One Woman’s Story

Posted by thunder on March 5, 2008 in Banked Track, Rolling Thunder

One woman’s story: You know the feeling you get when you fly in your dreams? I can get that same feeling with my eyes open when I’m skating on a Banked Track.

My mom told me she wanted to be a skater for in the mid fifties…she tried out for the San Diego Clippers team in ‘54, but didn’t make it. Still, she remained a huge fan and never missed a game in that warehouse by the navy base. She said my first trip around the banked track was there when at 5 weeks my mom went to a game with me and handed me up into the arms of a skater. I’ve been a fan for 45 years. Calvello, Weston, Behrens, Brashun, so many more skating stars…I’d fall asleep watching derby on the B&W TV.

Nine siblings and we all went to the rink. It was cheaper than the movies. My first skates were metal and had a key. When everyone else went to inlines, I stubbornly kept my quads.

My daughter has skated Banked Track derby in Austin for 4 years now. I fell in love all over again watching her games. Still, it wasn’t the sport I fell in love with and I missed the old game more than ever. So for me, buying a track and setting up a training school for Roller Derby for me just completes the family circle of grandmother-mother-daughter involved in derby. I want to see the old style games played again.

The physical exertion - the excitement - the high emotions - the sweat and exhaustion - the mental focus - the fulfillment - not unlike any intense activity that gives us a thrill. There’s something about the way the excitement of Roller Derby makes you feel…for some people, Derby IS love!

Watching skaters bout is like watching angels in a tempest. Chaos in motion. Jammers running from the pack only to chase them down again to score. Blockers begrudgingly allowing them through once only for the opportunity to stop them dead in their tracks the next time through.

People who are skating competitively will play Roller Derby as a sport. People who are skating for fun will play it as a game. Some people just love to watch and cheer their favorites on. Some people will just develop an addiction to the way they feel when they skate on the Banked Track.

WARNING! Like anything making you feel that good, derby CAN become addictive. That is probably why those involved are so passionate regarding their defense of the sport…we are all addicts defending our addiction. Once hooked, it becomes much more than just a sport…it becomes a lifestyle and a state of mind.

It can teach you discipline, commitment, loyalty, patience, team work, leadership, goal setting and achievement, self esteem and expose you to people from many walks of life. Not to mention skating burns 600 to 900 calories each hour! And believe me, it is a lot more fun to fall on a Banked Track than it is to hit a hard flat surface.

Roller Derby is one sport where your physical shape has nothing to do with what you can bring to the game. There is a place for EVERYONE in Roller Derby. Many participants are people who have never considered themselves “sports fans” and have never participated in an organized sport before. It doesn’t matter what you look like, what you do for a living, what size you are, young or old, male or female, quad or inline, fast or slow…if you have the desire to participate, you can be a league member and there is a place for you with Corpus Christi Rolling Thunder.

Everyone has a different story about their journey; everyone comes to derby from a different path. I have learned (and relearned) so many life lessons from being involved. It’s a grand experiment in social/cultural extremes…and the pot never stops being stirred. It’s always new, exciting and challenging. Roller Derby is alive and growing. What would you make of it?

That’s what derby is to me. You can’t really experience all that from a distance…why don’t you join us as we bring this monster back to life? And you might want to bring your protective gear…it gets bumpy sometimes!

For information about how you can get involved, please email us