August 20th was my final bout with the Springfield Roller Girls. It still seems surreal, mostly because I’m still practicing with the girls. SRG was originally why I wanted to stay here in town, so having to move away is going to be hard. These girls have kept me sane, pushed me, helped me grow, and given me so many laughs, stories and memories that I would never repeat to my mother.
Needless to say, it’s a bit scary to think about going to another league. Will they accept me? Can I cut it in a bigger league? Are the girls as amazing as my SRG sisters are?
I’ve already been in contact with the Kansas City Roller Warriors. For those of you who know nothing about roller derby, being able to play for KCRW is a pretty big deal. Their All Star team is consistently one of the top teams in the nation. Seeing them do warmups alone is enough to make me feel like a slacker. And I think it’s exactly what I need to step up my game.
As it turns out, I should be able to walk on to the KCRW with good references, so I’ve asked my coach, Mancheeta, and my amazing sister Amber Lager, who helped launch SRG, to provide those to me. With two seasons under my belt now, they seem to think I’ll skate seamlessly into their league. The only hiccup at this point? Insurance. And the fact that I have been playing with fire by skating without it despite my broken collarbone from last season. So I’m going to begin searching for affordable primary care insurance to cover the 6 weeks I don’t want to lose on my skates before my new insurance kicks in. Their tryouts for the 2012 season are in November. I don’t have time to spare.
These speed bumps along the way seem so endless right now. No insurance. No place to live set in stone. A pile of things I still need to pack. No buyers or renters for my house. But I have so much optimism for what’s to come.
So come on, life. Please work yourself out already. You’re making me nervous.
