Cello's New Skates
by Cello
Member of wReck Derby
Ithaca League of Women Rollers
I went to my first Sufferjets bout last summer and since then have wanted nothing more than to become a rollergirl. I know it’s a long road from “haven’t put skates on in 10 years†to roller derby superstar so I bought myself a pair of crappy cheap roller derby style skates at the beginning of the summer and set my wheels to pavement anywhere I could find an open parking lot or paved trail. Then I heard about the wReck Derby that the ILWR was going to start running and I jumped on it, like white on rice (or brown on unmilled rice, whichever you prefer). We’ve had 6 sessions now and I can verify that learning how to skate derby is just as awesome as I thought it would be. No wait, it’s more so. All of the instructors have been very encouraging and very helpful and you couldn’t ask for a better set of drill sergeants on wheels.
I’m learning how to fall and stop and get-up-and-go and jump and sticky skate and slalom and about a hundred (literally) other skills that you need to know in order to pass the basic skills test. I’m learning how to skate in a pack, how to be alert and how to train my body to do the things it needs to do without even necessarily telling it to. I’m learning how to develop my fearlessness and channel it into being a better skater and athlete. Mostly, I’m learning that roller derby is life.
