Crash Into Me (And the Floor)

Before / Photo: Natalie "Vegas" Buragina

During Friday night's skill testing, I had my first real crash. And I really thought I had crashed before. My favourite fall was my first as I learned how to skate, period, during which I landed so hard on my ass, I hurt my neck. But this time was different. During endurance testing, I was tired, feeling low, and pushing myself on new wheels. Being used to outdoor wheels, my new Flatouts often feel like they're always just about to roll out from under me. On Friday night, they did, just as I was turning a corner.

I flew and hit the ground, elbow first. I have never heard myself make a noise like that before. It was like the sound was ripped from my windpipe. Like the awesome women they are, my league-mates all took a knee.

By the time our health and safety committee members Killer Suenami and Avalanche got to me, I was on my front, grabbing my right shoulder and weeping. Apparently the first thing I did was apologize. Then, I asked for was a tissue because, man, was I mucus-y. Avalanche and Suenami calmed me down, got my skates off and moved me to the bench. As I sat, I said to a newcomer who had come to watch for the first time (!), "This doesn't happen often, I promise." Being a former army medic, she was not particularly off-put.

Our health and safety team put me in a sling, gave me some ibuprofen, and got me settled. Then, after practice, I went to the bar and hefted my beer with my off-hand. Later, I was checked out by a doctor and pronounced sore but largely undamaged. My rotator cuff is not having the best week. I don't have the same range of motion with my right arm as my left at the moment, but the shoulder isn't overly bruised and there's no numbness or tingling. I'm sore from  my elbow to neck on my right side, but I'm taking care of myself. I'm hoping I'll be well enough to skate for next Sunday's Skate-A-Thon, though league-mates have offered to skate for me if necessary.

Health and Safety Committees are a roller derby must. LOCO is very lucky to have a nurse and aski patrol volunteer on-hand, as I found out. But every league needs a dedicated team of volunteers at practices and professional medics at bouts. We try to make derby as safe as possible and we try to ensure girls know the risks on skates. We try our absolute best to teach girls to fall safely. But if a wheel skids at the wrong time, your health and safety comes down to equipment, luck and having someone present who has the training to check your bruised body for injuries beer can't cure. Health and safety committees matter.

After / Photo Sam "Knuckle Slamwitch" Barr

"It's all downhill from your first big fall," my derby godmother, Knuckle Slamwitch of the Rollergettes, said, rendering a rather painful image. But it's true. I've crashed and cried in front of my team and now derby seems, on the whole, rather less anxiety-inducing. (Didn't kick ass on your time trial the way you wanted? Well, at least your arm isn't in a sling!) Players with more serious injuries sometimes have psychological barriers to getting back on the track, and understandably so. But as a new player, your first really jarring fall can teach you to trust yourself, to trust your gear and to enjoy the game more and worry less.

It's often said that the fear of falling is worse than the fall and short of spinal cord injuries, this is usually true. After giving some team-mates a scare (quoth Knuckle Slamwitch: "I thought you'd broken your tailbone!") and ensuring I'll be blogging gingerly for a while, I'm not afraid of the fall.

But I always, always wear my gear.