So people tell me ''I just want to play derby'' and I think that is what everyone wants. JUST TO PLAY DERBY... I love the thought and context of that simple line, I JUST WANT TO PLAY DERBY. Because that is EXACTLY what I want to do, I just want to play derby. But then you start to play derby, and you realize that there is so much more to it than just playing derby.
You need a place to play derby, you need referees to reff you, you need a track to play derby on and you need team-mates, you need to teach people to skate, you need someone to train the girls and you need a first-aid box filled with ice-packs, you need to learn how to hit saftley and you need parties for people to go to and you need someone that make sure that all your paperwork is in the right place so you can get those places to train at, you need money for rent and you need so much more than JUST TO PLAY DERBY.
This is where the burn-out comes in - becuase some people just settle for the ''I JUST WANNA PLAY DERBY'' and just play derby while everyone else work really hard around them, they think that practices plan themselves, they think that ice-bags appear out of thin air, that halls book themselves, and they really wonder why they have to even pay a member fee. This is not everyone, some people, including myself take on too much work, because I expect that things should be done, and I do them, and then instead of getting flowers I get complains that things are not done the way others wish them to be. All I expect is that people that aren't doing as much should be happy things get done... I don't belive that things are for free, I believe we get things done by hard work - together.... not alone...
I would love to just go out and skate an Monday night, but I'm holdinga practice, I would love to just gather and meet up with people on a random weeknight - but I'm doing league work or acctually squeezing in som time for my derbyshop SwedeVix... and trust me... leauge work is currently taking up more time than SwedeVix. I am really not complaining, I am just saying that I don't think that sometimes people realize how much some people in the leauge work for letting the rest of the league ''Just play derby''. It has been a really long time since I ''just played derby'' and I once again want to make a shoot out to all the amazing people at Jet City, Rat City and Gotham that allowed me to work for the leauge but also allowed me the time to JUST PLAY DERBY and made me into the skater I am today. Thanks to coaching by Carmen Getsome, Drew Blood, Juliett Bravo, Quadzilla, Bonnie Thunders, Kandy Kakes, Fisti Cuffs, Sweet Sherry Pie, Endless Justin, Buster Cheatin' and lots of other people, I am the skater I am today... and not only hte skaters that coached me but also the skaters I have skated with, who managed bout production, who took care of the leagues financials and all those other fun fun fun but time-consuming things!
And derby is the love of my life and I want it to go on and on and on and spread to everyone in the entire world! (I do also love Maloony)
"and then instead of getting flowers I get complains that things are not done the way others wish them to be."
ReplyDeleteUh huh.
Thanks for the post Swede, your point is a good one, Roller Derby still is a d.i.y. sport where the 'do it yourself' needs to be all the people involved- as every small amount that each person involved can give adds up to leagues being leagues, and players being players, and refs being refs and making Roller Derby happen. x
ReplyDeleteSkit bra inlägg! Jag är överlycklig just nu över att det har "kommit ut" så folk kan läsa om det. Och just att det är du som tagit upp det, en spelare i världsklass, gör nog att folk förstår att det krävs mer än att bara komma på träningarna.
ReplyDeleteDet är ingen nyhet, men jag hoppas att snart så drar alla sitt strå till stacken så alla får chansen att "bara spela"!
Du gör ett fantastiskt jobb!