My derby name is still pending, but it's Shirley Wild #311. This was my first bout in general. I've been with the league about two months, so I'm still fresh meat. However, I skated a little bit at the end of last year with another league where I used to live (also for a few months, so derby experience is about 5 months total). Took a long break in between so there was some re-learning to do. When I was skating with that other league last year, I was still 20, so I know what its like to have a hard time getting into your own event/party. I'm 21 now so I don't have to worry about it anymore. I'm still the youngest member of this new league, but that's probably changing as the new batch of fresh meat includes some 18 and 19 year olds.
Anyway, going back to the rules. Apparently under the USARS rules, the refs are supposed to be more lenient about minor penalties because they mean a trip to the box, but our refs were learning along with us so they were calling them the same way. I guess the new way to call for track cutting is not to call it unless you gain position that way or if it's like ridiculous track cutting. So if you cut the track and come back in in front of someone else (usually a major I think by WFTDA standards) then they would call it. We had girls send to the penalty box for having a wheel over the line though.
Another thing that people were getting sent to the box for was blocking while out of play, because with the new rules you have to be within ten feet (as opposed to 20) of the pack to be considered in play. All of the skaters are used to working with 20 feet so that was difficult.
I guess the weirdest thing about USARS rules is that the term "bout" is not accurate. They want to start calling them games and the skaters "players".
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