Its 7am, Saturday 16th April, I spent all night watching my Husband and our rugby mates getting hammered, how I longed to drink pint upon pint of cider with them, but I daren't touch a drop. The nerves for what awaited me in 24 hours really needed calming, but I knew if I started, I wouldn't stop. I have the breaking strain of a kitkat!! So I chatted, laughed and joked with my fellow piss-heads, but sober. A very rare occasion for me, especially when with my Rugby Dudes.
Off to bed I went at 10pm. Again, a rare thing on a Friday night.
So back to 7am, I woke to brilliant sunshine blazing through my window, the morning chorus of birdsong was filling my ears. Beautiful? Bollocks! I wanted to throw up! It was Bout-Day, in 10 hours I was making my public debut and now I was wide awake with 10 hours to fill. I tried to eat breakfast, but it was just making me feel more sick. So TV it was. I couldn't tell you what I was watching but, sat on my sofa in my PJ's drinking coffee and staring at the goggle box calmed my nerves. By 10 am the rest of the household had joined me. Hubby was in the kitchen making me steak and eggs. I was toying with the idea of going to Cardiff to join the CRoC girls in their Sat am training session, but decided against it. I very rarely fall during training, its more luck than skill. Either way you can guarantee if I had gone to train, it would be the day I took the nasty fall that is bound to be waiting for me somewhere in my Derby Carrer, and then I( wouldn't be fit to play for TBB. Which would A devastate me and B piss off the TBB girls as I would have let the Princesses down by making myself unfit to play. One thing I cannot bare is letting people down, if I say am going to do something for someone then I do it.
I dragged the day out, making sire I was hydrated, fed and bathed. I also dyed my hair, I don't know what thats got to do with Pre-Bout routines, but it killed and hour or so. By 1pm I was on a bus heading to the train station, getting myself over to Newport. I know, I know we are Cardiff based Teams, but unfortunately there is not venues in the city centre that are either large enough to house a public bout (TBB pull in a minimum of 200 spectors, 600 on their debut) or within the fincaial confines of a skater run, fledgling sport. We have small scale sponsors that help us with equipment costs (rope, tape, first aid kits) and a few girls are working on personal sponsorships for their gear (eg sponsor me £100 and I'll put your company's logo on my Booty Shorts for the bout) but for the majority of things we have to pay for it ourselves and a quote of £5K for a hall for the day is a tad excessive.in the Newport Centre, am not 110% if they are here for the same reasons that I have listed as to why CRoC are looking of venues outside of the city, but I reckon its something similar.
My tummy flipped with nerves a few times on the train but it was calmed by the magic of the iPod, David Bowie and Adam Ant calm me down regardless of the situation.
Time to kit up, warm up and get my game face on. This dear readers is where my brain fails me. I was so engrossed into the game, and desperately trying not to let my side down that I can't give you a play-by-play analysis of the bout.
It was themed as Pirates vs Princesses. I was a Princess, they made me skate in PINK! I liked it though. Anyone out there about to make their debut, trust what your vet skaters tell you, its true, once that first whistle goes you focus on the game and not the crowd. Nerves are good, use them to your advantage.
I wasn't played much, am not complaining about that. I played, I actually Played Roller Derby! I got a good 5 Jams, maybe more, maybe less. I have no idea, but I do know my skate skills and lack of experience when paired to TBB mean I would rather sit out and have the team win than play every 3rd Jam and fuck it up for all involved.
As it was I didn't do to shabby, I have walked or should that be skated away from the bout knowing exactly where my failings are. I went down about 4 times that I remember, which I think is really good considering the fact that TBB hit HARD! and I know I stopped the Pirate Jammer my knocking her OBOB at one point. I also attempted to throw a hit on BB Bomnshell, Okay so she didn't even flinth when I did, but hey I tried and thats the main thing. The Princesses and Pirates battled through the first half chipping away at each other, and by half time the Pirates where slightly in the lead.
The Princesses started making up the difference in the second half and at the final Jam we where behind, but only by around 4 points. We needed a Power Jam! Boba Fettish donned the Star and took the line, Pirates sent out BB. I held my breath as that Jam whistle blew, then 'PEEP! Black 666 4th Minor OFF!'
PRINCESS POWER JAM!! you should have seen Boba fly, Pirates are on 95 points, we are on 91. All the Princesses where screaming and willing Boba through that pack. The Pirates where doing everything they could to wall her in. Shes though, shes racing round. Shes though again. Every Princess on the Bench, the Bench Manager and the Line-Up Manager are all jumping up and down screaming for Boba to call it. There was seconds left of the Period Clock. Boba slams her hands on her hips 'PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP'
SHES BLOODY DONE IT!! however, theres that awful moment while the Head Ref, Inside Tracker and Score Dudes all confer and agree the score, if we have mis-read the jam even slightly, if Boba had cut track passing a blocker and not picked up the point we would draw, or worse if shes dropped 2 points we've called it with no time for a final Jam and lost the Bout. My nerves where on edge. Then I see Chaz Tizer nod, thats the score, all agreed....
What a game to debut in! I cannot wait until June now when CRoC have their next intraleague, New Roathmantics are facing off against Bridgend Bombshells.
Until next time Derby Fans.
Stay Skating, Derby Love
Rhayfen
xxx
Off to bed I went at 10pm. Again, a rare thing on a Friday night.
So back to 7am, I woke to brilliant sunshine blazing through my window, the morning chorus of birdsong was filling my ears. Beautiful? Bollocks! I wanted to throw up! It was Bout-Day, in 10 hours I was making my public debut and now I was wide awake with 10 hours to fill. I tried to eat breakfast, but it was just making me feel more sick. So TV it was. I couldn't tell you what I was watching but, sat on my sofa in my PJ's drinking coffee and staring at the goggle box calmed my nerves. By 10 am the rest of the household had joined me. Hubby was in the kitchen making me steak and eggs. I was toying with the idea of going to Cardiff to join the CRoC girls in their Sat am training session, but decided against it. I very rarely fall during training, its more luck than skill. Either way you can guarantee if I had gone to train, it would be the day I took the nasty fall that is bound to be waiting for me somewhere in my Derby Carrer, and then I( wouldn't be fit to play for TBB. Which would A devastate me and B piss off the TBB girls as I would have let the Princesses down by making myself unfit to play. One thing I cannot bare is letting people down, if I say am going to do something for someone then I do it.
I dragged the day out, making sire I was hydrated, fed and bathed. I also dyed my hair, I don't know what thats got to do with Pre-Bout routines, but it killed and hour or so. By 1pm I was on a bus heading to the train station, getting myself over to Newport. I know, I know we are Cardiff based Teams, but unfortunately there is not venues in the city centre that are either large enough to house a public bout (TBB pull in a minimum of 200 spectors, 600 on their debut) or within the fincaial confines of a skater run, fledgling sport. We have small scale sponsors that help us with equipment costs (rope, tape, first aid kits) and a few girls are working on personal sponsorships for their gear (eg sponsor me £100 and I'll put your company's logo on my Booty Shorts for the bout) but for the majority of things we have to pay for it ourselves and a quote of £5K for a hall for the day is a tad excessive.in the Newport Centre, am not 110% if they are here for the same reasons that I have listed as to why CRoC are looking of venues outside of the city, but I reckon its something similar.
My tummy flipped with nerves a few times on the train but it was calmed by the magic of the iPod, David Bowie and Adam Ant calm me down regardless of the situation.
Time to kit up, warm up and get my game face on. This dear readers is where my brain fails me. I was so engrossed into the game, and desperately trying not to let my side down that I can't give you a play-by-play analysis of the bout.
It was themed as Pirates vs Princesses. I was a Princess, they made me skate in PINK! I liked it though. Anyone out there about to make their debut, trust what your vet skaters tell you, its true, once that first whistle goes you focus on the game and not the crowd. Nerves are good, use them to your advantage.
I wasn't played much, am not complaining about that. I played, I actually Played Roller Derby! I got a good 5 Jams, maybe more, maybe less. I have no idea, but I do know my skate skills and lack of experience when paired to TBB mean I would rather sit out and have the team win than play every 3rd Jam and fuck it up for all involved.
That's me #1374, picking up 1 minor for the whole Bout. A Rhayfen record.
As it was I didn't do to shabby, I have walked or should that be skated away from the bout knowing exactly where my failings are. I went down about 4 times that I remember, which I think is really good considering the fact that TBB hit HARD! and I know I stopped the Pirate Jammer my knocking her OBOB at one point. I also attempted to throw a hit on BB Bomnshell, Okay so she didn't even flinth when I did, but hey I tried and thats the main thing. The Princesses and Pirates battled through the first half chipping away at each other, and by half time the Pirates where slightly in the lead.
The Princesses started making up the difference in the second half and at the final Jam we where behind, but only by around 4 points. We needed a Power Jam! Boba Fettish donned the Star and took the line, Pirates sent out BB. I held my breath as that Jam whistle blew, then 'PEEP! Black 666 4th Minor OFF!'
PRINCESS POWER JAM!! you should have seen Boba fly, Pirates are on 95 points, we are on 91. All the Princesses where screaming and willing Boba through that pack. The Pirates where doing everything they could to wall her in. Shes though, shes racing round. Shes though again. Every Princess on the Bench, the Bench Manager and the Line-Up Manager are all jumping up and down screaming for Boba to call it. There was seconds left of the Period Clock. Boba slams her hands on her hips 'PEEP-PEEP-PEEP-PEEP'
SHES BLOODY DONE IT!! however, theres that awful moment while the Head Ref, Inside Tracker and Score Dudes all confer and agree the score, if we have mis-read the jam even slightly, if Boba had cut track passing a blocker and not picked up the point we would draw, or worse if shes dropped 2 points we've called it with no time for a final Jam and lost the Bout. My nerves where on edge. Then I see Chaz Tizer nod, thats the score, all agreed....
PRINCESS WIN!! 96 - 95!!
What a game to debut in! I cannot wait until June now when CRoC have their next intraleague, New Roathmantics are facing off against Bridgend Bombshells.
Until next time Derby Fans.
Stay Skating, Derby Love
Rhayfen
xxx
No comments:
Post a Comment