Stop Waiting for Life to Calm Down: Slayher’s Story of Progress, Balance & Derby

What if the secret to becoming a better roller derby athlete isn’t finding more time, but learning how to make progress inside the life you already have?In this episode, Head Coach Original Cyn sits down with Heather “Slayher” Damron to talk about navigating derby alongside parenting, career changes, divorce, injury recovery and all the chaos that doesn’t conveniently disappear just because you have athletic goals.Slayher shares how coaching helped her stop waiting for the “right time,” build training around her actual life and discover just how connected everything really is. From earning a coach’s award in her first game with a new league to receiving praise from higher-level skaters, she found that her biggest breakthroughs came from focusing on the process rather than chasing perfection.Cyn and Slayher dig into off-skates training, fueling for performance, learning from mistakes, asking for support and why prioritizing yourself isn’t selfish. As Slayher puts it, “It’s not selfish, it’s supportive.”The big takeaway? Stop waiting for life to calm down. Build your goals around the life you’re living right now.And if you loved this conversation and want to experience some of this coaching firsthand, join Head Coach Original Cyn on September 16, 2026 for our FREE live, interactive coaching session, Balance Is The New Beast Mode; OR catch the recording afterward. You’ll learn how to build training, nutrition, mindset and derby around your real life so you can keep progressing without waiting for the perfect week.Register for the free coaching session here (live OR recording): https://krashcourserollerderby.com/balancebeastsignup Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

A this tag team episode with Pia Mess, aka Coach Misty, a USARS Team USA skater fresh off USARS Worlds! Pia shares her 22 years of roller derby wisdom as we dive into an essential topic for skaters navigating perimenopause. Together, we explore how to maintain peak performance as your body evolves.We share our top tips for thriving as athletes, covering the importance of training modifications, proper recovery, and nutrition optimization tailored for the changes your body is experiencing. Pia and I also discuss mindset strategies for overcoming self-doubt and embracing this new phase with resilience.Whether you're hitting the track or hitting the gym, this episode is packed with practical advice and inspiration to keep you skating strong for years to come. Let’s tackle the change together - because age is just a number when you're unstoppable.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

What happens when you stop wondering if you're training the "right" way and finally follow a proven plan?In this Client Spotlight, Peggy Bailey shares how short, focused workouts, better nutrition, and consistent accountability helped her transform into a calmer, stronger, more confident blocker.Inside this conversation you'll learn:Why owning your space changes everything.How meal prep reduces decision fatigue.Why tiny daily habits beat motivation every time.How taking care of yourself actually helps your family.Why community is one of the most powerful performance tools you can have.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

Getting benched, pulled from a rotation, or asked to carry more responsibility can quickly affect your confidence and performance. In this episode, Head Coach Cyn explains how to mentally prepare for every role on a roller derby team without letting your lineup define your value.We cover:why your role can change without your value changingthe mental challenges faced by primary, supporting, and ready athleteshow to reset after mistakes instead of carrying them into the next jamhow supporting players can measure impact instead of attentionhow to stay engaged and prepared while waiting on the benchthe three mental skills every athlete needs: presence, ownership, and contributionKey takeaway: your role is a temporary assignment, not your identity. High-level athletes train themselves to stay present, contribute to the team, and remain ready regardless of how much track time they receive.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

Every year, skaters hit the off season with big plans… then either do too much, do nothing, or lose all their progress. If you want to roll into the second half of the season stronger, faster, and more consistent, this live is for you.I’m breaking down exactly how to use your off season to recover, rebuild, and come back better than ever, without burning out or falling off track. Whether you are new to derby or a seasoned vet, you will walk away with a simple strategy to keep your edge while still taking the rest you need.Listen to this if you:Struggle to find balance in the off seasonWant to start the second half of your season ready to crush itNeed structure, motivation, and accountability to stay consistentClick here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

In this episode of the Krash Course Roller Derby Podcast, Head Coach Original Cyn talks with Liz Chee about what it really takes to become stronger, smarter, and braver on and off the track.We cover:why guessing is not a training planhow nutrition affects energy, recovery, and confidencewhy resilience is built through small daily actionshow boundaries protect your energy and your love for derbywhy asking for help is part of becoming a stronger athletehow confidence comes from doing the work and learning to trust yourselfKey takeaway: real transformation does not happen from motivation alone. It comes from strategy, mindset, accountability, and the small choices you repeat until you become the athlete and person you can trust.Because life is a contact sport. We’re here to teach you how to win.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

If you're doing random workouts, chasing soreness, and still not seeing results on the track, this episode is for you.In this episode of the Krash Course Roller Derby Podcast, Krissy Krash breaks down the three things every roller derby skater needs to improve performance off skates:Strength to hold position and absorb hitsPower & agility to move explosively in every directionConditioning that actually matches the demands of derbyYou'll also learn why more workouts aren't always better, how to avoid burnout during the season, and how to structure your training for measurable progress.Ready to stop guessing and start training like an athlete?Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

In this episode of the Krash Course Roller derby Podcast, we talk about perfectionism, fear, and why failure is not just normal in roller derby, but necessary.We cover why practice should be treated like a lab, not a performance, and how fear of looking bad can keep skaters stuck in their comfort zone.We dig into:why practice is for failinghow perfectionism limits growthwhy mistakes are datahow to stop skating smallwhy messy reps build masteryKey takeaway: if we only do what we can already do, we never become more than who we are now. At Krash Course, we are here to help skaters fail forward, train with purpose, and win.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

In this episode of the Krash Course Roller Derby Podcast, we share a client's Study, Practice, Teach intensive on building a stronger mental toolkit on and off the track.We talk about how negative thought patterns can impact confidence, performance, and joy in roller derby, and how Socratic questioning can help us challenge those thoughts instead of letting them run the show.We cover:why mindset work matters as much as physical traininghow cognitive distortions show up in derbythe thought, feeling, behavior cyclehow to question negative self-talk in real timewhy “I suck at this” is rarely the full truthhow to create space between a thought and your responseKey takeaway: our thoughts are not always facts. When we learn to pause, question the story, and look for what’s actually true, we become more resilient athletes and stronger humans.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash

In this episode of the Krash Course Roller Derby Podcast, we talk about how to ask for help at roller derby practice without feeling like a burden and why staying quiet might be the thing holding your progress back.We cover:why skaters avoid asking for help (fear of looking bad, slowing practice, or losing opportunities)how not asking leads to slower progress, overthinking, and disconnection from your teamthe mindset shift: asking for help is ownership, not weaknesspractical ways to ask for help effectively (be specific, ask at the right time, apply feedback, involve teammates, and stop apologizing)Key takeaway: the skaters who improve the fastest are the ones who ask questions, take up space, and actively seek feedback.Click here if you want to start down the path of being a powerful athlete on the track and in life with Krash Course: krashcourserollerderby.com(Here you can book your strategy call mentioned in the Podcast). We breed athletes, MVP's, and badasses in our proven system that has helped over 500 people level up their game.Follow me on Instagram for daily derby tips, tricks, and motivation @krissykrash