#303 WOW MOM!
I learned about Roller Derby when I was sitting at MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) meeting in Fall 2016. One of the leaders of MOPS' shared that she played Roller Derby. Years before, I remember watching something on the news about the sport, but at that time in my life, there wasn't a skating rink in my hometown. Even though it sounded like a sport designed for my personality and liking, I didn't give it another thought...until the MOPS meeting, of all places!
I love sports. I love games. I love competition and adrenaline! I am the 3rd of 4 kids, the first girl after 2 boys. My childhood was spent trying to keep up with my brothers. I played every sport that was offered to me from the youngest age until...now! In February 2017, I decided to stop waiting on fate and cut to the chase. I friended that girl from the MOPS meeting on Facebook (Cupcake Killa) and slid into her DM's to ask her about Roller Derby. As it happened, the Beet City Bombers were starting a "Freshmeat" (or Beet Seed class, as our league likes to call it) class in April and I only had to wait a few weeks for the information meeting. It WAS fate after all! Although MOPS was such a crazy place to meet a rollergirl, it was encouraging to me that a fellow mom (of a preschooler nonetheless) could find time for a sport such as Roller Derby. I, myself, was not just a mother of one preschooler. I was the mother of two preschoolers, as well as five up to the age of 18.
That's right, you heard that correctly: I have 7 kids! Let's get all the usual questions out of the way. Yes, they're all mine. I birthed six of them out of my own body, and yes, I do know how they happened to get there. My husband and I have been married for 15 years. He gave me one beautiful, sweet daughter with our marriage. We love each other very much, we love kids, and love raising them too!
Upon searching and mulling over derby names for several months at the beginning of my derby career, I came upon the name "Mama Trauma." IT WAS PERFECT! It was easy for me to answer to "Mama" or "T" on the track. Frankly, MamaT is truly and fully WHO I AM!
I enjoy being a mom. It's a natural gift and talent that I take very seriously. I love and adore each one of my kids so severely. I love my husband more than anything else in this world. Roller Derby has given me the opportunity to pursue a life of passion of sports and competition, while continuing my life's desire of being a mom and wife. My husband has been nothing but supportive of me throughout this whole journey. I admire and appreciate his faithfulness and devotion to me. We both strongly feel that exercise and rolling is an important outlet for everyone. He rolls Jiu-Jitsu. I roll on skates. We all roll dirt bikes.
I love my entire family and they have been so encouraging! My husband made "Team Trauma" t-shirts for him and the kids. They happily wear them to school and everywhere! Much to my delight, they all sported my merch on my draft night in October 2017. My littlest guy (2 at the time) was yelling and cheering, "GO MAMA TRAUMA!" The entire evening, he sat on my husband's shoulders and watched me pass the skills test. I really like that my family comes to my bouts. I relish that while a lot of my team has fans mixed throughout the crowd, I have a little Team Trauma section of the bleachers faithfully cheering for their mama.
I hope that my kids see Roller Derby as an outlet for me to express myself, as well as my appreciation for exercise and health. Three of my kiddos have just recently joined the new junior roller derby team that started in the valley. They each show promising talent in the sport and enjoy practicing each week. I give thanks that derby has helped me form friends outside of home. I started having babies at age 21. As an introvert, I happily raised my babies at home. We kept each other company. Even as the kids grew and started school, I've always struggled getting to know other moms because my hands, arms, and brain has always been full of little ones. I never thought I was missing out on anything, but now I cherish the outside relationships I have formed. I treasure the things I have in common with the friends I share on the track. I really value the differences that we bring to the sport as well.
My biggest passion in life is relationships with people and every person's uniqueness. I admire that every single person in the world is a unique person - in looks, acts, and thoughts. I thoroughly enjoy blending these uniqueness in life! I am so delighted that no two people are the same! I dramatically esteem this in Roller Derby. I love my team!
I love the short ones and tall ones...
And big ones and little ones...
And chatty ones and quiet ones...
And difficult ones and easy ones...
And old ones and new ones...
And young ones too.
Roller Derby is all-inclusive and I respect that. Life could learn a lot from Roller Derby. My life has learned a lot from this sport and I hope that they both continue to blossom together.
Derby love,
Mama Trauma #303
