tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51901983049831964872024-02-06T23:46:28.415-06:00Deadwards in DerbylandI play roller derby and I blog roller derby. I try to gear my posts towards an audience who wants to learn more about the sport of modern roller derby.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.comBlogger70125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-26361432986555674572015-02-26T09:43:00.000-06:002015-02-26T09:43:13.169-06:00Going Mental, or Deciding Not toThere's that classic Yogi Berra quote emphasizing how much mental game is involved in baseball, and it's true of any sport, Roller Derby included. As a competitive and athletic person, I've been pretty comfortable playing sports all my life, but I don't think I've realized how much my mentality affects my physical game until I strapped on skates. I've written about this aspect of the sport beforeLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-25788271742127499172014-12-10T10:26:00.002-06:002014-12-10T10:29:30.182-06:00Five Things from the #RDWC2014This year I attended the Roller Derby World Cup in Dallas, and was very grateful I did. Here are 5 things I learned during the four day event.
1. Come Prepared. I am the queen of procrastination, and working on World Cup previews in the car as we drove to Dallas is an example of this. BUT I was able to work while on the move because I had an internet hot spot that I had purchased for WFTDA Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-91133681195230156202014-05-23T10:35:00.000-05:002014-05-23T10:39:04.919-05:00Atom BOOMI’m sure most of you have seen this video floating around, by Devaskation, with Atomatrix talking about the Atom BOOM wheel. It caught my attention when she said it was specifically made for concrete, because that’s what I skate on most often. I love the fluidity of juking on a slicker floor, but also want some grip on my wheels to back me up. The BOOM wheel is a hybrid, which basically means Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-64116506874528942672013-12-10T10:01:00.002-06:002013-12-10T10:04:02.059-06:00Stay On in the Off-Season
Roller Derby doesn’t really have an official season, a topic which I’d love to
explore later, but it seems like a lot of teams take time off during
the holidays. If you’re entering an extended period out of practice,
don’t completely end your training. Periods of rest are important, but
so is cross-training. When you’re not concerned with competitive play,
it’s important to build your Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-14280133169252347012013-11-14T16:19:00.001-06:002013-11-14T16:19:28.569-06:00Crash and Burn
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My boutfit.. for watching derby.
Fo Champs 2010.
Two Championships, three years apart, and things are very
different. For me, 2010 was the height of my derby excitement. I spent the
whole last semester of college creating a documentary about my team, and had
just moved into “Derby Haus” with a skater and a referee. Since graduating, roller
derby had become my life. ILisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-28883995769547593962013-09-15T12:07:00.002-05:002013-09-15T12:08:15.178-05:00Treading Water
I come across a lot of people who never succeed because they
undermine themselves before they can even get started. A minor
roadblock, an undesirable situation, other people getting in your way--
those are all things that may set you back, but you are just throwing
yourself under the bus by saying you “can’t.” But the effects don’t stop there, these Negative Nancys become an energy suck thatLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-63598904874275672372013-04-16T16:29:00.002-05:002013-04-21T15:08:17.740-05:00Mad Skills
Change is hard.
The new WFTDA minimum skills requirements were released yesterday and already there are a lot of opinions. Apparently there are some people looking down on skaters who may struggle with these skills, which I've seen less of, and others who feel these requirements are setting the bar too high.
This year is seeing a lot of new changes in the way Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-32752886213123127782013-03-03T15:40:00.001-06:002013-11-19T09:34:33.148-06:00No Excuses: No Train No Gain<!--StartFragment-->
Being part of a team and having a regular schedule can
really hold you accountable, but why is singular exercise so hard? Our league
gets minimal time on the track so working out on my own and cross-training is
vital. When you are too low on funds to join a gym, or struggling to
keep sweating on your own because it is -20 degrees outside, you have to get
creative.
Try Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-89721478572288546602012-12-16T15:49:00.001-06:002012-12-16T15:51:47.675-06:00Burn Out<!--StartFragment-->
I’m bad at putting my laundry away. I don’t have a washer or
dryer at home so I have to venture out with a giant basket of clothes and by the
time I get it all home I throw it on the ground and forget about it. Then when
I’m desperately looking for one specific shirt, or a matching sock I start
sifting through the basket and the clothes spill onto the floor. Then
they Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-29044397115561415872012-09-07T20:00:00.000-05:002012-09-07T20:01:18.476-05:00Learning from Losing@font-face {
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Photo by Patrick Bloom.
I don’t think I can say this enough: I hate losing.
I am trying to teach myself to Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-12577254089973906462012-06-21T17:56:00.001-05:002012-06-21T17:56:43.613-05:00Win or Lose, it's How You Survive the GameWow, I really haven't written since before our very first bout of the season? It's been so long, even blogger has changed its layout on me.
The past six months have been a bit hectic. Last December I started a new part-time job working as a production assistant for the local news station. It's been really fun, and more in line with my interests for a career. However, it came with a Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-87352006740504791092012-02-02T22:31:00.000-06:002012-02-02T22:31:55.597-06:00The Nights Before Boutday...Two sleeps before bouting, and all through derbyhaus,
rank smelling gear could kill a small mouse.
The WFTDA patches were sewn on the jerseys with care,
with hopes that the rankings would give them their share.
Cats laid on boutfits, strewn all over my bed,
while visions of lead jams played out in my head.
From Animal's room you could hear a tap-tap
as she pretended to sleep while playing the Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-8418063258460465672012-01-14T16:00:00.000-06:002012-01-14T16:00:54.257-06:00Behold! 2012If the world is really going to end this year, I predict I would die happy after a great year of derby. 2012 is making out to be a fantastic season and I can't wait to really get things started. We are just rounding out an exciting schedule and to make it even better, we found out Tuesday that we FINALLY graduated to the WFTDA big leagues. It was quite the surprise since it was mid-quarter and weLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-1145962623910646542012-01-06T16:52:00.002-06:002013-11-19T09:33:33.872-06:00No Excuses: Dynamic Warm Ups
I totally made this up, as seen by my
MSpaint illustration.
Now that you have mentally prepared yourself for roller derby, it’s time to strap skates on, right? Not quite. To tap into the full potential of your body when you work out, you should keep a cyclical process in mind: Rev, Run, Recover.
Rev Your Engines
Before exercise, it is best to warm up to help prevent injury and to prime Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-21115045088113007742011-12-13T16:47:00.005-06:002013-11-19T09:35:34.473-06:00No Excuses: Mental Training
Roller derby is unique in that most people have to start from scratch when they join, having no knowledge of the sport or much skill at roller skating in general. It can be a daunting task for anyone to get involved with, but there is some training you can begin before you ever step foot at a practice. It’s a type of training that often goes overlooked and is very underestimated. It requires Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-83105485257931497472011-11-26T17:50:00.002-06:002013-11-19T09:37:27.016-06:00No Excuses
Me as a newb.
Foreward
When recruitment comes around, I always start thinking about what it takes to be a derby girl. Most outsiders think we're all former speed skaters, violent, super tough, or "big, scary dykes"... There is no one type of person that makes up roller derby; it is a very diverse crowd to get involved with. We are gay, straight, tough, sensitive, experienced and not; there's Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-76147495640101265432011-10-06T21:36:00.000-05:002011-10-06T21:36:00.302-05:00Slow Derby to No Derby.A year ago, slow derby was on the rise and the shouting match between the ‘slow derby sucks’ and the ‘it’s just strategy’ crowds began. SDS proponents think derby should be all fast all the time and don’t like any clockwise or slow, stepping action. The pro-strategy group think it is all just part of the game. I’m torn between whether a majority of the strategists really feel that way, or just Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-11701496466755840152011-09-21T00:43:00.002-05:002011-09-21T10:40:36.483-05:00Eyes Up.Blah. Blah. Blah. That's what most of my posts have been. Whining about what I DON'T have and what I WANT but not about what I should do to get there.
Well, yesterday I applied to two jobs and went to Cedar Valley to run a jammer practice for the Brawlers. Today I picked up 5 extra hours at the shop and went for a run. Minus the Wendy's I had last night, I have been getting back on the good foodLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-11563592911548872082011-09-08T19:35:00.000-05:002011-09-08T19:35:32.913-05:00Deadwards vs Edwards
Bench coachin. Yeah, no one else recognizes me
without face paint either...
Photo by KORfan
Fall means a new school year in Iowa City. Doesn’t matter if you’re not actually in school, the whole city revolves around the University. Living in a college town is interesting, and is why I think roller derby teams prosper in them. There is an abundance of more diverse and open minded people who are Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-62680873542020548082011-08-30T12:35:00.003-05:002011-08-31T11:51:01.991-05:00Worst Parade EverThis next blog is by request.
All refs are dumb, blind, liars and biased, right?
In sports, the players get all the glory and refs get all the ridicule. Athletes train to learn the rules and perfect their skill in order to play a fair and safe game, and the refs are there to help ensure that that happens.
Roller derby is of course, a unique sport. (how many times can I say that?) The Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-27791662800544438632011-08-21T16:36:00.001-05:002011-08-31T11:50:09.014-05:00REDtribution.
Last Saturday was the MIR re-match. The time had come to seek vengeance on last year’s heartbreak. I had to prove to myself that I was better than last year and that we had really gotten somewhere as a team.
Warming up, I felt a little shaky. Eating the right balance of food can be tricky bout day, and my stomach was a little uncertain. Also MIR is one of the only other teams that we’ve Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-45121351710094150262011-07-26T12:44:00.004-05:002011-08-31T11:57:00.736-05:00Viva Rollercon.I. am. in. Vegas.
To be honest, Vegas itself is pretty underwhelming. I’ve never really had the urge to come here because it’s expensive and gambling has never made much sense to me. (and the tunnel people!) But I’m not here to gamble or go to a fancy show, I am here for ROLLERCON.
I’ve been nothing but excited the whole way here… the whole.. 27 hour way here. (Yes, we drove from IOWA CITYLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-72598083758471132172011-07-04T05:46:00.002-05:002011-08-31T12:19:16.864-05:00Reconstruct.In an ideal world I would be playing as much roller derby as possible, traveling and creating video. Some sort of unlimited funds would be necessary to buy all the video equipment, software, and resources I need, alongside unlimited time for the editing process. Those same funds would pay for travel expenses to attend every tournament, bootcamp and championship as well as living. I am far from Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-26998431429327589032011-06-19T15:39:00.001-05:002011-08-31T11:53:59.347-05:00Self-Destruct.I got a little cocky. Maybe bouting four weekends in a row wore me out. Or maybe I just got out of shape. Whatever it was, our bout against the Minnesota Rollergirls was not my finest.
All week I went through panicky fits of confidence and anxiety. I tried to reassure myself to just play roller derby like I normally do, and everything will be fine. I had seen them play on DNN, I had felt their Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190198304983196487.post-75205679767615653492011-06-10T10:46:00.003-05:002011-08-31T11:55:51.175-05:00FEARLESS.
Get to wear the green patch this weekend!
Hopefully it'll be pink soon.
As a three year old league, and a current WFTDA Apprentice member, we are seen as a young team. We’re not quite old enough to play with the big girls, but it is evident that we can hold our own with some teams that have experience behind them. In March we squeaked out a win against one of Madison’s home teams, the Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12718759595981329878noreply@blogger.com1