International Women’s Day – Be Bold for Change by Lynda-Marie Taurasi

 

Do you allow your physical appearance to prevent you from becoming active or doing something you’ve always wanted to do?

Have you not gone to yoga class because you haven’t shaved your legs?

Do you feel the need to wear a full-face of make-up before you hit the gym?

Have you not started running because you felt you were too heavy?

Did you not swim laps because you hadn’t had a bikini wax or washed your hair?

Do men worry about shaving or grooming before engaging in physical activity?

How does this relate to Roller Derby? Well, allow me to explain.

It started when I was 13-years-old, and overnight developed D-cup breasts, ceasing all the physical activity I once enjoyed in my childhood: running, climbing, dancing, cycling, and even cheerleading. To delve into the emotional trauma that was being “overdeveloped” at such a young age would take another essay, but needless to say, physical activity was added to the myriad causes of my insecurity.

Now, as I enter the twilight of my 30s, or as I like to refer to it “My Zero F**ks” phase, I still find myself hung-up over stupid stuff like skipping yoga because my legs are hairy. I mean, like, ‘How am I supposed to look super cute in my lululemons when I’m sprouting a rainforest on my right leg?’

I’m kidding. My butt is too big for lululemons.

But nonetheless, there I was, the morning of my Auld Reekie Roller Girls Taster Day, second-guessing my attendance because I hadn’t shaved my legs. All of a sudden, the confident woman I’d become, the one who gave up a cushy university job in the states to fulfill her lifelong dream of living in Scotland, was reduced to the puffy-faced, 13-year-old, crying hysterically over going up a bra size, she thought she’d outgrown.

I had been in Scotland less than three months, and I was well into my first semester of graduate school. It was my year of “Yes”: doing the things I always wanted to do and saying yes to every opportunity that came my way—like the ARRG Taster Day event that scrolled down my Facebook feed.

Roller Derby was something that, for years, I wanted to try. I liked and respected the ethos behind the sport. I longed to be part of a team, learn a new sport, and be fitter. Plus, much like riding a bike, roller-skating taps into your youth, and I wanted to feel like a kid again. Yet for numerous reasons I never tried my hand; the primary reason being that I could not roller skate.

Unlike the roller derby league in the American town I moved from, ARRG offered a beginners training programme—no skate experience required. So instead of caving under my anxiety, I walked my hairy ankles to Meadowbank that cold, rainy day in November 2015 and entered a gym of women who, no doubt, pushed through their own clouds of insecurity to be there.

Not only did you not need to know how to skate, you didn’t even need to own or rent gear. ARRG veteran skaters had kindly lent their personal gear for those who had signed up for the taster day.

So there I was, sat in a circle, strapped in borrowed, derby gear, not knowing a single gal, and feeling all kinds of insecure when I began to really notice the other women. I wasn’t sizing them up. I wasn’t comparing myself to them. I just took them in.

I was sure I would be the oldest, but I was not.
I was sure I would be the heaviest, but I was not.
I was sure I would be the clumsiest, but I was not.
And I was sure I would be the hairiest, but I was not.

I smiled in relief when I saw lots of hairy legs before me. Some women wore make-up. Some did not. Some had worn cute workout gear; others had not. Most importantly, we didn’t feel pressure to look a certain way to be active. None allowed insecurity to prevent them from attending. All of us wore the same brash look of determined uncertainty: we didn’t really have a clue what we were doing, but we were going to do it any way. We didn’t care how we looked doing it.

It was so much fun, and even though I fell on my butt, I came away feeling accomplished and excited to try again. I actually relished in not being good at it because I didn’t have to be good at skating, at least not right now. I could enjoy the process without the pressure of striving to be the best. I could be part of ARRG and be crap at skating—because frankly, I was and am absolutely crap at skating. And that’s okay, I was told. “Lots of us were”, some said—even those who now skate for Scotland. In our competitive adult world, especially one where women are forced to compete with and best each other, it’s nice to be crap at something and know your sister lending a hand is doing so with no ulterior motive.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to strap on skates for another year. Life had gotten in the way. By the time the following skate skills session opened, I was in my second semester of graduate school and unable to find the time. Then when the summer skate training rolled around, I was well into my dissertation writing. Then, a whole year later from my initial Taster Day, another skate skills intake announcement landed in my inbox. This time, I was a recent graduate, hitting the job market, and unable to front the £180 for the needed derby gear. I began to wonder if that November day was just a one-off. But nope, it wasn’t.

Thanks to Awards for All Scotland and the Big Lottery Fund, ARRG received funding to purchase loaner kits for new skaters unable to initially invest in the equipment. It gives women the opportunity to try something bold like Roller Derby and gain the confidence in having done so without the financial burden.

For me, it meant not having to sit out another skills skate intake, and finally joining ARRG, in whatever capacity that winds up being. For now, it simply means having fun, not allowing my looks determine my physical activity, and being surrounded by supportive women who are there for the same reasons.

Inspired by Lynda-Marie’s story? Be bold! Come along to our next Taster Day on the 9th April and start your own roller derby journey.

International Women’s Day – Be Bold For Change by Rhona Duff

For those Guilty Feminist podcast listeners out there – I’m a feminist but… why can’t I stop comparing myself to the ‘ideal body’? For everyone else, listen to the Guilty Feminist.

Exercise, for me, has never been out of necessity to lose weight, but to attain that increasingly unachievable perfect body we, as women, are encouraged to have. I have attended countless gym classes promising myself that this will be the one that inspires me to avoid pudding tonight and ‘tone up for summer’. Inevitably 3 weeks later I quit, realising this room of women facing literally a wall of mirrors just isn’t giving me the inspiration I was looking for. And then roller derby came along and changed my entire perspective on sport and exercise for women. Roller derby is not about toning up, gym bods or being ‘beach body ready’. Roller derby is about achieving something with your body and feeling good about it.

Upon recommendation of a friend (who, by the way, has inspired a fan club of 8 year old girls cheering her at every game – how cool is that?!) I sheepishly walked into a room of strangers for a roller derby taster session last December. I was fully prepared to have those same feelings of inferiority to the other women and probably fail miserably at being on wheels. However, the attitudes and camaraderie of roller derby that were encouraged upon us resulted in a genuinely friendly and supportive bunch of women that has continued to bond and progress week on week. I was no picture of elegance and sophistication on skates but by the end of the session I felt bloody awesome just being able to stay upright, and support my fellow newbies to do the same.

Following the taster session I looked into how I could join Skate Skills and be on my way to becoming a kickass derby queen, but was concerned about how I would manage financially. Thinking about buying kit for a sport that could end up like all of my other fitness endeavours (failures) was daunting. But then I found out about the loaner kits offered by ARRG, funded through The Big Lottery: Awards for All Scotland. These kits give those that would otherwise not be able to try roller derby the chance to have a go. Now I had no excuses.

Over the weeks I have become a red faced, out of breath, competitive, sweating, helmet-hair wearing skater – hardly feminine attributes. I turn up to training sniffling through a cold and bruised from falling on my arse last week because I know that I will feel good about what I achieve that day, even if it is just getting out of bed and putting skates on. I actually WANT to squat and lunge and plank on non-training days because I know it will help me get better at skating, not because it will give me that ‘beach body’ – let’s be serious I will always be addicted to chocolate.

Turning up to my first session I didn’t know what change I was being bold for but, so far, roller derby has changed my attitude towards how I should feel about my body and what it can do. Exercise for women doesn’t have to be about gym leggings and the 11 million #fitspo Instagram posts, rather achieving something, however big or small, and celebrating it. That’s not to say a good pair of leggings isn’t appreciated at training…

 

The final twenty skaters that will form the official Roller Derby Team of Scotland have been announced, including six skaters from Edinburgh’s Auld Reekie Roller Girls.

The six Edinburgh women fought off competition from thirty fellow Scottish skaters and battled through an intense six-month selection process which included international fixtures, intense training sessions and assessments to secure a coveted place on Team Scotland.

Skaters Lianne Parry (Crazylegs), Sharlotte Patterson, Rosie Peacock, Alison McNellis (Phoenix), Jess Little and Mandy Davis (Bangers) will now join their fellow teammates in what will be a gruelling twelve-month training period, as they prepare for the 2018 Roller Derby World Cup in Manchester.

The skaters had this to say on their selection to Team Scotland:

Lianne Parry (Crazylegs) said; “I’m just taking it all in – to be selected for one World Cup tournament is a very cool opportunity; to skate in 3 World Cup Tournaments – Toronto 2011, Dallas 2014 and now Manchester 2018 is pretty mind blowing!  I can’t wait to get stuck into team training, the squad looks really strong and we’ve been getting to know each other for the last few months so now the hard work begins.”

Sharlotte Patterson said; “It’s a huge privilege and honour to have been selected as part of the final Team Scotland squad; I remember watching league members going off to play for Scotland years ago and hoping one day that that would be me! Right from the start, skating with Auld Reekie Roller Girls has inspired me to push myself and really focus on my jamming skills. I will be so proud when the World Cup rolls around next year to be able to represent Scotland.”

Mandy Davis (Bangers) said: “I’m very excited to be a part of a strong Scottish team, representing our country at the World Cup in 2018.”

Alison McNellis (Phoenix) said: “Honestly I’m not sure what to say, it’s a shock and a complete honour to be selected. I will put everything I have into the training and world cup. I really can’t wait to share the track with the rest of the team!”

Jess Little said: “I’m hugely excited for the opportunity to play for Team Scotland and to continue training with the squad.”

Rosie Peacock said: “I am so proud of every skater who has made the final twenty for Team Scotland. We have all worked incredibly hard to get to this point, to get to know one another and gel as a team. We’ve already had several opportunities to play internationally and now coming up against team Ireland at EuroClash will present our next challenge and opportunity. I’m very excited about the progression of the team, now we can focus on specific roles and positions on track.” 

The team won’t have time to bask in their achievement as their first challenge comes swiftly in the form Team Ireland who they will face at the EuroClash Tournament in Newcastle on the 25^th & 26^th March.