I think i'm off...

'cause last weeks blog was pretty much about what everybody is talkin' about this week.

In a manner of speaking.

Anyway.

So all this talk of rainbows, has me wondering, how do we combine all these colors of the rainbow successfully, without all the colors turning into the lovely color of mud.

Goes back to last weeks subject, respect, but it also goes deeper than that.

True, as Dolly and Karma have said before me, derby takes all sorts, I want to elaborate on that a bit.

It takes all sorts emotionally, socially, intellectually, as well as physically to make up a good solid strong team.

We have the really beautiful girls, we have heavy girls we have slow skating girls, we have girls who struggle, we have girls who kick ass. We have the girls who just wanna wear the cool clothes but not really do much else.I think I am the only one who looks like a derby freak..heh..

All of these girls have a place with us. Every last one of them..derby is not just about the skating, it's about so much more..it's a huge production, with many "stagehands" needed..

But, with anything.. communication is key, respect is a must.

If you don't understand something.. communicate. If someone has hurt your feelings, communicate.If you need more time to master something, open your mouth....but do it in a respectful manner..as you would wish to be treated..

For GCRG, we stress to each and everyone of our girls, right when they come in for newbie orientation "derby is hard, derby can break you...I can't tell you how many times I have left practice in tears and swore I would never come back..but I always did..and once derby is in your blood.. you will always come back as well.. and we want you back..you have a home here with us.. this is your family, these are your derby sisters"


We have girls who are super emotional.. we have girls who cry, (I use to do it alot when I was on my first team..while I dried it up, I know how hard it is for them to come in and face people you don't know, and feel you are made entirely of suck.. so that's when the tears start flowing.) We have girls who are our motivators..we have our shy withdrawn ones...as I said, it literally takes all kinds, emotionally, socially, intellectually and physically.

But I am getting off task, so I will leave you with something I want you to ponder..

Not everybody was raised the same, not everybody has a "filter" on their mouth and on their brain, most times that filter comes with age, some of us are in tip top shape, some of us are old fat mommies. Some of us are slow, some of us are fast,some of us look like we need a sandwich, some of us are chunky monkeys...some of us are poor..some of us have money..but not one of us is better than anyone else. Some of us just may not be living up to our full potential. If you see that person that isn't, help them.. don't dismiss them, don't make assumptions about them, or talk about them.. they are your derby sisters, outside of the rink, you have no idea what kind of battle they are fighting in life..so don't make the rink another war zone for them...

Listen to them not only with your ears, but with your head, and with your heart..