Post Rollercon Depression

Its hard coming back to reality after spending 6 days in Vegas for Rollercon. I spent 20 hours in 4 days on skates. I played in 6 challenge bouts, and took 7 classes, and watched tons of derby. I wish I played derby for a living, or, at the very least, I wish Santa Cruz had a huge wharehouse where we could set up a track and I could practice every day, for as long as I wanted. I love being on my skates, and I love playing derby. If I could do that for a living, my life would be complete. I am so jealous of the ladies that own there own derby related businesses. I could bore you with the play by play of my experience, but I think I’ll just give you the Cliff Notes version.

-Skating in 6 challenge bouts (Inked vs Holey, Irish vs Italian, Bacon vs Fakin, Nor Cal vs So Cal, Goth vs Rainbow and Vagine Regime vs Strictly Dickly)

-Taking classes from my derby idols (Annie Maul, Sadistic Sadie, Miss Fortune, Medusa, Atomatrix)

-Taking classes with my derby idols (Bonnie D Stroir, Ivanna S Pankin, Medusa)

-Skating with the RADDEST SONOMA chicks ever (D, PePe, Teach, Lady Sparks, Roxy)

-Hitting The Teacher during the Irish vs Italian Bout

-Hitting Bonnie D Stroir during a challenge bout and having her tell me I knocked the wind out of her

-Skating with Daddy’s Girls on most my challenge bouts and skating against her on one

-Skating with Demanda Riot on Nor Cal and skating against her on one

-Skating against Ivanna S Pankin, Trish the Dish, Jackie Daniels, Smarty Pants, Krissy Krash, Swede Hurt, Miss Fortune, Demanda Riot, Daddy’s Girl, Bonnie D Stroir, Blood Clottia and every other amazing skater I look up to

-Skating on Fremont Street with Strictly Dickly (Razorslut, Iron Maiven, Cherryliscious, VaVaVaGina, Miss Evil, Deranged, Psycho Babble, Carmen Getsome, Sheeza Brickhouse, Tara Armov, Aunt Flo, Isabelle Ringer, Dirty Deborah Harry, B Train, Retro Bruizin’)

-Hanging out with Bebe and Killer Vee and John

-Having Bonnie D Stroir tell me that I am an amazing skater (possibly the highlight of my year)

-Knocking Injure Rogers out of bounds during the VR vs SD bout and pulling a major on her

-Watching Boston completeley control the WFTDA bout against BAD

-Meeting and hanging out with derby girls from all over the WORLD

-Realizing that there is SO MUCH derby talent out there and I have SO MUCH to learn about
derby and also realizing that derby is every evolving and I will never know everything

Like I said this is the Cliff Notes version of Rollercon, every moment was amazing. Now, if I could only win the lottery and buy a wharehouse in Santa Cruz big enough to house a flat track and a banked track…

Oh and on a sidenote:
After watching Team Awesome play for the second year in a row, and taking a class from some of the players on Team Awesome, my derby dream (dare I say goal) is to play on Team Awesome just once, if it happened more than once AWESOME. To simplify, I want to increase my derby skill level to be good enough to play on Team Awesome (www.awesomederby.com)!

Rollercon 2009

I’m leaving on a jet plane; don’t know when I’ll be back again. Can’t wait, only 15 more days until I plop my happy butt down in that window seat and get the heck out of Santa Cruz for a week. Heading out to Vegas for Rollercon 2009. This will be my second year, and, like I said, I can’t wait. Last year, I didn’t want to come back home. Rollercon is a week of being submerged in derby. Class after class, workshop after workshop, challenge bout after challenge bout. I live and breathe derby, and Rollercon is my heaven.

Last year I took it easy, tested the water. This year I am jumping right into the deep end of the pool. I am more confident in my derby skill level, and I am pushing myself harder this year, and taking more challenging classes. All my classes are advanced classes, and I am confident I can hang with those girls. A few jamming classes and a few blocking classes, taught by the most talented women (and one man) in derby. Plus I have probably signed up for every challenge bout that was put out there on the forum. I just want to play derby, all day.

The real reason I love Rollercon, watching the level of skating that is going to be going on. And the fact that I get to play with and against these derby hero’s of mine. These girls that I read about on DNN, watch on rollersport.tv and browse through thousands of pictures of on Flickr. These are the women that I get my inspiration from before a bout. These are the woman that I look up to, and want to be like. I study their form, their fast feet, their agility, their strategy, I soak it all in. It’s like I’ve been window shopping the most amazing pair of shoes, and now I get to buy them.

Matty and I fly in Tuesday morning, and leave Sunday afternoon. I would say poor Matty, but really all he has to do is lay in front of the pool and drink for five days. Oh, and come watch me skate a few times. And as if my schedule wasn’t full enough while I’m there, we’ve managed to cram in a Motley Crue show at the Hard Rock on Sat night. There are a few things that I want to do, like ride the rollercoaster through New York New York, or head to the top of the Stastosphere, but if it doesn’t happen, I’m okay with that. Really, I just want to skate.