How's the weather up there? A tall girl's pain.

When I joined derby, I was one of the tallest people on my team; I am six feet tall, and the median height of my team was five foot six.  I felt like Godzilla stomping around Tokyo, and I soon earned the nickname Stiltz.  For the first six weeks of training, all I heard was "you're standing too tall, Stiltz" and "Take smaller steps, Stiltz!"  Now, having been tall all of my life, (I was mostly grown by sixth grade) I am used to the prejudices the world offers to tall women.  Pants and shirts aren't long enough, men are usually intimidated, and don't get me started on the whole struggle with pantyhose situation.  Roller derby really was no different.

During your first year as a tall skater, you are going to have to compensate for your height.  Tall girls have issues with getting low, sprints and smaller stops.  I personally used to find it maddening that someone who was five feet tall was showing me how to do teensy tiny stops, I mean, my feet were longer than her legs!  But I studied them, and studied them, and eventually learned how to do the moves the way my body could do them.  And really, isn't that the point?  Roller derby is a sport where you need all sorts of body types out there on the track, and yet I still felt like there was something inherently wrong in being tall.

Here are some myths I'd like to expel while I'm on my soap box.

 "Jammers aren't usually that tall!  Smaller girls make better jammers!"  I actually heard an announcer say that at a 2009 ECE game!  Thank goodness this attitude is changing; jammers have to be able to block for themselves now, especially with the "derby scrum" starting on the jammer line lately.  At this point, I don't think that anyone would tell Rock Nasty that she's not "jammer material", but there used to be a slight prejudice which has slowly seemed to disappear.  Jammers are jammers...big, little, short, tall.  As long as they get through the pack!

"You're fast because you're tall!"  Well, gee, thanks?  Maybe I'm fast because I'm just fast?  I've never said "You're short, that must mean you're slow!"  Skaters are fast because they train hard and work at their speed; if someone has long legs, then yes, they might have an advantage in a long race, but they have to really work on their quick and short sprints.  All skaters have to make adjustments to their speed and steps based on the situation at hand...er, at feet.

"I get hit in the face by you tall girls all of the time because I'm short!"  Well, guess what?  I get hit in the face all of the time too because I've learned to get low.  I've broken my nose, lost my contact lens, busted my lip wide open, and had Velcro rash on my face more times than I care to count.  Everyone gets hit in the face at times, it's derby.  (I'm hoping my mother doesn't read this blog, she doesn't know about the broken nose...yet!)

Some advice from some of my Glamazon pals!

Tall girls are great to hang out with!

Lucy Lastkiss (CRG retired) says: Long legs step over little peeps, easy. Long frames counterbalance in sticky situations. Oh and you can stretch out across the track. Instant intimidation factor!

Rigor Morticia (Blue Ridge Roller Girls) offers: Get yourself a plow stop that can cover half the track...use the gams you were given!   If you can get low and 'scoop' someone with your back/butt, you will take them off their feet.  

Shiv Tyler (Richland County Regulators) dishes out: "Practice hits with a short girl on your team. I know it helped me. Less high blocking!"

Denise MillerLightnin'  (Greensboro Roller Derby) advises:  "Get a good can opener. the added height makes for an extra awesome hit!" A can opener is also called a Johny Crash...FYI

Tigra (Blue Ridge Roller Girls) suggests:  " Practice Skills: Quick feet. Getting low. Keeping those long limbs within your center of gravity (and legal) for balance and agility. Strengthen core - you have a lot to hold up."

Maya Rulz (Tampa) advocates: "Practice your quick stepping constantly. It seems we glamazons are afraid to pick up our baby deer legs when we first start derby. The sooner you get over that, the more agile you are and can feel more comfortable with all of these other amazing tips!" 

I was average height in this photo!  Whoo hoo!

 
 
One last thing before I leave you; Rollercon 2011 had a whole class dedicated to "Taking out the tall player."  Be aware that people will see you as a threat or possibly a challenge to knock down.  Also, know that players will chronically low block you; this is the reality of being a taller girl (or guy).  Don't complain, the refs rarely call it, and it will just make you mad if you concentrate on it, so let it go.

And, other skaters have tall and short issues.  Read this blog about tall figure skaters
Just for a giggle.

Here are some funny pictures from Rollercon 2011's Amazons vs the Short Bus
Amazons won....FYI.

I used to have pretty feet...before derby

When I was a wee newbie, I skated every chance I got; skating so much made me awesome, made me mighty, and really really wrecked my feet. Not only did I get blisters, I got blisters on top of blisters on top of blisters!  At one point, I actually went to the Urgent Care because my blister got infected, and everyone was worried I had MRSA.

PS.  It wasn't MRSA, but the doctor was fascinated with the prodigious amount of pus coming out of my blister.

Before I would skate, I would tape up almost every part of my foot and I would still get blisters, or I would just wear parts of my skin out until I was bleeding. I kept thinking "One of these days, my feet will get tough enough to skate without pain!" but it just wasn't happening. I should have gotten stock in tape! Eventually, I bought new skates, and my new boot made things better, but I was still getting blisters.

Lucy Lastkiss saved my feet.

Finally, one of the veteran skaters came over and pointed out that I was wearing the wrong socks.  Lucy Lastkiss, a serious badass, told me that skating in cotton based socks can lead to moisture retention, and therefore blisters. I had fallen into the trap of wanting to skate in cute socks.  Lucy suggested I get some Miracle Wool socks; she used them for hiking and a lot of outdoorsy stuff.  I like this style myself.  Q's socks.  Wool socks tend to wick moisture away from your body, and offer less friction against your skin.  I like the socks with the thicker bottom to them because I tend to jam a lot and I put a lot of pressure on the balls of my feet when I'm sprinting.


The downside of Miracle Wool or Smart Wool socks is the price; they are more pricey than regular socks.  When I bought my first pair, it cost me fifteen dollars, but I have never worn a pair out.  I own about three pairs which I rotate through on a day to day basis.  Since I have worn these socks, I have not gotten a blister, not even once.  I also am starting my fourth season with the boots I bought in my rookie year.  I surprised the Riedell rep at Rollercon when I told him how old my skates were.  He was shocked by the fact that they were in such good shape, and I really do attribute the lack of wear and tear to the socks.  Also, I haven't had to tape my feet for years; I don't even carry it for emergencies anymore.

These socks may not work for everyone; I know that some people are allergic to wool, but I have been lucky so far.  Tannibal Lector of Oly told me at Rollercon that she skates barefoot, which blew my mind.  She also told me that "You don't want to go anywhere near her skates because they reek."  That, coming from a derby girl who deals with many nasty smells on a daily basis, made me shiver.  Some people like to skate in really thin socks as well, and for them I would suggest the Miracle Wool thinner sock.  And of course, some people will always want to wear the cute socks.  Lucy Lastkiss had a great suggestion; "wear the miracle wool socks and cut the feet out of the cute socks to wear over them."  She's such a savvy lady.

If you're still suffering from blisters, here is a guide for caring for them.  I do NOT suggest that you do any kind of surgical stuff to yourself unless you sterilize your implements well.  MRSA and infections are no joke.