I'm loving this thread *Group hug*

I used to get so nervious before practice that I would have an "upset tummy", and my legs would shake so much I could hardly stand on my skates.
I've now realised 2 1/2 yaers later that removing yourself from your comfort zone and unlocking your potential is actually what Derby is all about. The real 'win' in Derby is when you acheive somehting you never thought you would.

I think I had one of those moments at Tattoo Freeze at the wekeend when I escaped my haggis entrapment (little voice in my head saying 'I refuse to be a victim!').

Keep pushing yourself and you will be amazed at how far you can go

This is fabulous!

The hardest thing to master in skating is definitely learning to pick yourself up and keep going. Perseverence is key! You need it for ever practice and every bout because once you master one thing there will be another trying to stand in your way and you just have to tell it to fuck off!!!!



Being fresh meat is incredibly difficult but once you tell yourself you're going to get there and you're going to do that first bout, do the skate out, earn your team shirt and get in the programme you will get there quicker than you think.

CHINS UP, BEAUTIFUL LADIES!

Everything about this thread is wonderful!!!!!

We have such a strong and caring league it really helps to have so many amazing women to lean on!!!

I started derby last june when I was still struggling with depression after a difficult period; and I have to say it was one of THE BEST DECISIONS I HAVE EVER MADE. To be surrounded by so many strong; couragious; beautiful; determined; self-motivating; approachable women was overwhelming.

I was so nervous to begin with as I already felt a part of me had died inside from depression but slowly and surely these women have helped me to rebuild my strength and confidence.

They teach you to be strong; hold your head up and keep on going. Push yourself to your limit and beyond bacause 'YOU CAN DO IT'.

I still have moments when I feel like I cant go on (25 in 5 and the bitch of a back burn) but your fellow girls supporting you and screaming for you to 'DIG DEEP' keeps you going.

I FELL IN LOVE WITH DERBY ALL OVER AGAIN AND ALL THE GIRLS who played at Tattoo Freeze this weekend 'YOU BLEW MY MIND'!!!

DERBY

This is kinda everything I've been worried about with derby. I've been putting it off because I do find it hard to remove myself from my comfort zone...as someone who has problems with agoraphobia and anxiety my life tends to be routine and structered and doing something that I know i'm not good at yet is more frightening to me than feeling the burn of an endurance practice

Everyone I've met has been so lovely and welcoming which does make it not as daunting, and is probably why I'm still pursuing this. If you guys weren't the nicest group of women i've ever met I wouldn't be bothering!

I know I'm going to find it really hard to push myself (and I will need people to kick my ass and force me to!) but I know it will be worth it.

i can sympathise and wholeheartedly agree with all of this. I love you loads xxxxx

I'll happily do that with some encouragement thrown in! ^_^

Ivanna - Totally agree. Even though I didn't get around to doing FM until this year, finding derby last year is still my best ever discovery. This is the first thing in such a long time that I've felt mega passionate about.

I just want to reiterate this. Being able to skate is all well and good but it's certainly only a small fraction of what you need to be good at derby. There are loads of people who take a wee bit longer to get up to speed with the skating (pun intended) but who are phenomenal at the team sport/communication/awareness side of things.

I really admire people who have the perseverance to get back up over and over again because I'm not sure I'm a big enough person to do that... Derby, however, is building that determination.

Also as someone who's done a fair few sports before, the initial learning/pain curve is always steep -because no matter how fit you are, different sports use different muscles- and you just have to keep going through the "hell" stage and give it your all even when you feel like you're dying.

Aww, this is a really nice thread to read.

I've been so nervous about coming back cause I've missed three (ish?) months and I know I'm going to be horribly unfit and all over the place at the start. It's the hardest thing I've ever done, and I think I've built up in my head "oh no, I'm rubbish, I'm too slow, maybe I'll just leave it another week." But that's not helping!

So nice to know that you're not all speedy, hard-hitting skatey goddesses. I'm coming back on Sunday, definitely. Eeee.

This is such a lovely heartwarming thread. Its just so rare to be amongst a group of people (who, when you first start, are virtual strangers) who are so caring, supportive, unjudgemental and, above all else, honest. It means so much, (I'm sure you will all agree with me!) to be able to share not just moments of pride and achievement, but also crippling doubt and insecurities.

Dancing bananas for all!


xxxx