Learning by Trial, Error, and Injury... Tuesday, December 4

Add "being a jumper on a girls full contact rugby team" on the list of things not to tell my dad.

Put it right under "joined a girls full contact rugby team" and "taking an Angkas scooter on the daily", because this list is getting longer and longer.  I'm now at the point where when I do call my dad, I honestly don't know what to say because I'm pretty sure all that I'm doing would only weaken his heart or give him more white hair.  

What's a jumper, you ask, well, it's a rugby position.  Basically, it's someone that jumps up into the air to catch the ball but right when you jump, a teammate behind you and in front of you support you as you, above their heads, try to catch the ball as your other teammate throws it.  Honestly, when they told me what they wanted me to try out, I had to laugh.  It sounded like they were asking me to become a cheerleader.  Nothing "cheerleadish" about it beyond being thrown up in the air and held there.  

Props to these female rugby players though, damn.  Props to them for not only the crazy strength they exercise during training but also for dealing with me, a total newbie to the sport.

I was asked tonight if I was okay with "it", "it" being all the rules and game plays.  I responded with "I'm less confused than I was when I first started but am still learning" and that's the total truth.  Defence wise, I feel somewhat confident but when we're playing offence, wow.  I'm like a chicken running around with it's head cutoff.  I'm a hot mess; I'm scrambling.  The other girls though are super helpful with telling me where to go, what to do, and when to do it, but I need to honestly sit down and Google the hell out of the rules and game plays.  To be able to wow them at training one day without the need for them to call the shots, that'd be a pretty cool thing to do.

What I really need to do though is learn how to not kill my fingers on the daily!!! Seriously.  I've got turf burn down my left arm and tan lines that would drop anyone's jaw, but my fingers... ouch.  My ring finger on both hands are messed up.  I may never be able to make a full fist again with my right hand and I may never be able to fully straighten my fingers on my left hand.  

All these years of boxing and yet rugby hurts me more on the weekly than getting punched in the face.  How's that for one silly joke?!