Last weekend* I helped coach Derby Daze, a weekend of roller derby workshops put on by the Rose City Rollers’ travel team.
It gave me a lot of perspective. Aside from a lunchtime strategy lecture** I was lucky enough to float to other skaters’ clinics and help newer skaters master the skills, one-on-one. Interacting with newer skaters reminds me why I skate derby. And how far I’ve come. That’s one thing I don’t think new skaters understand: When a veteran skater smiles at you — or can’t help but laugh a bit — they’re (probably) not laughing at you; they’re laughing at a previous version of themselves that they see in you.
On the first day of the workshops, I asked a skater in our rec league, “what’s been the best part about Derby Daze so far?” She said, “I’ll tell you tomorrow.” I didn’t meet with her again because she was in the advanced class and I tried to stay in the beginner and intermediate-level workshops, so I could be of the most help.
To close the weekend, travel team members scrimmaged with all the skaters. As a special prize, a line-up of black-shirted advanced-level skaters got to scrimmage a white-shirted travel team line up for one jam. My line was Havana Good Time, Belle Starr and Skeeve Holt and they handed me the jammer cap. In that quiet moment before the jam whistle, my opposing jammer tapped my shoulder.
“Hey Dash.”
“Hi.”
“Remember when you asked me what my favorite moment of Derby Daze was? It’s this. Right now. This is one of the best moments of my life***.”
*You: “Dash, why are you writing about last weekend when you still haven’t written about Team USA tryouts, which you went to?” Me: “…(guilty face)…”
**and by lecture I mean theatrical performance/sideshow/comedy schtick.
***Way to melt my heart, wrecker. Jerk. (wipes tear) I love your heart, jerk. You probably thought it was a big deal wearing a star next to me because my star was purple, but you were the most inspiring skater.
The Dashboard 
Thanks, Dash!! I hope to share the track with you again!!