Skills/Goals Update

Sometimes it feels like I skate and skate, only to stay in the same place skills-wise. I can see the other new girls improving, but can't view myself in third-person to see the same. So I thought I'd revisit my goals for next season that I posted just a couple weeks ago.


1. Train like an athlete. I've been skating five days a week, walking my dog on off-days and doing yoga a couple times a month, but I want to add some cross-training like more jogging or weightlifting.
Not happening yet...


2. Fuel my body (aka eat) like an athlete. Too often I excuse indulgences in cupcakes or beer because I've been skating a lot and "deserve" it. To get my body ready for next season, I need to more consistently feed it good things. I wouldn't put old cooking oil in a sports car, even though it could run on that for a while.
I think I'm eating a little healthier and cutting out some sugar but need to do an even better job of this.


3. Learn T-stops on the left side. My right-side stops are decent, but I want to even out. So while some people are learning T-stops for the first time, I'm going to try to join in on the opposite leg.
Holy crap, I can do this! They're not perfect, but they're consistently capable.


4. Participate in most fundraisers. For the 2011 season, I wasn't sure how I fit into the league as an injured skater, ref or Horde. Now I have no excuse not to give it my all. I don't know yet if I'll skate one season or many, but I know I can do my best this year.
I've worked one RenFest shift already and will do at least two more.

5. Say yes to social events. Whenever someone asks me if I want to go out for a beer or sushi after practice, I say no. I always intend to attend after-parties but wimp out at the last moment. Occasionally, I need to say yes and get to know people off the track.
Does asking a fellow new skater to lunch count? Probably not. My hope is to get myself to at least one of the upcoming parties I've RSVPed "maybe" to on Facebook.

6. Learn hockey stops. These look so cool. I want to do them.
Yeah, not happening.

7. Jam or pivot by midseason. I want my skating and other skills to be strong enough that I can be the one scoring for my team.
n/a

8. Learn all the MADE rules really well. As a ref, I felt shaky on my rule knowledge and I never liked that. This is something I should have done sooner for OSDA, but better late than never, right?
There's no excuse for having not started this.

9. Keep focusing on my non-derby life. Sadly, derby can't last forever. I need to make sure not to neglect my other family or friends now.
I've made a point to make plans with non-derby friends twice in the last week, so that's a plus. However, I did not go to a family event that I should have because I was too busy.

10. Know when to say no. For some people, "sorry" is the hardest word. For me, that's "no." While I do want to say "yes" to things I'm unsure about sometimes, I'm still learning to listen to my own body and know when I need to step back and take some time off, whether mentally or physically.
Just last week I amended and postponed plans for the sake of my sanity twice. I feel selfish when I do it, but it's really best for everyone in the long run.

As far as the color-coding seems to suggest, I've made measurable progress. The cheers for moving in the right direction!

How are your goals coming along?