A personal note from Atom All-Star and Co-Captain of the Windy City Rollers - Varla Vendetta

Uproar on the Lake Shore is just one week away! We've been training all year for this! I'm jumping up and down in my skates!

Windy City also just returned from a Pacific Northwest tour that set us on the track with Rose City and Oly. Since both are so geographically distant, those are teams we are always extra jazzed to get to know and play, as we don't have many opportunities to do so. Thanks to both teams for being awesome hostesses and intense competitors! And I learned I have a great affinity for both waterfalls and Voodoo Doughnuts!

We set out looking at these bouts as a prep for Uproar: try out some new combos, look at what areas need tweaking, play on the road. Both were really hard hitting games which, in the tradition of Chicago teams like the Bears (heart!), Windy City loves. We like our derby to be physical and were happy both games were just that! Super fun games!

I often hear teams say, "we learned a lot from that loss." And I've certainly felt that in the past: you experience a new strategy or a new style of play and a light bulb goes off. More recently, and from those two games especially, I feel like I learn a lot more about myself from a loss: how I deal with loss internally, how I can work on focus in tight games, how I rebound to make myself mentally tougher. That brings to mind one of my favorite quotes from Walter Payton: "Tough times don't last, tough people do."

Coming into tournament season, I think that mental part of an athlete's game becomes perhaps the most important training on which a skater can work. Her body has trained to be in the best shape it can be to execute by this time in the season. So now it's her head and her heart that are going to be the elements that propel her toward the Hydra. The strength of one's inner athlete is vital to the success of her entire team.

I cannot wait to see that inspiration and drive that will be part of every game next week. It's why the Championships are so incredibly thrilling! Good luck and congrats to all who will be competing! See you in Chicago! No waterfalls, but a ridiculously beautiful Lakefront...make sure you take time to see it!

Varla Vendetta
#25
Co-Captain, Windy City Rollers All-Stars