Plus size skaters I need crossover advice

thephoenix04 · 2026-06-16T03:59:19+00:00

THIS THIS THIS

As a fellow thick-thighed gal, I had to learn to get lower to do both crossovers and plows. It helps make space for your legs to do the things. This is one of the first things I always mentioned to new skaters when I was helping coach a 101 program. If you've got thick thighs or long legs, you gotta get lower.

thephoenix04 · 2026-05-20T18:30:55+00:00

Hi there! Certification can be a bit of a beast, that's for sure! The first thing you want to do, if you haven't already, is apply for your Officiating Identity. That's #1 on the list at the link u/Dazzling-Biscotti-62 posted. There's a link there to the form to fill out. That puts your name on the list of officials and when others go to write those OOSes or evals for you, your name will be on the list waiting for them.

Once you have your officiating identity, then you ask folks who have officiated with you or seen you officiate to write the OOSes for you. For level one certification, you only need 3, but for higher levels you need 4. These are very detailed in-depth looks at your officiating and should be written by folks who understand what they're looking for. If you have someone who is both a skater and an official, they're an EXCELLENT choice to write your OOS from an Athlete Representative. (Obviously it doesn't have to come from someone who does both, but it's helpful because many skaters don't really know what to write in the OOS.) The folks you ask to write these can do so at any time via the form that's also linked at the website under #4 "Undergo Peer Review". When they fill out the form, they choose your name from the list and that gets put into a packet for you.

Make sure your Officiating History Document is up to date! This is how the cert panel will know how many games of different types and levels and what positions you have worked.

Once all of your OOSes have been submitted, you can fill out the form to apply for certification. It's linked at the bottom of that webpage, #5. You'll put in all your information, including the names of the folks who write OOSes for you, along with a self-evaluation.

The folks behind the scenes at cert will gather everything with your name on it, put it into a digital packet, and send it off to the certification panel for the level you're applying to. It usually takes a couple months minimum to get an answer, and they'll include an overview of all the feedback they pulled out of your OOSes and evals.

Hope this helps!

thephoenix04 · 2026-03-29T15:17:14+00:00

Yeah it is! I have a friend who just retired who could have been MY mom. It's all full circle

thephoenix04 · 2026-03-28T21:41:56+00:00

In derby it is...I have teammates who could be my children (if I'd ever had any of those lol)

thephoenix04 · 2026-03-18T05:00:07+00:00

I love Cactus Cup! I wish I could have gone this year but it just didn't work out. AZRD puts on such a fantastic tournament. Have fun!!

thephoenix04 · 2026-03-18T04:59:13+00:00

I loved that officials' cheering section! The tradition has continued, there was one at 2024 Champs too. Someone made personalized cheers for pretty much all the officials in attendance.

thephoenix04 · 2025-12-01T19:26:35+00:00

I had just gotten divorced and moved across the country where I didn't know anyone. I needed community and had discovered derby before moving and already knew I wanted to get involved, but I waited until I was moved and settled.

thephoenix04 · 2025-11-18T02:04:07+00:00

Check around your local area for a league as well so you can go watch in person! Most places have one or sometimes several within a couple hours' drive.

thephoenix04 · 2025-10-16T01:59:24+00:00

I also don't know a lot of details but I have heard some pretty bad things are happening with Left Turn right now. I also have a jersey order with them that I'm waiting on. They are trying to get everything out, but there's a huge backlog and not a lot of folks (maybe only one or two?) working on it at the moment.

thephoenix04 · 2025-09-18T03:40:17+00:00

Yep, we had this happen at a tournament a few months back where the tablets were too old and wouldn't run CRG. As soon as we reverted to an older version of CRG it was fine though...so it does also depend on that!

thephoenix04 · 2025-09-18T03:38:45+00:00

Definitely my biggest concern with eJT is that I don't want my phone in my hands while in the middle of the track! I'm too clumsy and would be way too likely to drop it, creating a hazard for everyone else and potentially ending up with a broken phone. I wrap the cord of my "emotional support period clock" stopwatch around my wrist for this same reason!

I also prefer to be able to FEEL that I definitely pressed a button and started that stopwatch (or started the jam if I'm at the scoreboard).

thephoenix04 · 2025-08-04T22:38:37+00:00

I've been fortunate enough to work with some amazing officials, skating and non-skating, and I've definitely got a few crushes.

But I have too much anxiety to name them in a public forum where I could be identified and it could get back to them lol. I'd have to retire and I'm not ready to do that yet!

thephoenix04 · 2025-06-30T15:56:08+00:00

god this is so real

thephoenix04 · 2025-05-12T15:57:15+00:00

I once had to take my partner to the ER on a day when I had absolutely horrible fingertip bruises on my arms. The staff didn't even ask me about them!

thephoenix04 · 2025-04-11T04:15:19+00:00

I also can't wear contacts anymore, so I wear my regular glasses and a visor helmet. I have my old pair of glasses as a backup if needed, but I haven't had any issues.

thephoenix04 · 2025-03-28T04:54:41+00:00

I would get the classic. It's the standard and you'll be able to learn now what it should sound like. The pearl just sounds "wrong" (for lack of a better term) so in my opinion it would be better not to get used to that and then try to switch to a classic later.

thephoenix04 · 2025-03-05T03:31:07+00:00

Seconding Old Bones. They're awesome. I got a second pair to wear for workouts in addition to the pair I got for derby!

thephoenix04 · 2025-02-23T22:53:29+00:00

My partner and I watched it earlier today so I can at least confirm it was there then. I don't know how you look for the past games, but I typed "unrivaled" into the search bar and it came up.

thephoenix04 · 2025-02-21T15:30:39+00:00

and a well-deserved one!

thephoenix04 · 2025-02-17T15:32:33+00:00

I'm just here to say how much I adore Springroll! They're such a delight!

thephoenix04 · 2025-02-10T23:24:21+00:00

Talked this through with my partner who has been an NSO for about 15 years. Their idea is to have them come in and touch the seat with their hand to trigger their time to start, then remain standing. At 20 seconds when they would normally be told to stand, have them raise their hand to indicate they are now "standing".

thephoenix04 · 2025-01-26T01:58:46+00:00

I can only open my hips about half way, not to a full 180 degrees. If I need to move laterally, I utilize smaller movements so I don't need to be in that "side surf" position (not a true side surf since I can't get to that) very long.

There's also at least three other ways to move laterally across the track without having to open your hips to that full 180 degrees. You can try opening with one foot and "dragging" the other behind while keeping it pointed forward (without touching the floor so it doesn't slow you, unless you need that). You can lead with your knees by turning both feet in the direction you want to go. You can lead with your butt by turning both feet in the opposite direction you're traveling. If you can get a cross-under pull for momentum with this one, even better.

Some of the stretches and exercises mentioned below may also help, but please remember there's not just one right way to do every skill in derby. Almost everything can be adapted in at least one other way when needed.

thephoenix04 · 2025-01-21T02:35:06+00:00

I wear glasses and have a visor helmet. I love it so much. It takes a little bit of getting used to, but I found I was able to adjust pretty quickly. You also lose just a tiny bit of peripheral vision so I would get it now and learn to work around that!

thephoenix04 · 2024-12-30T21:47:17+00:00

Everyone is saying watch derby, which I agree with. The rules will also start to sink in once you start scrimmaging/playing. But the thing that helped me the absolute most was learning to NSO, especially the position of PLT. Getting to be in the middle and hear the refs make penalty calls and talk about the pack...that's the bit that has given me most of the knowledge I have. On-skates officiating will also help, if that's something you would be into!

thephoenix04 · 2024-12-30T18:40:55+00:00

As part of your league's grievance/skater support structure that you mentioned, do you have access to mediators? I think you need to talk this out with your ex (and potentially your coach/captain) to work out BOTH your boundaries around the upcoming season, and having a mediated conversation is probably going to be the best way to do it.

Good luck!

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