I'm officially a Level 2 skater now :) YAYAYAYAYAY!
To put this in context:
When you first start in roller derby, you are considered a Level 1 skater. If you're just beginning on skates and are trying to get the basic basics down, you're an "Intermediate Level 1". But if you've got the basic basics down but you haven't done derby specific stuff before, you're an "Advanced Level 1". (I was an Advanced Level 1.) After Level 1 is Level 2 which is where you've got the basic moves of derby but you haven't finessed them and you haven't put plays into use. Essentially, it's where you learn how to take the raw skills and turn them into fluid 'moves' and 'plays'. Then it's on up to Level 3 which is the highest and is where you are considered "draftable". This is where, after they've watched you practice for a bit, teams can pick you to join them and then when a bout is coming up you practice with your specific team exclusively and that's who you skate with at the bout. Cherry City Derby Girls (my league) has 4 teams: Thrill Kill Kittens, Dolls of Anarchy, Panty Raiders, and Rydell Belles.
So that's a basic layout of our advancement schedule.
Every 3-6 months or so, they have "Level Up Testing" which is where you can attempt to pass physical and written tests to move up to the next level. This last week was a chance for the Advanced Level 1 girls to test up to Level 2 if they wanted to. Everyone had been working super hard so we all decided to test up. We spent extra time practicing the necessary skills and maneuvers and we held study groups for the rules and regulations. Luckily it paid off big time! We were the first chunkette of girls to ALL PASS together!! We had 7 hours of testing and then a written test (took about 30 minutes or less), spread out over 3 sessions, and today at the league meeting it was announced that our whole group was moving up to Level 2 :D We were SOOOO excited!! There's 12 of us and it was so wonderful to be able to go up in front of the rest of the league and have all of us standing there.
Hopefully, in another 4ish months I'll be posting and saying that I'm a Level 3 skater :)
My goal is to skate in a bout before I have to leave for internship and I think that as long as I keep working at it, I should be able to make that happen.
I'll make sure to tell you all when it is so you can come see me and my team skate if you want :D *hint, hint* LoL!
♥ Love you ♥
