Struggling to Maintain

So there I was, going to through my gear bag, looking at all my tools, extra black and white shirts, broken laces etc. and asking myself if I needed to have all that stuff in there when it hit me. The gear stink. It washed over me and, though I enjoyed it for a second, I quickly got my wits about me. I threw the lot in the washing machine and starting thinking about what all that pad stink means. It wasn't quite a "questioning the motivation of the universe" moment but I did consider that there was very likely a lot of bacteria reveling in all that salty, warm sweat I leave behind after practice. That bacteria is probably the cause of a lot of that smell and as I thought more about it realized the backs of my hands had been rather dry and itchy lately...

This epiphany lead me to do a couple of things last weekend. First, I went SHOPPING. I got some pad stink spray and a new mouthguard. OK, fine, I got a cute t-shirt too. But I was using a giftcard I received for my birthday so I had to get something that was fun too. HAD TO. But that is a story for another day, isn't it? Second, I researched gear maintenance. Here is what I learned:

Mouthguards:  According to the ADA (American Dental Association), one should clean their mouthguard after every use. Uh... oops on that. Historically, I just popped that sucka out and put it in it's special case. Other than picking a curiously errant cat hair off it once in a while, I didn't really think much about what else needs to happen until... well, I don't wanna talk about it. Anyway, I got a new mouthguard. And this bad boy is gonna stay all clean. That means that I will wash it after using it and probably with something stronger than water (like mouthwash). Also, I will brush it with a toothbrush as they encourage and in a year or so, buy a new one instead of hoarding an old nasty one as if I were the Gollum of mouthguards. My teeth need to be a little more "precious" than I have been treating them.

Pads: While my wrist and elbow pads have sustained me for a long time, the one thing I need to commit to changing more often are knee pads. They take a licking and keep on ticking, but I could to be nicer to my knees. They're the only set I have and my knees came into this sport a little damaged, so if I don't want my first knee replacement to be sooner rather than later I need to stay up on that. It seems to be recommended that new knee pads should be purchased every year at minimum and more than that if needed. There doesn't seem to be a good, clear indicator of how to know when it's time, but if you take that fall and think "wow, that was more jarring than usual" it may be the right time for replacements.

Helmets: Your helmet needs to meet certain standards before you even hit the track. Plain and simple. It should be able to take an impact of uh.. I dunno, a lot. Read more about Wicked Skatewear's testing here. I didn't do the research, but I did read it, and I am sold. Protect the noggin. One of our skaters recently fell, and even with her helmet on, got a concussion. She waited the requisite amount of time and as she prepared her gear for her next practice, noticed that there was a flat spot on her helmet from the fall. She didn't mess around with this. The structural integrity of the helmet may have been compromised and that is really all the reasoning that one needs to get a brand-spankin-new helmet.

Yours truly with her beautiful custom jobbies.
Antiks. Worth every penny.

Skates: There are boots, bearings, bushings, plates, wheels, and laces to worry about here. Long story short, learn how to grease 'em up, tighten 'em down and everything in between because it's the most expensive part for the package. But, that is a story for another day. Yowza. Unlike my mouthguard, skate maintenance has been at the top of muh list since the beginning.

In conclusion, be reasonable with your gear. Your mouthguard shouldn't have a smell or taste unless it's toothpaste. Your knee pads should have cushion enough to take many a digger before they start to go. In my research, one player said "I know it's time to get rid of them when I can't wash the stink out anymore." Sage advice I think. Also, protect your brain. Always. Really all I am saying is, like a good bout-day ritual, there needs to be a method to the madness of maintaining your gear. Think about it once in a while and show it some love off the track.

Derby Love,
Mollytov Maguire

All You Need is Love (well, derby love)

Derby love is unlike any other, and there's PLENTY of it to go around.  We have funny ways of expressing it, and if you aren't apart of the roller derby girl culture you have no idea what you're in for.  Luckily, I have included this step by step Guide to the Derby Galaxy that will answer all of your questions (and possibly fulfill your fantasies) so you don't wander into the derby life without a proper map.  First...

The Derby Sister

Starting in this sport can be daunting.  It's slightly overwhelming to walk into a room surrounded by a bunch of women who are totally badass.  You slide in quietly with your skates and soon realize you have a lot to learn if you’re gonna rumble with these ladies.  Having a derby sister is instantly having someone who will stand up for you, give you pointers, and encourage you to keep pushing. She helps you assimilate to the culture of the league, make new friends, and teaches you the ABC's of derby all the way from skate maintenance to bout day rituals.  It means a lot to have a big sis looking out for you, and the role of a derby sister is not one to be overlooked.  If you have the privilege to be a big sis, make sure you don't forget the most important part of all; simply being a friend.  Having someone in your corner on the first day of school makes you love derby even more. 

The Derby Crush

Remember back in 4th grade when you sat across from that really cute guy or girl that made your heart go pitter-patter?  They would look at you, ask for a pencil, and you suddenly found yourself soaring through the clouds on a magic carpet made of rainbows?  This. This is what it feels like to have a derby crush.
We are apart of an incredible sport that challenges us every day.  It's tiring, exciting, satisfying, and sometimes even heartbreaking.  Every once in a while another player comes along that is just fabulous. They are strong, confident, skilled, exciting, and they can do all the things you can't do.  Their body moves in way that is unparalleled to anyone else-and they look GREAT doing it.  You can't stop staring, your mouth drops open, and you find that you have that familiar feeling of soaring on a rainbow.  
Now the very best thing about a derby crush is that they aren't Beyonce, 3,000 miles away, completely unreachable, and surrounded by enough security personnel to occupy a subway train.  Derby is such a grass roots, local phenomenon that your new derby crush is usually 10 feet away from you and you if you so dare...you can actually TALK to her.  I actually ambushed Addy Rawl at The Riviera pool that last summer and she was so nice to me I almost died.
But the derby crush is not just someone to gawk at, they are the close-up hero that inspires you to train harder, learn more, and go the extra lap.  If you can emulate you're derby crush by working hard, then who knows? Someone might get all weak in the knees talking to you one day:)

The Derby Wife

Although "Derby Wife" sounds silly to those outside of the sport, it's no laughing matter.  Close friendships develop while playing this high intensity sport and when you find that special someone you’re like two peas in a pod.  Your derby wife is in short; your derby soul mate. This girl came out of the womb with a destiny to skate with you.  You both healthily compete with each other but greatly appreciate the others talents and skills.  Judgements never come from your derby wife because she is always there for you; from bad calls on the track to bad calls at the after-party, and when you’re throwing up in the bathroom after too much party, she's the one who holds your hair back.
Derby wives have often been described as, "she's the first to bail you out of jail, but she also might be the one that got you there in the first place."
So although you can’t file your taxes together, this girl will always have your back.  Now I know what question you’re going to ask and the answer is YES.  Derby girls can have multiple derby wives but it’s not considered taboo, or that you’re cheating on each other.  Derby love goes all around, so before you judge someone for being a derby polygamist, just realize that we all do this in the name of love:)

The Original Skankster

I'll Be Seeing You in all the Old Familiar Places

How do I love thee, roller derby? Let me count the ways. I get to be a part of an international community and network of THOUSANDS of incredible people from all walks of life. I am continually inspired by the people around me. There are supa fun boutfits involved and after-parties galore! I use my talents, carefully honed by years of experience both professionally and academically, for something I am crazy passionate about. I receive the benefits of wonderful, challenging workouts with loads of variety designed to make me better, stronger, and faster several times a week. I get to be a friend, a mentor, a peer, a teammate, and a STAR to people who are sometimes total strangers to me. My confidence is stronger, my body leaner, my energy more focused and those are just the first few things that spring to mind when talkin' derby. But, there are things that are awkward on their best days and we tend not to talk about them. Things like when one of those amazing people that I mentioned chooses to move on. That is... well, sucky.

In my head, I know their reasons and I understand them; whether it is because of retirement, moving to a more competitive league, or just plain change of environment. So why is it so hard for my heart to accept that this isn't about me? That their choices are not a reflection of mine? That though I would love to stay with those people forever, they don't want to stay with me? I hate seeing people leave. It's hard to watch someone you've trained with, shared sweat with, and been mentored by decide that the choice they helped you make is no longer their choice.

I love these skaters. They helped shape my opinions, they "raised me" and contributed to the culture of my league. Without them, FoCo Girls Gone Derby would look and feel different. I like to think that it is different for the better because of them. I KNOW that I am better because of them. I can remember talking to one of my dear derby sisters, then still a comrade in arms, who told me that if she didn't give me her whole ass (literally and figuratively) that she would be cheating me out of getting better and that I should be proud that no one was "taking it easy" on me. This was a lesson that didn't ring true in my selfish, sad little heart at the time but now, as I begin to talk the talk and walk the walk of a veteran, these words of wisdom find resonance within me.

Seriously though.
Don't you forget about me.

I like to think that I am not saying good-bye to these women because wherever they are and whomever they roll with, we will always be derby sisters. I hope that I see them both on and off the track (and SOON) but I know that it will be different. I am prepared for this reality. But it still hurts my little derby heart just a little that they won't look at me on the line and say "It's you and me, OK? Stick with me." And that is a big 'ole suckfest. There is a line and I am on the FoCo side but they're not anymore. That is the cold, hard truth of the matter. My hope is that we can skate down this line together, that they can be one their  side and I will be on mine and we will share mutual respect for the fact that currently, THIS league is the one for me, and some other league is the one for them.

At one time in my life before derby, I was talking to a very dear friend about why people seem to come and go. She gave me some sage advise that I will share with all of you here. She told me that you can't begrudge the person who isn't there with the same regularity they were before and that you do need to celebrate and be glad for the time that you had with them. Meaning, some friends are there for a specific time in your life but instead of being sad and missing them you should be glad that they were there at all. So cheers to the past, present, and future of FoCo Girls Gone Derby!

Derby Love,
Mollytov Maguire

Big Girls Don't Cry

I

I'm a crier.  I cry all the time, but no one would actually know this because I'm super embarrassed about it.  Seriously, I cried last week during Indiana Jones.  I guess one time in my very reserved childhood I saw this girl crying about something incredibly silly (like her nail broke or whatever) and she then proceeded to throw herself into the arms of this boy she had a crush on, just for the attention.  At this moment (I must have been 10) in my life I decided that if I ever had to cry, like any self-respecting member of the female gender I would lock myself in a bathroom and do it the old-fashioned way- by myself in the comfort of my own shattered self-esteem.  I would sob my little heart out, wipe my tears, and then parade out of the bathroom with my head held high like nothing had even phased me. This week, I learned I how stupid this was.

A few weeks ago we had our Thursday Scrimmage Practice and although we have it every week, this one really stuck to me.  Thursday Scrimmage Practice is always just a little more intense than our regular league practice.  People become nervous, excited, and frustrated very quickly because of the expectations that we set for ourselves.  We all feel like we have to something to prove at every scrimmage, and if we do poorly, we beat ourselves up about it.

At this particular Thursday Scrimmage, we were discussing as a team what our positions would be and how the expectation was for everyone to jam at least once, no matter what your regular position is.  We do this to encourage people to get outside their comfort zone and learn something new.  As we were talking about this I heard someone pipe up.  A fellow teammate started saying how nerve-racking jamming was for her, how it was incredibly difficult, and how she went through a panic-attack when she even thought about jamming.  This confession brought her to tears.  You could see how scared and frustrated she was and how the expectations she had put on herself had brought her to this point.  As she was opening her heart to us I thought, "This girl is braver than I ever knew."  

This courageous girl had been scared to share her feelings with us, but had done it anyway.  This act of strength revealed to me that as different as each and every one of us are, we are a family.  We're not "roller derby sisters," we're real sisters, and we are responsible for the culture of our league.  This moment inspired me to seek a change in the roller derby culture as a whole.  We use words like "tough" and "badass" to describe what kind of people we are, but what do these words really mean?  We have adopted in this sport that they mean things like "fearless," "shut up and skate," and "get your ass on the track."  But to me, "tough" and "badass" mean being scared and getting on the track anyway.  It means taking those fears that you have and being open about them.

Having insecurities about yourself as a player has always been looked down upon. We're so used to shoving all of our fears to the back of our mind that instead of being confident, we're just pretending to be confident. Let's change this by starting a conversation about what we're afraid of and then listening to our fellow sisters. Your roller derby sisters are there to support and strengthen you, so bring your fears on the track with you and defeat them there; on the battlefield.  You have all the warriors you need right next to you.

The Original Skankster

I'm Working Smarter, Not Harder

Eye of the tiger, baby!

I had a breakthrough practice last week. It was one of those practices where my hits were well timed, where my feet were fast, where I didn't feel stressed out or pressured, and it was just FUN. This is exactly what it should be like. The week before (and every week before that) I spent what felt like the whole scrimmage on the verge of tears because I felt like I HAD to jam and couldn't, but this week I gave myself a break. This week, I decided that I would do one thing well and focused on seeing and understanding my position on the track and completing a job.

I think I have been feeling a lot of pressure to know what to do ALL.THE.TIME. when I am skating and the results are that I am 1. Confused. 2. Anxious 3. Doing a bad job at every position I try because I don't understand any of them well (or even poorly). There is a disconnect between what I think my skills should  be and what they actually are and my head is thinking 3 jams down the road. Needless to say, this is not how great derby gets played. At the start of our last scrimmage, I was at a point where I just couldn't be that stressed out again and learned to say "no" to disappointing myself again. I just had to decide that I didn't have any additional sh*%s to give to feeling low but I had a whole bunch to give to feeling good.

Jessie and I are the same amount of excited and scared.
Unfortunately for me, I don't have a Zack Morris to "hug it out" with.

Because of this leeway, I didn't dread every time I knew I had to take the track because someone would look at me and ask me to jam. I just concentrated on this one skill and, surprise! I improved and I liked not feeling like the dingy-est spazz on 8 wheels for a change. I think my confidence needed that break. Usually, I leave scrimmages feeling like it is the worst I have ever played because I am AWESOME  at beating myself up and you know what? That's pretty stupid. Do you know how much energy it takes to feel bad? As it turns out, it's the same amount of energy it takes to build myself up.

Adorable pixie of awesomeness = Femme

I have been talking with another up-and-coming skater (Thirfty Femme-i-Nifty) about this totally ridiculous propensity we both have to tear ourselves down. We (I) have decided that we're establishing a stronger culture of positivity starting RIGHT NOW by not feeding that ugly monster within ourselves. See, I am really outstanding at being someone else's cheerleader. I tell them it's OK to fall as long as you get back up, and I proud of all of them even when they aren't lead jammer (or don't even make it out of the pack) because I genuinely AM PROUD but it's really annoying that I can't feel that way about myself. So I am going to make a decision to be as kind to myself as I am other people. I am skill building right now. I am not a seasoned, experienced skater who has slick hits and jukes in her bag 'o tricks. I will eventually have them, but I don't now and I have to learn to be OK with that. I will move forward with the tools I do have and that is going to be sustaining. That will move me forward and keep me happy and hungry for more.

So that's it folks, Mollytov Maguire is going on a permanent vacation. I liked the break from self destructive behaviour so much that I am just not going back. And I am taking Femme with me. Pack your bags.


And then there were MANY sh*#s to give. The End.


Derby Love,
Mollytov Maguire

x

New Years Resolutions of a Roller Derby Girl

Learn the Rules.

We all “know” the rules, but only a handful of us know the rules well enough to squeeze the benefits out of them.  Rules are essential when forming strategy in order to put you at an advantage.  If I had to be honest with myself, I haven’t taken the time to learn to rules as well as I could because frankly, I kind of find them a bit boring to read.  No offense to WFTDA, it’s just fairly dry material and there always seems to be something a little more pertinent that I have to deal with.  I’ve gotten by on knowing the big rules, but I would like to know them so well that I can use them to my advantage.  Challenging calls, being smart about exiting the penalty box, and knowing how to enter the track in a sticky situation is pivotal in gaining the advantage in a bout.  These little advantages can be the difference in whether you win a bout or not, and I plan to help my team win. Especially now, with the new rule set, it’s the perfect time to really learn the rules and start playing derby a little smarter.

Make it to RollerCon.

If you have never been to RollerCon, this is probably one of the things you have promised yourself this year.  You’re going to scrimp and save and eat Ramen and not buy shoes just so you can go to this conference for a few days in Vegas.  Having attended last year I find myself itching to go back this year.  This conference is a field day for any derby girl including skate classes galore, live bouts being played all day, rules sessions, nutritional information, informative classes, copious amounts of merch, and Team USA casually walking around the hotel and sunbathing by the pool.  I came back from RollerCon last year feeling like I crammed as many classes as I could and was excited to share some things that I had learned with my league.  One of my sisters pulled me aside a few weeks later and told me that I had improved in such a way that she didn’t even recognize me as a skater when I came back.  She told me that I looked so much more balanced and confident on my skates and that she could tell my skating had significantly improved.  Don’t get me wrong- RollerCon is not a quick fix for anything- whatever you learn at RollerCon will need to be practiced over and over again in order to stick, but it’s definitely a huge resource that will help you progress in derby.

Win One MVP Trophy

I selfishly admit that I secretly covet to be voted MVP of a bout.  I have been awarded this esteemed trophy once before, and although it was glorious and filled my soul with delight, it was more of a casual bout.  This year, I would like to be voted MVP of a travel bout where no one knows me, they just undoubtedly see me as a value to my team.

Jump The Apex. 

This is pretty much every derby girls’ wet dream.  We see people like Suzy hotrod, Urrk’n, Atomatrix, and Bonnie Thunders do this with ease.  When they come up on a congested pack before a corner, instead of fighting their way through and possibly getting stuck, they just jump out of bounds and cut off an entire section of the track, soaring through the air with grace as they do it, and as a result they fly away ahead of the pack and onto victory.  It’s the ultimate derby girl move that’s incredibly valuable to have in your arsenal, and it turns you from an average derby girl to an awesome one.  Once you have mastered this amazing move you’re no longer afraid of taking chances, and that is the attribute of a true derby girl; they choose to be fearless.

Be Awesome. 

The truth is, it’s easy to be cool but it’s hard to be awesome.  It’s easy to show up to practice and not try as hard as you can.  Our lives take precedent over derby and oftentimes we find ourselves saving our energy for work, family, and other responsibilities.  We come to practice, go through the motions, and convince ourselves we’re getting a good workout and that we’re being challenged.  We’re not.  So this year, I’m going to be awesome, and awesome takes hard work.  I’m going to push myself through ruts, work my body to the bone, and leave it all on the track.  This is what makes a good derby girl, but more importantly, this is what makes a good athlete.  Oftentimes we forget that we are athletes that play a competitive sport, and I’m going to start acting like one.  I’m not going to whine when I’m sore, when I’m tired, when I don’t have time for other things, or when I can’t master a skill.  I will choose instead to smile at myself and say, “I’m an athlete, and instead of being mediocre, I have chosen to be awesome.”

Looking forward to a great year, 

The Original Skankster

There is Glitter on my Soapbox

There aren't a lot of things that really get under my skin. Well today, I am going to get out my soapbox and talk about something that I feel really passionate about. Yes, you guessed it, roller derby. More specifically, I am going to talk about roller derby style. Fashion. Booty shorts. Fish-net stockings. Glitter. Most importantly, I am going to talk about the way those things make me feel.

Pfft! Athleticism at its finest.
True story. 

When I put on a rockin' pair of tights, some adorable short shorts, and sprinkle glitter on everything that doesn't jump out the way, I feel good. I feel like an awesome disco ball of quad-tastic power. I am not ashamed of this feeling and I am not ashamed of my body in this outfit. I don't care if I look less "legit" or that anyone could ever dream that it is less athletic than the bikinis worn by Olympic volleyball players. I don't wear those things to gain approval.

Some of you may be wondering what brought this up, so let me give you a little bit of background. In December, we took a break from derby. No practices, no scrimmages  no committee meetings, no endurance, none of it. But we did get together for a few optional social-ish events and one of them was watching a popular new roller derby documentary. In this documentary, lots of things were discussed including comparisons in modern roller derby to other sports and why breaking into the mainstream will be hard. They discussed what was holding us back from Olympic greatness was the overall seriousness of the sport. Our names are silly, both team names and individual names, the history is chaotic and theatrical, and then there is way we dress... Wait a minute. Hold the phone. Did you just say the way we dress? I stewed on this for weeks.

The more I thought about it, the more offended I became that the way I dress is actually impacting perceptions of athletic skill or ability. I like to look like a woman when I skate. I like to feel confident in what I am wearing but I do understand that the clothes I choose for roller derby events are not commonly worn by the general public. That is OK with me. Give me one hour and my teammates and I will change the way you think of female athletes. This thing I do, it isn't a joke. I know that some people come to derby because they want to watch chicks in short shorts hit each other, but that isn't why I am there. I am there to be an athlete. To better myself. To be a member of something. I LIKE knocking my friends down wearing bedazzled hot pants. That is something that I get to choose for myself.

This guy told taught us how to know better
than judging based on appearances.
Can't we all agree to be done with those days?

That is the wonderful thing about the era that I live in. This is not 1950 when a woman who doesn't conform to social norms was an outright pariah. I don't have a narrow and limited path to follow. I get to choose. This is a generation that has been taught to know better. This is a time that asks people to be more tolerant. This is the age of the open minded. My booty shorts challenge viewpoints. I wear them proudly. I laugh at "mainstream" proudly because someday, my daughters won't fight this fight. They will have others, surely, but not this one. So shame on you Mr. Documentary Commentator for telling me that I will never be "legit" because of clothing. You are wrong but I am not going to hold it against you. I will show you at my next bout that I play roller derby, I am a woman, and I am an athlete. None of those things will cancel one another out.

Derby love,
Mollytov Maguire