Roller Derby is like crack...with no rehab

It was one in the morning and I was thinking about roller derby. If I had been asleep, I might have been dreaming about it. I couldn't help but think that women put an amazing amount of time into this sport. I’m not talking about the time spent on the rink floor. I’m talking about effort that goes into the organization and creation of a league with its committees and boards, the formation of teams, the league fundraisers, the self-promotion and marketing. I think it might be difficult for family and friends to understand why you’d want to put so much energy into a sport that takes up all your free time, forces you to do lots of volunteer work and is nearly guaranteed to your body black and blue at the end of the evening. The only explanation I can give is derby is worth the time commitment, worth the headache, worth the bumps and the bruises because when I’m on the track I am allowed to forget about everything else. Job stress, money issues, cancer, fights with friends or family – I leave all of it off the rink floor. Besides the rush I get when I’m on the track, I’ve met some incredible women, am making some great friends and because I can’t help but let a little bit of my derby persona stick with me when I’m off the track, I’ve became a much more focused person. Roller derby is a chance for me to be a superhero. In the words of retired roller derby girl Sister Mary Jane of the TXRD Holy Rollers, "It’s hard not to feel special all decked out in too much makeup, neon leggings, wild skirts, a team shirt, derby girl name written across your back and a funky colored socks on your feet". There is nothing like becoming your own superhero. Even if it’s only for an hour or two!