When the local Rogers station came to record our home bout for broadcast, I was even more nervous than usual about bouting. I usually feel like I’m going to pee my shorts before a bout, but once the first jam is over and my head’s in the game, I forget there are people watching and the nerves disappear.
I worried I wouldn’t be able to forget the TV cameras.
Usually I assume that except for a few friends, no one is really watching me play. If I screw up, most of the spectators wouldn’t know it or see it or be able to review it in slow motion. The idea of missed plays, tripping myself, looking to my left while the jammer flies by on my right being captured for scrutiny–or worse, mockery–was terrifying.
Add to that the insecurities of being red faced, drenched in sweat and wearing an azz-pad that bulks up my butt. No thanks, no TV for me.
Well, it aired yesterday. To my great surprise, it was really exciting to watch. Once I got over the “huh, that’s what I look like” phase and started watching the plays, it was educational, exciting and pride-inducing. I cheered for the great hits and winced at the falls and celebrated the amazing efforts of the team.
If you ever have the chance to watch yourself skate, things the coach has been saying all along suddenly are right there in front of you. Whatever I think I’m doing in my head is not what I’m doing on the track.
Borrow a camera, get yourself on “film” and be ready to learn!
Here’s what I learned:
- The three girls who were bouting for the first time did more in their first jam than I’ve sometimes done in a whole game. They brought it! And while I’m so proud of them, I’m also a little scared. There’s no resting on seniority when incoming players can out hit, out strategy or out skate me.
- Our home-grown coaches are getting better and better at refining our drills and molding us into players. We’re noticeably better thanks to tailored instruction and encouragement.
- The girls who hit with their hips stay in play. I use my shoulder and always end up off balance or out of bounds or just tapping a player.
- I thought I was getting better at working with my teammates, but bring the camera up to show the whole pack and I’m usually not within touching distance. That means I’m not making walls or setting up hammer&nail.
- I move side to side but not front to back. When I’m at the front of the pack, I’m waiting for the play to come to me and leaving my jammer struggling with the back line instead of dropping back and pitching in. When I get too far back, I lack energy to get back to the front.
- I look back for too long. Rather than rapid glances all around, I seem to let my gaze linger on my target. That means I’m only paying attention to one jammer or blocker.
- Flashlight knees, as used by Spin Shady, are not only effective but they just look like more advanced skating.
- My skirt does a nice job hiding my padded butt.
Amanda
