Follow Up: 2014 Derby Wrap Up

Well world, the Roller Derby season (for me) has officially wound down. 2014 has been pretty amazing. I had the honor of being a captain to my home team, the Granite Skate Troopers. I had the privilege to skate with the B-travel team, the Queen City Cherry Bombs. We competed in the All 8 On The Floor tournament in Worcester (we took 4th place) and I coached my little derby heart out.

With GST it was a challenge at first. I have never really coached before and attempting to impart skill and strategy to a team made of many new skaters was terrifying. Many night I lay awake wondering, "Did they get it? Was I mean? Am I too nice?" and I feared that each practice was worse than the one before. Sometimes I wondered if I asked too much of the team, or perhaps too little. My co-capatin Emily Deckerson was with me every step, but we knew her priority was doing the same with the Cherry Bombs.
You know what? I think we did alright! The Troopers finished with second place. It was our first time in the home team playoffs. As a team we fought for every inch and we celebrated our successes both small and large together. Nothing can take that from us.

My time on the Cherry Bombs was just what I needed. I was able to take off my coach and captain hat and just be a skater. I felt like I could easily gel with every member of the team. Each line I was placed with I worked with well. As a team, we made it to 4th place at the All 8 on the Floor tournament. In the past QCCB has been eliminated in their first game. We played hard, strong derby. We played 4 games in two days. It was a lot of fun and I would not change a second.

So, this brings me to the end of 2014. The end of my 6th season with my home league NH Roller Derby. I have been here since there was barely a team. I have seen people come and go. When Chicana, May B. Knotty, AB/P and many more transferred in from Manchevegas with the first round, I was here. When Skate Free or Die played their first bout at the JFK, I was here. When we payed our first WFTDA Sanctioned Game, I was here. When we added a B-team and then home teams... yep, me again.
My Derby Mom's have all moved on either to retirement or to other leagues. My Skater Sisters have moved on as have many of my former and much loved teammates.

It puts things into a special perspective for me. On the one hand it's the "I have been here for a long ass time" and with the same statement I feel like maybe it has been too long.
As 2014 winds down and I heal from a late season injury I wonder if 2015 will be the beginning of the end.

I guess we shall see what happens next!

See you track side!

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