Friday 21 September 2012

Roller Derby


My scuffed skates and rabbit socks peeking out of them
Sorry for the lack of updates, I lost my phone connector to my laptop, but now I've found it! Yay! So, I joined Roller Derby. Which is SO. MUCH. FUN! I even used caps locks! That's how fun it is! Sure it's exhausting, sweaty and you get bruises, but it's really a lot of fun.

I first learned about Roller Derby when the film Whip It came out in 2009. I's based on a novel by the same name, and Drew Barrymore directed it, starring Ellen Page. I love Ellen Page and if you like her films, you'll like this one. I didn't think to check if Swansea had a derby team, and they didn't then, but in 2010 they created one. To cut a long story short, I was too chicken to go on my own, and saw a friends friend on fb had been going and asked her about it, so off I went!


Last session, half of the ones above it was their first ever session


I was really nervous, but everyone was extremely nice, and there were all sorts of girls there. Younger girls, older girls, smaller girls, bigger girls, girls with crazy hair colours and tattoos and girls without. There were students and nurses and shop assistants and so on. If you feel intimated by going if you feel like you won't it in, don't. Everyone fits in. And it makes me want to dye my hair really bad now haha. 

They teach you to fall properly, and give you equipment if you don't have it so it's safe, but I did fall backwards about two or three times which give me lovely bruises! But I got better and didn't fall over last week. It's two hours long and boy did I feel it! But hopefully I'm getting fitter, I really need to! I already had my own skates, but they're outdoor skates so not as good but they'll do for now. It is an expensive hobby if you get into it, but with my local team they lend out kit which is nice. First things I'm going to buy though, are my own knee/elbow/wrist pads as the ones they give out stink! Oh em gee it's horrible!


I bought a t-shirt, mainly to wear for practice, no way I'll be on the team for months and months :P

I've been going for three weeks now, and I've improved so much! And my friends and their friends have started coming now, which is great, but where were they all when I was too chicken to go? Haha. If you're interested in joining, just look up your local roller derby team, and they'll probably have a facebook page and just go, I wish I hadn't put it off for so long. And that's a little of what I've been up to!

9 comments:

  1. I remember watching Whip it thinking it looked really brutal! haha.
    This actually looks really fun though! Oh I'd be hopeless at this, I can't skate to save my life! I joined a street hockey club when I was at school....I didn't last long! haha xx

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    1. Haha the British version isn't as brutal, but still a bit scary sometimes!

      It's super fun though! It's been a few months now and I love it :) If you have a local one you should go check it out!

      Lisa xx

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  2. looks so fun! follow each other?! <3

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  3. ah this looks like so much fun! good on you for being brave and joining!

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  4. Woww! That's so cool! After seeing the movie I really wanted to join a club and try it out! It looks like so much fun x
    Island Girl Insights ♥

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    1. They probably have one near you! It's so much fun :)

      Lisa xx

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  5. This sounds like so much fun, I wish I had better balance!!

    Jesss xo

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    1. Haha, I have terrible balance on my feet, I'm super clumsy, but not with roller derby! And even if you are, the girls on my team teach people how to skate from scratch :)

      Lisa xx

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