Open up and say YEAH!

The first time I remember another skater cheering for me, I was doing a drill called Shuttle Runs. At the time I thought it was honestly going to be a very short lived derby career. I had just passed my level 2 assessments and was being introduced to a whole new level of drills and endurance. And it hurt. Bad.

But somewhere through the sweaty haze I heard my teammate, Lady Hulk, yell "You've got it, Halle" and that was it. Someone believed in me. I could do this. She wouldn't be calling my name if she didn't want me to succeed right? I pushed, I pushed harder, I wouldn't let my teammates down!

The first time I cheered for another teammate, it felt like I was speaking a foreign language. It was an odd sensation being on the giving end. I didn't feel that I was an experienced enough skater to be cheering for someone else. Shouldn't they still be pushing me? But when it came out of my lungs with a loud burst, it felt amazing! I knew that I was cheering on one of my teammates, and I knew from experience that it mattered. It mattered to them, it mattered to me AND it mattered to my team. I realized that we all needed to be pushing each other. It didn't matter how much seniority you have. Everyone needs a little nudge. It's part of being a team.

Cheering can become viral. Opening your mouth and showing support can push one more person to shout, and then another, then another. Then your whole team is cheering each other on. How awesome is that?

Pair O' Dice City Roller Derby opens each practice with a cheer. Someone yells "What is tonight about", the entire teams yells back "FUN, RESPECT, TEAMWORK"! Sometimes when we are leaving or cooling down, if it was a particularly great practice someone will yell "what was tonight about" and we will cheer together again. It opens and closes the practice on such a positive note. After all, when our founding members got together, those are the values that we decided were the most important. So we remind ourselves about it as often as we can.

So, the next time you feel that you are dragging during a drill, open your mouth, give a cheer and see how much it will boost your energy level. You will also be boosting your entire teams morale.

Cheers!

Halle PAIN Yo