Jondi Soper's Page

Long time derby fans and veteran derby girls alike have developed a language all of their own. As a new derby girl, it seemed I heard new terms almost every time I was at practice, talked to my team mates or went out on the internet looking for information.
So, I think it is high time someone begin to put together a roller derby dictionary.
Off the top of my head, the following are some of the words, terms or phrases I think should be in it. I ask for you to either give me new definitions, bette… Continue

When you are trying to learn a new skill, it is very easy to get discouraged when you don’t just pick everything up as quickly as you would like.

At least I do.

All my life, I have been relatively good at nearly everything I put my mind to doing. It has always been easy for me to pick up new skills and add them to my bag of tricks. But then all those skills were either craft-related or academic.

So roller derby is a whole new challenge for me. It is a skill in an area I never challenged mysel… Continue

So it’s been nearly three weeks since I have been on skates, due to lack of pads, canceled practices or me just plain not feeling up to going.

The problem is the longer I am off skates, the easier it is to just not go to practice.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to quit. Well most of me doesn’t anyway. And my husband isn’t likely to let me quit, in fact when I chose to miss last night’s practice due to sheer and utter exhaustion he said “well fine, but you aren’t missing Wednesday for any rea… Continue

Dreams are often swept aside for real life. Especially the hopes, dreams and ambitions of the young. As we “grow up” we are somehow convinced that the hopes and dreams we once harbored, no matter their hold on our hearts, are best forgotten.

I have always had a flare for the dramatic, which is probably why I found myself drawn to the theatre and music. I sang, no performed, for anyone who would listen and watch as I was a kid. People always told me about my “beautiful voice.” For this reason, I… Continue

My original goal date to be bouting will come and go this weekend without my being on skates.

Skate-or-Bust, ROSI’s big weekend breast cancer benefit affair is only 4 days away. I am excited but in a bittersweet way.

When I first started skating I made a goal to be ready to skate by the July 11 bout. So now that date is going to come and go without my being ready.
I am okay with not meeting this goal. I have come a long way and that is the thing to remember. My skills are just about where they… Continue