Derby Boot Camp- The Day Poor Bex Broke Her Leg
So, yesterday’s boot camp practice was a bit overwhelming. It was a review day, so we were going over everything- pack work, bumping skates, weaving, getting hit, hip assists, pushing, whips, and blocking. I hold my own pretty well with each. I suck at giving whips- mainly because I don’t quite stand correctly to transfer my momentum to the other person. Something I need to work on. But, I thought I was okay at everything else.
We were practicing the whip when Bex went down. No one is even sure what happened, because it wasn’t in the area where the whips were going on. She went out on the track to skate towards her partner to recieve a whip and I think she collided with someone as she was crossing the track to get in place. She fell awkwardly and immediately started panicking. Which is understandable. You fall hard and something snaps and suddenly you’re in severe pain. Yeah, I think I would have screamed like she did. She was laying face down on her belly with her right leg laying flat and left leg held at an unnatural awkward angle. We stopped immediately and went to the middle to give the First Aid crew room and to give her some privacy. We were all shaken and scared; this was the first injury we’ve seen. Poor Bex. Turns out she broke both her tibia and and her fibula (both shin bones) at the knee. Yikes. She has to have surgery to get a rod put in.
After the paramedics wheeled her away, practice continued on. But, after that, we were all so timid and scared whenever anyone fell. I’m still shaken.
It sounds like she’s in good spirits and will be a NSO this season, but it sure has to suck for her to make it to the very last practice before becoming an official derby girl and have that happen. I hope she doesn’t get discouraged and I really hope she tries out next year.
And we have our skills test tomorrow! I’m already getting nervous.
