another Thursday, another scrimmage

so I still don't feel like I'm where I should be.  I'm still falling too much and not keeping up and whatnot.  Sigh.

In other jamming news, there were a few interesting outtakes from last night -

first time I jammed, I got lead, and went around and around until I remembered HEY I CAN STOP THIS INSANITY ANY TIME I WANT and called it off.

then, another time I was jamming, I got hit in such a way that I ended up JAMMING BACKWARDS.  The reaction was pretty much what it was the first time we ever saw a star pass - "um....okay, what the fuck do we do now?"  I skated that way for about a quarter of the track, got myself turned around by taking a hip whip off a teammate - and *then* I fell.  It was amusing, anyway.

once again, I entitle a blog entry "so"

Jeremy said that I should come in one more time before April 14 (theoretically the next bout I'd be in, hopefully the captains will post the roster soon), as sort of an "exit interview" PT session. AND THEN I BE DONE.

aaaaaaaaaaaaand life goes on

I have another PT session this morning.  I'm going to go in and be like "I skated in a full-contact, full-length scrimmage on Sunday with no ill effects. MY WORK HERE IS DONE"

Weekend

So!  Another weekend.  Friday I went with a bunch of friends (and my sister, who came into town) to a local high school production of Xanadu.  One of my teammates was the roller skating director, and these were the kids I was supposed to help out that one time but I felt like crap so I didn't.

Holy cow high school theater productions have changed since I was in them.  Microphones!  More than just a piano for the instrument accompaniment!  It was really awesome, and the kids did a great job with their roller skating and it was a lot of fun.

Saturday was bout night, at the college we had the bout at last year at this time (our normal venue is booked every weekend in March from now until the end of time).  It was crazy, the A team won, wahoo and yay.  I got to watch the bout this time, as the college handled tickets and therefore I didn't have to work box office.

Sunday we had are Quarry scrimmage against the B-team/fresh meat of the A team.  Guh, I hadn't scrimmaged in MONTHS and I could tell.  They had me jamming in one of the lineups, but because of penalties and whatnot I didn't jam that often.  One time I got lead jam but just as I did I got knocked down and didn't realize I was lead jam until I heard the coach yelling "QUEENIE CALL IT OFF".  Then there were a bunch of times when I broke the pack but wasn't lead jam and the lead jammer called it off before I hit the pack again.  The last time, that happened, but I got to the pack again and got 4 points before the lead jammer called it, yay.

The whole scrimmage I just felt off, though.  My timing was all wrong and I felt vaguely shaky (note: you need more to eat than two mini muffins before playing) the whole time.  All the quarry people were like "You're awesome, I've never seen you in that mode before", but I was just like "I'm not at my best".

On Thursday I'd gotten a bunch of DVDs of previous bouts and scrimmages so I scanned through them and watched 'em Sunday afternoon.  Man, I really need to work on cascading - time after time their jammer would pass me and I'd just give up.  SKATE TO THE FRONT, QUEENIE.  HIT THEM AGAIN.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway, last night was final Boot Camp for this session.  Our peeps look good. 

This morning, I felt like someone had put a hamburger press on my body - all I could move were my hands and feet.  GUH.  I'm wussing out of practice tonight - I need to recover.

ehhhhh

So last night was a full scrimmage, the whole nine yards.  I even jammed, at one point.  (Didn't break the pack, but I didn't give up, and I felt like I took a lot of hard hits and I didn't fall.)

I feel like I've lost a *lot* of ground during the time I was out with my knee issues.  I'm slower, I can't quite keep up as well as I should, I have a little bit of "oh crap what am I supposed to do right now" still going on.

Our league's tendency when playing now is to crowd up against the jammer line, which I just do not like at all.  It turns the beginning of the jam into a cluster fuck that is just not any fun.  Sigh.  I s'pose I'll just have to get used to it.

your humble narrator and Maverick, from the parade

I *love* this picture

wheeeeeeeeeeeee

Me (after a hitting drill): Did I tell you I'm back to full contact now?
The Ref Who Was Assigned to Be My Partner: I think you just did.

Ah, roller derby, I love you so.