Skate & Crossbones
Birmingham is my absolute favorite team to play. The Tragic City Roller Girls are, without a doubt, much better than PCRD, but they’ve also been around longer. They know they have more experience, so usually they don’t try to show us up. This past bout was different. TCR did not hold back. My legs still hurt from just trying to keep up.
During the bout I was concerned I would fall and re-injure my knee, but I really shouldn’t have bothered. I fell a few times, but hopped right back up. One time though I fell HARD. My arm hit the track with such force that pain went shooting through the entire limb. It happened so fast I was worried I had broken it. I didn’t want to move, so I just stayed down. For those of you unfamiliar with the rules of derby, if a player falls on the track and cannot get back up, the jam is called.
As soon as the refs called the jam, two of the girls from Birmingham rushed over to check on me. I adore Dixie Thrash and Dragon. When we’re on the track together, they do everything in their power to knock me down, but off the track, they’re just the sweetest people you’ll ever meet. They asked if I was okay, and kept other people back till my coach and the EMT could get there. The EMT took off my elbow pad and had me bend my arm a few times. Thankfully, it wasn’t broken. My coach and the EMT helped me off the track, and the next jam started.
What I didn’t know was that while I was prostrate on the floor, the announcer told the crowd I had dislocated my arm. When I hobbled back to the bench, Nicold Asice, aka Heather the incredible assignment editor at News 13, was in a tizzy. I couldn’t figure out why she was so upset until later when she told me what the announcer said. She was worried because she didn’t have my boyfriend’s number and wasn’t sure how to explain a broken limb to him. Unnecessary worry, but it’s good to know she cares.
I wasn’t the only one who hit the floor hard that night. Wyatt Riot, who is a powerhouse on and off the track, was knocked down several times by Dixie Thrash. Dixie was determined not to let a single jammer from our side through. She did an excellent job of executing that mission.
One time, Wyatt hit the floor too hard and hurt her knee. But she didn’t let that keep her out for long. After icing it down for a few minutes, she was back out.
The entire team skated their collective heart out. Despite losing, it was still a good game. Birmingham has pushed us to improve even more, and a few girls from TCR told us there was a HUGE difference between this bout and the first time they played us.
I’m just happy because after the bout Nicold, Morbid Mangler, one of our newbs and I went to Steak and Shake for dinner. Mm mm cheesy fries!!!
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Restoring Chaos and Order
Despite everything falling apart, it did show how some employees are willing to go the extra mile to make the news happen. The station’s IT guy, Billy, worked late into the night to get everything operational again. He definitely wins my Bestest Employee of the Week award. Both evening directors and our sound guy worked to make sure reporters had video and sound bytes in time for the 5.
It was a crazy night, but we muddled through.
Thursday night was certainly less chaotic, not exactly ordered, but less chaotic. My five went smoothly, and afterwards, I joined the derby girls at Mulligan’s for dinner. Mulligan’s has done a splendid job of supporting us. I also want to take a moment to say hello to my one fan, Mama Wyatt, the only non-News 13 employee who reads this blog.
This Sunday, PCRD is playing the team in Birmingham, Manhandle the Panhandle (that’s what this bout is called). I’m not too worried about this bout. Birmingham is always fun to play. They don’t take themselves too seriously, so it’s just like playing against close friends. It’s one of those games where I’m not overly-concerned with winning or losing, just as long as everyone has a good time.
I’ll make sure to post an update on how the bout went next week. Till then.
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News 13: The Musical
I suppose it’s the “whistle while you work” mentality. It helps us deal with the pressure of pulling off a perfect show or dealing with especially horrific stories. Sometimes it even helps the anchors smile a little. One director, Cole, likes to sing to Amy Hoyt before the Ten news. His voice isn’t exactly pitch perfect, and he has a tendency to sing the same songs over and over. But it makes Amy laugh and if my anchors are happy, then I’m happy.
Mark Jenkins, on the other hand, can REALLY sing. If you ever see him, ask him to sing a little Sinatra for you. One time, Cole was singing to Amy, and Mark walked in. We were in another room on headsets, so Amy couldn’t see us, but she could hear us. We quietly switched Mark onto the headsets and let him sing to her. She stopped what she was doing and asked if that was still Cole. We tried to play it off, but it didn’t really work. She guessed they had switched.
I hate singing by myself, but if Cole and some of the other crew members are singing something I know I’ll join in. Lately, they seem to be on a Disney movie theme kick. I’m a little rough on the *Aladdin* soundtrack, but I know *Beauty & the Beast* by heart.
So that’s us. We are the all singing, all dancing News 13. We’ve definitely got *Newsies* beat.
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About Me
I'm a fourth generation Floridian. I have degrees from Chipola Junior College (when it was still a junior college) and the University of West Florida. When I was at UWF, I lived off of exit 13. Back in Panama City, I began working at News 13 on November 13th, 2006. Thirteen has proved to be my lucky number. Last year, I joined the Panama City Roller Derby League. When I'm not providing the Panhandle with the latest news, I'm tearing up the track with over 20 other roller girls, two of which are also News 13 employees. I'm sure I drive everyone at work insane with all my talk of derby. But hey, that's how I roll.
Recent Entries:
- I’m Going to Read Like Its 2009
- Our First Christmas
- New Traditions and New Paint
- Better Together
- 28 Days
- Nice Day for a Fit Wedding
- Seek and Ye Shall Find
- Do Not Panic! Or at Least Panic in your Predesignated Subgroups!
- This is my Cat Post
- Help Me Get Married!!!
- Star Search
- Zen and the Art of Wedding Planning
- Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori
- Here’s to Health and Lots of Tea
- Ch-ch-ch-changes
Other News13 Blogs:
- The Casual Historian - Larche Hardy
- Derby Girl - Enocha Van Lierop
- The Newby - Jessi Chapin
- Gainesville, Georgia's All American Girl - Tuquyen Mach
