Women’s BJJ Tournaments

06 Wednesday May 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in News and Events, Women's BJJ

Tags

australian girls in gi, competition, girls' jiu-jitsu, sophia drysdale, wbjjf, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

Women only tournaments are popping up everywhere. Garra Jiu-Jitsu Darra is hosting a girls’ and women’s white belt and blue belt tournament on May 9th in Brisbane, Australia. Cash prizes for blue belts are $200 for the first place, and $100 for the second place. Two weeks later, on May 24th, Australian Girls in Gi is hosting their 4th annual tournament on the West Coast of Australia, in Perth. It is a round robin style tournament for girls, and women of all belt levels.

On May 23rd, 16 female blue belts have a chance to win cash prizes at BJJ Top Tournament in Burbank, California. First place gets $300, second place $150, and two third places receive $80 each. A few weeks later, on June 13th, Texas-based Women’s Jiu-Jitsu Federation is holding its 2nd Annual Southern Regional Championship, in Justin, Texas. The tournament benefits three charities: Hope For The Silent Voices, Rescue Her, and Restore Her, and offers both gi and no-gi divisions to girls, and women of all belt levels.

If competition is not your cup of tea, please check out Sophia Drysdale BJJ Camp in Edmond, Oklahoma on June 6-7. She is offering two days of training for a hard to beat price of $70. Enjoy!

Black Belt Corner with Charlene Coats

05 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Women, Women's BJJ

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Tags

charlene coats, competition, female black belt, girls' jiu-jitsu, white to black belt

Charlene Coats has dedicated the last 22 years of her life to martial arts. She started in Kami-Do-Ryu style karate, earned multiple state, regional and national titles, and the rank of second degree black belt before heading off to college. She found BJJ in 2006, after earning her bachelor’s degree in Philosophy. After seven years of training six days a week, sometimes multiple times a day, and competing as often as possible, she received her black belt from Raul Castillo in 2013.

Training, and competing under Raul Castillo has enabled Charlene to earn over 25 Brazilian jiu-jitsu titles, including the 2012 IBJJF World Championship female brown belt middle weight title, and absolute weight bronze medalist. In 2013, before her black belt promotion, she also held the IBJJF American National brown belt gi and no-gi weight, and absolute division titles. This year, in February, she won double gold at IBJJF San Francisco Open, and is currently ranked number 24 female black belt in the world.

What do you do besides training, and competing?

People are often surprised that I’m a nanny. It is hard to believe that I have the time to train full-time and manage the lives of two young girls. As a nanny, I am often a single parent juggling homework, music lessons, play dates, chores, training for the girls, training for myself, and traveling. The girls’ mother is a CFO of a major company, and travels internationally. Their Dad lives in another city so it takes a lot of organization, and diligence. This is why I love jiu-jitsu; it is something for the whole family, and having the girls on the mats is good for everyone! They can do homework at the school, be surrounded by good people, and see great examples of hard work, commitment, and discipline.

Being a nanny is one of the most rewarding parts of my BJJ journey! The girls get to be part of my success; they get to live a life where they are being cared for everyday by someone who is also stopping at nothing to achieve her dreams. They are learning that if you truly want something, you’ll make it happen through dedicated work because nothing worth having is ever given to you but rather it is earned.

Since the opening of Raul Castillo Martial Arts in 2007, I have been one of the main instructors of the youth BJJ program, the Head Instructor of the kids karate program, competition team, women’s grappling, and the special defenses for special needs youth.

Which was the most challenging belt level for you?

My BJJ journey has not been easy. The girls, and my family have shared my pains during weight cuts, injuries, losses, training camps, and even my emotional obstacles as the only woman on the team. Yet the most important is what they will never see. They will NEVER see me quit!

In 2013, still a brown belt, I injured my knee at Pan Ams. This was the year I had qualified for the World Pro Cup in Abu Dhabi, and I was the returning female middle weight brown belt IBJJF World Champion; and I was injured! Injured or not, I was not going to quit. I made it to Abu Dhabi and to the Worlds. While it was not my year to win because I re-injured my knee in Abu Dhabi, it was my year to be an example to my team, and show that the only things that will hold us back are the things we let hold us back!

I am now fully recovered from my injuries, and for those who ask, I would not do anything different if given the choice again. I learned to train smarter versus harder. Had my knee not felt up to the task of stepping on the competition mats I would have listened to my body but I was not going to quit before trying, and I was not going to make that decision before competition day.

Black belt is by far the hardest rank for me physically, and mentally but also the most fulfilling! At 31 years old I compete against women 10 years younger who have trained and competed in BJJ twice as long. Jiu-jitsu has also evolved to a very strong level, and requires a lot of mat time to keep up. I love the challenge, and want to be a world champion again, and I know with my continued hard work my day is coming. Despite its challenges I could not imagine living my life any other way.

Jiu-jitsu is not easy. It will test you mentally, and physically. Jiu-jitsu will break you down before it builds you back up but what it makes you is so much more than what you would have ever become without it. I believe that all women should train even if for nothing more than self-defense. Every mother, daughter, sister, and friend should give this to themselves, and each other in this world. Thankfully there are many women’s jiu-jitsu programs now so the opportunity is there; be the example!

What advice would you give to women who think about quitting?

If you feel beat down, injured, stagnant, the odd one out, or are being pressured to spend time off the mats by others in your life, my advice is: KEEP TRAINING! Train right through those feelings until you love jiu-jitsu again; until those voices are silenced by the love of a good choke hold. If you love jiu-jitsu, the people who truly love you will only encourage your journey, and commitment! Love is supportive not resentful or selfish. Sometimes there is a balance or compromise to workout but quitting should NEVER be the answer!

If you are injured, go to class! Watch, study, learn, and do what you can to keep your routine. If you break the routine, it is much harder to come back; make it easier on yourself! If your leg hurts practice chokes and work on grips. If your arms hurt, escape your hips. There is always something you can do.

Stagnation is a part of the long-term commitment; remember to change it up, work with kids or lower ranks to help re-inspire your passion for jiu-jitsu. Also no one is ever the odd one out. If you think you are, remember, you are really a pioneer, and soon enough your courage will make someone else feel like they can train too!

Lastly, if money or time is your issue, speak to the instructor. There is often a way a student can be helped when it comes to time, and money. Instructors want to share jiu-jitsu, and want their students to succeed. Sometimes there is something you can help your academy with in exchange for lessons, and sometimes it takes a third-party to see where you might have time to give yourself what you want! Remember, we all have a choice when confronted with an obstacle; quit or believe and overcome. I will always choose the latter because quitters never succeed!

Here’s a recent podcast Charlene did with Inside BJJ! Enjoy!

Southern Regional Championship

28 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by fenomkimonos in Women's BJJ

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brazilian jiu jitsu, charity, competition, girl's bjj, girl's brazilian jiu jitsu, rescue her, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

WBJJF is hosting Southern Regional Championship, a womens Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament, on Saturday, March 29th. This is a no-gi and gi tournament for all ages and experience levels. It is shaping up to be the biggest event of its kind with nearly 100 competitors signed up.

The tournament benefits Rescue Her, a charity that fights human trafficking. Human trafficking is the third largest international crime industry behind illegal drugs, and fire arms trafficking, and it generates a staggering 32 billion dollars a year. Approximately 80% of trafficking involves sexual exploitation. It is a modern-day slavery that victimizes children as young as 3 years old. Rescue Her raises money for prevention, intervention, and desperately needed after care both in the US and abroad.

Fenom Kimonos is sponsoring the event by providing cash prizes to the expert divisions. Purple, brown, and black belt ladies have a chance to win up to $500.00, depending on how stacked the brackets are. Come out to see the best Texas jiu-jitsu women in action, and support a great charity!

Fenomenal Girl Maddie Sheng

01 Saturday Jun 2013

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Girls

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competition, girl's bjj, girl's brazilian jiu jitsu, maddie sheng

Our fenomenal girls’ series continues with Maddie Sheng from Smithsburg, Maryland. She is 13 years old, loves art, animals, and jiu-jitsu. She is a straight A student and a great role model for teens. Everyone meet Maddie Sheng!

How did you get started in BJJ and how long have you been training?

My dad took me and my younger brother to try out a BJJ class as a summer activity five years ago. We liked it and have been training ever since. We train at Frederick Fight Club, under Vicente Junior, third degree De La Riva Black Belt. I train 6 days a week.

What is the best part of the training?

The best part of the training is learning crazy new moves, drilling them, and then putting them to use on the mat in sparring. I like to roll with different people, especially if they can help me work on my weaknesses.

You compete a lot. How many tournaments have you done so far and which one is your favorite?

Yes, I compete a lot. I have been competing since I was eight years old, so I’ve lost count of how many tournaments there have been. I usually do gi, no-gi, and girls’ open class so I get a lot of matches. I really liked flying to California to the Kids Pan Ams this year. I took bronze medal in teen 1 yellow belt division. However, my favorite tournaments are Junior Grappling Association events.

What is your favorite submission?

My favorite submission is the triangle!

Do you have any favorite BJJ ladies that you look up to?

I really look up to Emily Kwok. We try to go to Princeton BJJ any time we are visiting my grandparents in New Jersey, which is about 2-3 times a year.

Do you do any other sports or do you have hobbies?

I love to draw, and I love my pets! I have a dog named Abbey, a pot-bellied pig named Pugsley, and chickens. I also do judo and circuit conditioning training.

What do your friends think of jiu-jitsu?

They think it’s cool but I don’t think they really understand what I do.

What would you tell other girls who are not sure if they should try BJJ?

The best advice would be to try it! It definitely helps build your confidence. I see a lot more girls in jiu-jitsu now compared to 5 years ago.

How are you doing in school? What do you want to be when you grow up?

I’m in Honors Classes and get straight A’s. After college I want to be either an artist or a veterinarian. I will still be doing jiu-jitsu, or course. 🙂

This is what Maddie’s coach Kendrick D. Stephens had to say:

Maddie is a very attentive and technical student, always eager to learn more. She has become increasingly more aggressive in the last few months, and is definitely a force to be reckoned with. After her next belt promotion, Maddie will be taking on a new responsibility to help guide new students with their BJJ development. Maddie has a bright future in BJJ!

This is what Maddie’s parents had to say:

Maddie is very humble. We have watched Maddie putting her opponent to sleep with the triangle choke but she doesn’t tell anyone that. After tournaments she does not call her friends to brag about how many boys she beat or how many matches she won. Her achievements are hers and she is content to keep it that way. We are very proud of the young lady she has become!

Maddie’s art

Thanks Maddie!

Fenomenal Girl Breezy Schumacher

20 Monday May 2013

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Girls

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competition, girl's bjj, girl's brazilian jiu jitsu, kristina barlaan, petite inspire open mat, rob schumacher, women's bjj

We are kicking off a new interview series featuring great grappling girls who are the future of women’s jiu-jitsu. Our first fenomenal girl is Breezy Schumacher from Seligman, Arizona. She is 10 years old, a yellow belt, has the coolest braids, and loves to compete. Everyone meet Breezy!

Photo: Rob Schumacher

How did you get started in jiu-jitsu and how long have you been training?

My dad and two older brothers began taking Brazilian jiu-jitsu classes at GD Jiu-Jitsu Prescott, with Master Steve Judson in 2010. My mother, younger brother, and I would just watch them do jiu-jitsu from a small window above the mats. I thought it looked fun, so I decided that I wanted to try it out. I’m still enjoying jiu-jitsu 2 1/2 years later and have pretty much been the only girl in an all boys class.

What do you like the most about BJJ?

I really like the rolling part of jiu-jitsu and training for competitions because it is usually harder. I like competitions as well, they are really fun to me.

You compete a lot. How many tournaments have you done so far and which one is your favorite?

I have done 12 tournaments so far, and my favorite BJJ event is the Arizona Jiu-Jitsu State Championship. I once had to roll 5 matches, all with boys because no girls had registered. It was tough, but I did very well. Winning 4 out of the 5 matches. This year I won my division at 2013 Abu Dhabi Pro BJJ World Trials, IBJJF Pan Kids Championship, 8th Arizona International Jiu Jitsu Open, and 5th Arizona Kids Cup.

Photo: Rob Schumacher

What’s your favorite submission?

I like chokes from side control the most. My favorite submission is the baseball bat choke.

Do you have any favorite BJJ ladies that you look up to or like to learn from?

Yes, I look up to Kristina Barlaan. I went to check out her INSPIRE – WOMEN ONLY OPEN MAT, and met other great ladies and girls but I like rolling with her, and learned a lot from her. I plan on attending the Petite Inspire, 5-15 year old girls’ jiu-jitsu open mat, on May 25th.

Do you ever get bored with jiu-jitsu?

There is nothing boring about jiu-jitsu. It is sometimes tough but not boring. So usually, I just get my rest, drink some “ACAI 100” for a nutritional energy boost, and eat well before my next class.

Do you do any other sports or do you have other hobbies?

I like to ride my longboard at the skate park, boogie board at the beach, sew and make beaded necklaces

What do your friends think about jiu-jitsu?

My best friends are all in jiu-jitsu, so they must really like it. A few others that are not in BJJ think that it is really cool, and might try it someday.

What would you tell other girls who are not sure if they should try jiu-jitsu?

Jiu-jitsu is awesome and you should try it. It’s great for your health and it is a lot of fun. Plus jiu-jitsu makes you stronger, which is good if you have older brothers. They can become great rolling partners for you.

This is what Breezy’s coach Steve Judson had to say:

Breezy is an awesome student! I couldn’t ask for better. She listens well, works hard learning new techniques, and trains hard. She helps out with teaching new students, and has patience with them. Breezy is always smiling in class and at competitions, win or lose. She shows great sportsmanship or should it be sportswomanship. She will be a world champion, and maybe even the face of women’s jiu-jitsu. It would be great to be able to put a black belt around her waist one day!

Fun fact that Breezy’s mom shared with us:

When Breezy was six years old, a female artist took a picture of her, and painted her into the BEYOND WORDS mural on a wall of Prescott Public Library, in Arizona. Most people don’t know that the girl in the mural is actually a painting of Breezy.

Thanks Breezy!

Fenomenal Woman Kristin Mikkelson

14 Tuesday May 2013

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Women

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brazil 021, competition, hannette staack, kristin mikkelson, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

Our fenomenal woman for May is Kristin Mikkelson, a 24-year old blue belt to watch out for at the Worlds this year. She graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a BBA in 2010. After working in the financial sector for a couple of years, she decided to do some soul-searching and focuses on training for now. She talks about training at Brazil-021, competing, and coming back from serious injuries. Everyone meet Kristin Mikkelson!

How did you find BJJ?

I found BJJ after I moved to Chicago in 2011. I moved here from Cincinnati for a job, analyzing real estate funds. In Cincinnati I had trained Taekwondo for a little over 9 years, and was looking to explore a different martial art. I had seen some Brazilian jiu-jitsu before and thought it would be fun. I found some places in Chicago and decided to try a class at each of them, but as soon as I visited Brazil-021 and met Hannette Staack and Andre Terencio, that was it – I was in. Training and learning kept getting more interesting and I felt the desire to compete. Soon it was all I wanted to do! Now I train 5 days a week, some days I stay for two classes, and some days I stay for one.

Do you do any other sports? Were you athletic all your life growing up?

As a little kid I was only allowed to do soccer because it was the cheapest sport and my family was a soccer family. I wasn’t that good at it, nor very excited about it but my mom’s rule was that everyone in the family had to play a sport.

I wanted to try independent sports like gymnastics or karate but was unable to until I turned 12 and convinced my mom to let me do taekwondo. I earned my black belt at 16 and my 2nd degree black belt with the World Taekwondo Federation when I was 19. I haven’t trained it since I started BJJ but would like to start again eventually.

What does your family think of BJJ?

At first my parents were a little wary of BJJ because they knew it was physically demanding, and were worried I was going to get seriously injured or ache for the rest of my life. They were also getting worried about how much I was training because they saw it taking up a lot of my time. However, now they are really supportive since they have seen how passionate I am about it. My siblings were always incredibly supportive and my little brother even started training recently back home.

How often do you compete? What’s your biggest accomplishment so far? Most memorable match?

Last year I did 3 competitions and this year have done 2. There would be more but my time out due to injury left me unable to compete as much as I would have liked. My biggest accomplishment so far in competition was winning my division at the 2012 Rio Open. It was my first IBJJF Gold, but the most important thing I took away was that I finally realized where my mind needed to be if I wanted to win.

My most memorable matches for myself are the ones that I have lost because I always think about what little things I should have done differently. My favorite one however, was the first one I won in Rio with an armbar.

Have you been seriously injured? If yes, how did you overcome the fear of coming back to the mats? Did you want to quit at any point?

In August 2012, 2 weeks after I won in Rio, I broke my clavicle in 3 places. I had to get a piece removed and the rest plated, and screwed back together. I was preparing for another tournament and got swept with my arms trapped at practice. It was painful, but more so, I was a little heartbroken because it meant 6 months of absolutely no BJJ right after I had my biggest victory.

I was very eager to get back on the mats but hesitant to do anything that would jar my arm or shoulder. A couple of times I would fall on it and immediately get stressed and afraid that I might have hurt myself. The only way to get over the fear was to keep training, focus on my goals, and try to ignore the pain and stress. Coming back was hard because I had to retrain my body and instincts just to feel normal again.

I felt hopeless and embarrassed several times, but I never wanted to quit. In the few months that I’ve been back I have won two competitions: the Chicago Winter Open and the New York Open. My teammates’ and coaches’ support are really what made those achievements possible.

You are lucky to have a great female coach, Hannette Staack. What do you like about her and training at the school?

I really am very lucky to be training with Hannette. She is a superstar women’s jiu-jitsu competitor, an amazing coach, a great person, and a good friend. The best part about Hannette’s coaching is that she knows how to teach each individual.

She knows what I need to do to make my strengths their strongest and my weaknesses better. She always knows what to say and do to keep me motivated and confident.

Each student is different and Hannette has the intuition to see exactly what we need. When I was injured, she was always there telling me that it was just a bump on the road, and I would be able to successfully compete again. Before the injury was healed, she would help me review what techniques that I could do and help me with my limitations. It’s the kind of thing that shows how much she cares about her students and I know she would do that for anyone in that situation. She and Professor Andre also promote a family and team environment where our goal is not only to get better but to see our teammates get better as well. I can’t say enough how lucky I am to have ended up with them!

What are your plans for this year?

I plan to try and compete at least once a month or every other month this year. My biggest plan is 2013 IBJJF Worlds which is at the end of May.

Thank you Kristin!

KnuckleUp Fitness Girls Team

10 Saturday Mar 2012

Posted by fenomkimonos in Fenomenal Women, Training

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Tags

competition, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

In Sandy Springs, Georgia, there is a very successful women’s team called KnuckleUp Fitness Girls Team. The team leader is Laura Hart, a purple belt, who has built it from the ground up. As many women can relate, she was the only woman at her gym for a long time, wishing to have other women to train with. Little by little women signed up and now there is a strong group of ladies collecting medals at East Coast tournaments.

We wanted to find out more about Laura, and her team, and share it with our readers.

1. Hi Laura! How did you get started in BJJ?

Ha! I started 5 years ago, I had never previously exercised or played sports and so I was an old woman stuck in a young woman’s body. I had to nap during the day and I hurt from inactivity. My husband recommended that I try working out, he suggested trying classes offered at different gyms before I committed to anything.

BJJ was the first class I attended, it was the most fun thing I’d ever done! I didn’t attend anymore free classes, I didn’t need to :). Once I signed up I was nervous, there were no girls who attended regularly and as such it was a little intimidating, but I was encouraged to attend by CJ Wilson, then manager now owner of Knuckle Up. I never looked back. My coaches now are Master Ricardo Murgel and Jim Abrille.

2. What do your friends and family think about your training?

I don’t know to be honest… my mom and sister love it! They love that I do a martial art, they love that I love it (but to be honest I could play ping-pong and if I was happy they’d be happy too!) My dad and the rest of my family like that I’m happy but definitely don’t understand my obsession.

My friends all love it! Most of my friends are competitors, not necessarily fighters, but they do something so they under stand the dedication that comes with loving what I do. Of course I have the team, all of it, men and women, who love what I do, they are my primary support, in and out of the gym!

And my husband? He’s proud, he loves me and he’s happy when I’m happy, he struggles with the time and effort that training takes but since he is an athlete as well, he understands.

3. What’s your biggest accomplishment so far?

The Girls Only Team is definitely my biggest accomplishment, being a part of other women discovering BJJ, Thai, and MMA.

When I first began BJJ there were no other consistent women and it was hard to train with men who weren’t always happy to partner with me, it was also discouraging to see the camaraderie the men had and know that I didn’t have that, so very early on it became important to find other women to train and share with.

I was lucky enough to have an owner, CJ Wilson, and finally another woman, Moe Travis, who is a female Thai fighter, who encouraged and supported me in the dream of a team.

4. You’re the leader of Knuckleup Fitness Girls Only Team. Can you tell us a little bit about the team?

Definitely don’t feel like the leader, if I am it’s only because I’ve had the desire to have a team the longest, we all learn from each other, we all respect each other.
We train and hang out together, watch each other’s kids, listen to our complaints, BJJ and non-BJJ related, we have girls nights, and carpool to tournaments. I think the reason we’re such a good team is because we’re always there for each other, no boundaries, no questions. The one thing that comes up the most is how much we all waited for a woman who understands, now we have a team of women to turn to and depend on, BJJ is just one part of all of that.

I feel that I should mention that we have a lot of guys on our team that are excellent MMA and BJJ fighters and we make sure that we continue to support them like they support us, as much as I love my girls, we wouldn’t be here without the boys!

5. Your team is quite known on the East Coast competition scene. Do you focus a lot on competition training and do you require that all your girls compete?

We focus a lot on training, period and we like to win, those 2 things have led to us being seen as a competitive team. The one thing we always try to remember is that we do it because it’s fun, and winning is just one more aspect of it to enjoy!

We definitely don’t require that all of our women compete, but I do encourage it, I think that competing is an aspect of BJJ that needs to be addressed, there is no way to duplicate the feeling of a tournament: the adrenaline; the excited nerves, learning how to win or lose admirably, and the feeling of conquering something outside of the norm.

That said, I try to encourage anyone who wants to compete to do it according to their timeline, based on their desire and trust of BJJ, forcing someone who isn’t ready isn’t worth a win.

6. How do you keep the girls motivated to keep training? Is it hard to get new girls to stick with it?

We seem to motivate each other, we want to train, and more importantly, we want to train together, so we show up.

I think about half the girls that try it, stick with it but even if they’re not doing BJJ they still stay on our team, we also do Thai, and we have a smaller MMA team, so just because they’re not in gis doesn’t mean they’re not on the team, once we know you we are pretty hard to shake!

7. What are the plans for 2012 for your personally and for the team?

We trying to expand our competition experience, 3 of the girls and I are going to Pans at the end of March, Tyra Leigh Parker is our first professional MMA fighter, she’ll be fighting in May, we have a bunch of girls going to IKF (kickboxing competition) in Florida this summer, I am planning on going to no-gi Pans in October and Worlds in June! All of that in addition to the local BJJ tournaments and fights that come along.

8. This is what the team members had to say about Laura!

Katrina Norman
Laura Hart challenges my endurance and pushes me to the limits consistently. She is an amazing coach who encourages me to do my best and kicks my ass when I’m not giving it my all. I consider it a privilege to learn from her. She is not just a coach. She is a friend to everyone she meets, one of the most caring coaches I know.

CJ Wilson
Laura Hart is one of the most dedicated Jiu Jitsu players I have ever had the pleasure to know. As a woman, a mother and a provider, Laura has never had it easy, but her persistence and love of our sport has kept her focused on her training for all these years and her dedication has brought her from being one of the only women competitors at our school to being the coach of a highly competitive women’s team.
I for one am extremely proud to have Laura as a teammate, friend and employee. The KnuckleUp Fitness BJJ program is better for having her and she is an inspiration to many.

Monica Osorio Hyatt
I was very intrigued but intimidated to try out Jiu Jitsu, Laura encouraged and introduced me to it. In class you can feel how much she wants to share her knowledge. I have seen her train for years, at times with pain and frustration but her determination to improve her technique and her passion for this sport seems to always come on top. I am very grateful that she leads the women’s team and look forward to learning from her.

Moe Travis
I am very grateful to be on the same team as Laura Hart. I thank her for helping me understand and appreciate BJJ. I was super frustrated at the beginning but Laura was there to help guide me. If I wanted to drill or had a competition coming up, she would make the time to meet me and explain step by step for me. Regardless of what was happening in her life, she would show up and help me. She loves BJJ and it is very obvious when she starts speaking about it. She lights up and smiles a lot! Not only is Laura a very tough, strong and determined person, she is a very technical purple belt and I feel blessed I get to train with her. She is an awesome coach, mother, friend, and teammate. I am lucky to have her in my life and I can’t wait for the day she receives her black belt.

Something cool is happening. Countdown to WJJC!

02 Saturday Oct 2010

Posted by fenomkimonos in News and Events

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Tags

brazilian jiu jitsu, competition, women's bjj, women's brazilian jiu jitsu

Every now and then something cool happens. Cool could mean a good meal with some close friends, a promotion at work, OR your husband or boyfriend finally cleaning out the garage without you having to ask. Then there’s Jiu-Jitsu. Oh Jiu-Jitsu… In exactly one week from today, the Women’s Jiu-Jitsu Championship will be storming Frisco, TX for its first event and we’re pretty darn excited about it. After months of planning, pushing and pulling, Zebra Tournament Systems of Texas and Fenom Kimonos will be welcoming women and girls of all ages and experiences levels to the beautiful FieldhouseUSA for a day of healthy competition and good times. If you’re competing or coming down to support your friends and family, we look forward to seeing you and hope you have as much fun as we’ll be having – win or lose, let’s make it a memorable day!