Last night the Seattle Derby Brats (the junior league of the Rat City Rollergirls) had its first Friends and Family Bout of the season. Josie just joined about a month ago. Because she's so tall, they put her in the 12-17-year-old Junior Derby group rather than with the 6-11-year-old Tootsie Rollers, even though she's just getting started. Josie wasn't sure she was ready to play in an actual bout, but once it got going (Coach Rusty reported), she thought she'd give it a try.
Josie, can you remind us what the rules of this game are?
Si. Four people from each team form a pack that goes around the track together "slowly" -- i.e. pretty fast. Each team has a jammer with a star on her helmet. And they try and pass the pack as many times as they can. But they can't go out of bounds, and they can't elbow anybody or anything. People from their own team try and help them, and people from the other team try and stop them, while they try to help their own jammer get through.
The refs follow the lead jammer around, keeping track of the points she's scored. This girl was really good!
Here is Josie's team -- the Evil Angels -- stretching while Coach Rusty strategizes. The Poisoned Skid'les are the pink team in the background.
So, how did you do in your first bout?
They put me in as a blocker in the pack, which is supposedly the easiest position to play. So I just kind of skated around where I was supposed to be, because that was all I could really do. I think if I just do that, then I'll get better, hopefully! One time the jammer came up behind me, and she grabbed my waist and flung me over to the side. That made her go faster, and helped her get around the people in front of me. That was about the only useful thing I did. Here's some video Mom took. I'm in the second clip, but I don't look very good because I was right behind a very mean girl who was notorious for getting a lot of penalties, and I got freaked out because I didn't want to try to pass her and block her, and so I kind of hung back, and I was slowing down. So don't laugh at me!
Nobody's laughing, Josie -- those girls are intense!
Don't say intense! Grownups always say "intense" every day! Every single bingle sentence they say has "intense" in it.
What I mean is, I'd be nervous too. Do you think eventually you'll get more confident and start knocking people over yourself?
When I learn to, then I will do that.
What's your rollerderby name going to be?
Maybe "Mean Josephine." Simon suggested "The Scary Godmother." Mom wants me to be "Josie Wallops." I haven't decided yet.
Readers, please weigh in!
2 comments:
I vote for Mean Josephine!
I vote for the Lean Mean Bean Machine. Or Josie Fiend. Or The Outlaw Josie Wails. Or Bazooka Jo. Or Jo Mama. Or something that plays off of the last name Kidde (either as "kid" or as "kidder") that I can't think of right now. Or something else entirely.
Also, you look awesome, and I can't wait to come see you in person.
Also, "single bingle" is hilarious to me.
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