Ms. Teresa took a small group of Ivey League kids to the first Junior Grappling Championships tournament in Woodbridge VA. This tournament was for children only and designed to try to give the kids as many matches as possible. The kids participated in both gi and no gi.
Three kids made the trip and all three gained a lot of time on the mats in a competitive atmosphere. Alex C. represented the Lil Ninjas and this was his second tournament. He was in the beginner class for gi and no gi. His best match was in the gi, where he outscored his opponent spending the majority of the time in dominant positions. Alex’s brother Holden also made the trip for his third tournament. Holden was in a tough position because he was bigger than the other kids there his age. He still got his mat time in though! He essentially went in the absolute division for both gi and no gi, against opponents with many more years of experience than he. He fought hard and learned how to compete with submissions. Holden took second in both gi and no gi.
Finally, Alexia joined the crew for her first competition with submissions. It wasn’t easy for her to get there, as she spent the night before sleeping at her dad’s work in order for her to make it to the event. Now that’s dedication! She certainly got her money’s worth for mat experience with a total of 9 matches! They tournament had a female only division in which she competed against an older girl in no gi. Although she did not win the match, she started off the day working hard and trying her best. Next came no gi, and Alexia had several very impressive performances. No one could handle her take downs. She took 2nd place in no gi. She rounded out the day winning GOLD in gi. She won her match against the kid who took first in no gi, so that was very gratifying for her. She continued her path to gold with many submission attempts, unstoppable takedowns, and great guard passing. By the end of the day Alexia and her dad Luis were exhausted, but all the effort proved worth it. She even had a throng of fans congratulating her on her tough battles as she left the event. Great job Alexia!
Thanks to the supportive parents who let their kids compete. We can’t wait for the next time and hope to have even more of our up-and-coming squad out there earning golds!
