This year I am going to be taking a big step back from some of the things I have been doing in Roller Derby. I will be stepping back from announcing and from writing.

When I first started my NW Jr Derby Blog, there were 6 teams competing in the NW. Now, there are far, far more. There is no way I can cover all of the Jr derby I would want to in order to be true to what I think the blog should be, a balanced look at all of the junior derby in the area regardless of league. I just plain cannot travel THAT much and I felt as though I was concentrating only on those leagues which formed the original core, what had become the "A" teams of the region.

As far as announcing, I never really feel comfortable doing it. I think I do reasonable at play by play, but I sound more like a radio announcer describing the action on the track. Everyone knows what's going on on the track, they can see it. If I were doing an audio feed, that might be needed. I just don't feel that competent at color. I think there are plenty of others who do the job better than I will, and junior leagues now have enough respect that they don't usually need someone like me (an amateur) to step up.

Who knows, this decision may not happen to last through the season. I might find some bouts to go to and see some things I feel need writing about. I may be at a bout and have someone hand me a mic (it happens more than I thought it could), but I will definitely be more ready to have a stopwatch in my hand or a score sheet in front of me. or, heck, nothing at all but the action to watch and cheering for my favorites to be done.