Just a reminder to those of you starting your derby journey
There is always another mountain to climb, another skill to master, another part of your own self to discover. 5 years in and I feel like I am still barely scratching the surface of what I can do.
Frustration is natural. When you finally nail your min skills, finally get to SKATE, you discover that the test wasn't the end? That it doesn't magically transform you into the skater you hoped you were? That the track is a confusing swirl of strong bodies moving fast and purposefully in a dance you don't understand?
It is frustrating as hell, but it is also the promise and glory of Derby.
Derby isn't satisfying because it is easy. Derby isn't meaningful because it won't break your heart. It is hard. It will break you down little bits at a time... But that's the thing, those experiences will build you up stronger, until you are doing the things you told yourself you would never be able to do. You will find you have become a person you didn't know you could be.
But you have to get through that frustration, and you have to learn how to be kind to yourself while pushing past the things you are not good at yet.
You can do it. Learn to dig in.
ETA: at this point, I have been skating as long as my heroes had when I started. Don't measure yourself against me or any other experienced skater yet. Give yourself time to shake out. Learn and try to understand where we are coming from, what we know, and one day you will be better than we are.