isn’t aware of White Blocker moving directly behind her, and during one of her high back swings her elbow connects with White Blocker’s face.

Now, my first instinct was to call the High Block; but then I recalled the wording of the Elbows penalty and what the Black Blocker was doing coincided with the description. I thought about it too much and didn’t call anything… fortunately the ref at Turn 4 called Black Blocker out for an Elbows Major and she went to the box. After consulting Reflmao and Psi’d Kick, my first call was the appropriate one.

I’m a little bummed about that… but by the same token, I am pleased because I was looking in the right place at the right time. I am following the pack just like we practiced a few weeks ago; focusing on the Jammers going through the pack and then back to the pack once the Jammers break free. I’m getting better at gauging when I need to take off to stay with the pack for as long as I can. I’m watching the pack more and the floor around me less, so my peripheral field of vision is widening. 

I am actively accepting that it happens in stages… first I learn how to skate… then learn how to skate well. Then I have to recognize what’s going on on the track and deal with it if needed. Then I have to articulate it… and add hand signals. And then I have to be able to back it up (whatever call I end up making). 

I have drifted into “seeing penalties happen.” This pleases me. Saturday night, I felt like a referee… not a n00b, not a poser, not a wanna-be… but a referee. Otto was once again full of praise and encouragement, and again said I was welcome back anytime, and mentioned a RCRD/ACRD Bout coming up in the Fall. Yeah, I’m pretty sure I’ll be skating as ref by then ;) I had a shit-eating grin on my face for most of the ride home from Syracuse, and I had the silliest thought that had me cracking up, “If Derby had a face, I’d so be making out with it.”

>I finally went back to a Coach aTOMic practice. I concentrated on doing half of what he was doing; or doing it at a slower pace, or substituting a similar action to what he was doing… so that I was still moving; just not at the breakneck pace he was setting.  I decided that, “If we personify Derby, then Sun AM practices are “Derby’s obnoxious sibling you can’t stand, but you tolerate it because you love Derby.”

[I should mention that it is 9:44pm and I am quite literally drifting off at the keyboard, so I should probably find a good stopping point and end it, LOL
Also, if there are a plethora of odd typos, that would be the afore-mentioned falling asleep]

>Rules Test on Tuesday. I don’t know how to study for it. I’ve been running through the practice online test (based on the older rules set) during work… I’ve been reading through the rules… I haven’t been able to fully sit down and do my “cliff notes summarizing outline” like I normally do when I’m studying. I will do what I can, can’t ask for more than that. If I miss the passing grade… then I study harder and try it again… just like a Microsoft Test (only much less expensive or a pain in the ass to take).

Just like aTOMic’s workout, it’s time for me to improvise, cut back, and take a mildly easier approach until I’m better prepared. Obsessing about the Rules Test isn’t going to make me pass it; it will just give me an ulcer.  I do what I can, when I can, and if I fall short; then will more or less know what I need to do for next time so that it will be a non-issue.

With that thought, I desperately need to find my bed and pass out in it!

Roller Derby, I <3 U 4-EVER  ;)