The derby world is full of people just like you and me. Each individual is someone that loves the sport, despite the risks. All of us have something in life that we do purely for the enjoyment of it, and will make sacrifices elsewhere in order to make it happen.
Sacrifice is something we commonly think about on days like today, Independence day, and we each have different aspects of it that "get to us". We wouldn't be where we are today if we hadn't made sacrifices along the way.
This coming weekend makes this all really obvious. The team is traveling to the Dallas, Texas area to take on two different teams. In order to make this trip (much like Dallas Deception did when they came to us back in April) team members have to give up time at work on Friday so they can travel, on top of travel expenses. This is not a sport where people are recruited in with promises of financial help/sponsors, or big paychecks. The team is owned by their players. Each guy pays monthly dues, finances their own gear and team shirts, and pays their own ways to travel/participate. They are sacrificing in other areas of their lives in order to do this.
Here's where the title comes in. I am a helper by nature, as you have probably already noticed from other posts. I would do just about anything to help see this team succeed, and to see that everyone that wants to gets to participate. But, I am already having to have help myself in order to make the trip with the guys. Money, like for most people these days, is TIGHT! As a full-time student, and stay-at-home single mom, it doesn't exist after paying the bills. My hands are tied.
That being said, there ARE things that can be done to help out our local boys! In ways that would mean the world to them. Want some examples? (1) Showing up for home bouts! If more people would buy tickets and show up in support of our guys, it would go a long ways in encouraging them AND helping them to finance future bouts. (2) Leave encouraging comments on their facebook wall. Never underestimate the power of encouragement! (3) Skating with our guys on Thursday nights at River Roll. A lot of them come to skate before practice, and its a great time to get to know them and let them know that they have fans. Plus, its all you can eat pizza/soda for the price of admission ($7). Win/win! You get a chance to skate with some of our guys, talk with them, encourage them, and even learn from them! (4) Pray for the guys on our team...for their families, for their finances, for their safety, that they would pull together as a team, and work well together as a team, overcoming the many obstacles that keep popping up. (yes, I just suggested that you pray for a roller derby team...but couldn't we all use someone praying for us?) (5) If any of you are part of a business that could come behind this team and support it, that would be amazing too!
Every single one of us need a support system, encouragement, and backing. I sure wouldn't want to walk this life alone. I need the people that God has put into my life to be able to make it through some of the crazy bumps in the road. And each one of us plays an important part in the lives of those around us. Even if you don't want to support my Cowtown Butchers in some way, what can you actively be doing in the lives of those around you? How can you be more supportive of your best friend, your spouse, your parents, your children, your church, your office? Instead of living as if our hands are tied, and there is nothing we can do, what if we started looking for even small ways that we can do SOMETHING.
