Youth Jiu Jitsu Team Successful in ‘Cuse’
On Saturday, November 18th, several North Country Martial Arts Academy members traveled to Syracuse to compete in a Jiu-Jitsu tournament at the OnCenter. From five years to fifty-five years of age, the north-country natives were organized into divisions based on age, weight, sex, and skill to test their grappling abilities! Participants are set up in a bracket and have 4-6 matches per division. If they win, they continue to advance on for a chance at gold!
While securing a submission (like an armbar or triangle) is the ultimate goal, it’s difficult versus an evenly matched opponent. There is also a points-scoring system. Competitors score 2 points for a takedown, 3 points for passing the guard, and 4 points for mount control. Throughout the match, a referee issues points as they are earned while another referee keeps score. If no submission has happened by the end of the match, the competitor with the most points gets the win.
There are also two separate divisions; gi and no gi. In the “gi” division, participants wear a traditional kimono and are allowed to grab the garment to manipulate their opponent while in the “no gi” division participants wear shorts and a rashguard. While there are some similarities between gi and no gi, you are not allowed to grab the garments in no-gi. Because of this, the grips and techniques applied are different between the two. Some students participated in both divisions while others opted to only enter the gi division.
This was a very special tournament because it was the first competition the academy’s youth team had entered. With over 730 registered competitors and teams from around the Northeast in attendance, it was an incredible experience for everyone involved especially for the youth students. It wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows, there were some tears shed and some lessons learned the hard way. However, learning to persevere through these struggles and not quitting helps them to develop character and a type of resilience that they will carry with them throughout their lives. This is one of the major benefits of participating in martial arts. Every one of them is already back to training for the next tournament in January!
Representing the academy and pictured are Loxlin Paige, Aubrey Slate (2 bronze), Gia Clary (2 gold), Kayden McGregor (silver), Nicholas Gurrea (silver & bronze), Gett Clary (bronze), Julian Gurrea (silver & bronze). Missing from the picture is Logan McGregor. Also pictured are the coaches Travis Bond, Spencer Paige, and Dave Peets. Check out a short highlight video of the event here: Highlight Video Youth Jiu Jitsu
For more information on the North Country Martial Arts Academy including schedule and pricing, check out www.nocomartialarts.com where you can also register for a free trial class. There is the Tiny Champs program for students ages 4-7 and the Youth Class for ages 8-12. For adults interested in trying it out, check out the “4-week Beginner Class”. If you have questions, email spencer@nocomartialarts.com or call (315) 244-6332.