Skates and Laces

So I signed up to try out for Roller Derby about 3 weeks ago, and didn't hear anything back yet about it.. So last night I signed up again, just to be sure that the form actually sent...
Today I found a Google Group specifically FOR the 2010 tryouts for BAD(Bay Area Derby), and then I realized that maybe my sign up form really DIDN'T send.. Which would be very depressing, let me tell ya.. There was a list posted on the site with names of girls in the pre-tryout training classes.. And my name wasn't on it.. And it was posted on the 8th or so of may.
A sad moment in the history of Cheryl. Especially since I just spent nearly $400 on skates and gear.. BUT! I'm not going to give up! I'm going to visit my brother one of these weekends, and he's going to teach me how to stop, and how to fall! And then we'll go over all the fun stuff, such as whips, hip checks, and blocks.
I'm not going to let anything deter me.

I put on my new skates yesterday after Kyle so graciously changed the wheels from indoor to outdoor for me.. Ok, I actually put on only one. And I let myself glide across the garage for not but a moment and it was all bad. I was only wearing one skate, and I still lost control and flew backwards! Luckily, no one saw the windmill debacle, but the fact remains that I need to learn some control.

So, I got my skates at Cruz Skate Shop. Word is they are the best place to get some quads, and they also have skate boards and accessories. So, for future reference, I wear a size 6 skate, which makes my foot look like a bound chinese woman's feet when I'm wearing my jeans over them. Because my arms are small and wrists are abnormally tiny, I wear small elbow pads, and small wrist guards. And my knee pads are medium, much like my helmet.
I'm really rather excited about it. I got toe guards that are orange, and my mouth guard is orange.. I almost got a brown and orange helmet, but it came in every size BUT mine. Lame potatoes.. So I got a black one with yellow clasps. :)

Can you tell I'm excited? I've got some derby fever in my veins.. I keep thinking about my friend, Lisa Z, who plays for the Cherry City Derby Girls. She's apparently a very good player, according to my brother and twin sister, who have seen her bout. She's the one who really introduced me to derby, even though all she did was talk about it. But Lisa has a passion about derby that is unquenchable, and she cannot say enough good things about it. And after all that, she would add, 'You should do it.' And I would think- I'm not tough enough.
I still tell myself, and get told, that I'm not tough enough.. Especially by my coworkers, who have seen me knock my knee against a counter and say OUCH. They're pretty sure I won't make it onto a team, much less to the tryouts. But I'm pretty determined to do this. It looks like everyone has a ton of fun, even though they are competing against each other and knocking each other onto the floor. Plus, I've never played a competitive sport on an actual team before. I've never played ANY sport before.. I played Tennis at DVC, but it was just a beginners class.. And when I was growing up, Carl would use me as a goalie when he'd play roller hockey, and he once tried to teach me how to play baseball.. I was never very good at it.. I'd miss even when a T Ball was in front of me.. Kind of pathetic, huh?
So needless to say being a part of Roller Derby would be something entirely different for me. Something that I have never experienced, in any point of looking at it. In any case, it makes for a great story.
And I can't WAIT to try out! Even though I totally suck right now.

Oh, Evil Shenanigans, when are you coming back to the bay so you can smack me around for such bad form?