July 13, 2011
Vol 13 No 28
December 31, 2014
Grappling with success Recipes
Delightful Ham Dishes
11
Around Town
6
Feature Section
4
Advertiser Profile
8
Kiwanis supports community
Photo by Brett Auten
Evey Ann Widger, 7, arm-bars her father, Derick, during a recent night at St. Charles MMA.
Increased interest in Brazilian jiu-jitsu has more people taking up the sport By Brett Auten On a clear December night they are lined up three deep. A collection of different ages, sizes, and genders; the kids Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) class is about to complete its second night of the week. Tucked next to the St. Charles 18 movie theater near Highway 94, St. Charles MMA is home to one of the top combat sports programs in the state. In today’s screen-obsessed world of video games and social media, kids can kill hours upon hours on their computers or phones, shut off and inactive. There are no such sedentary animals in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, at least not for these hour-long classes. They finish up, faces red and hair dabbed in sweat, smiles abound. Amari Smith is one of those smiling faces. Two years into the sport Smith, 11, has not only claimed multiple medals from tournaments but also a stronger sense of self. “I feel more protected,” Smith said. “I got into (BJJ) in order to feel safe when I’m older and all alone. I’m a lot stronger than I used to be. Jiu-jitsu is very good for me.” Ever since Royce Gracie won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and established Gracie jiu-jitsu as the name in the sport, increasingly more and more kids are taking up the grappling-based sport as opposed to Asian forms of striking martial arts.
It is widely acknowledged that the beauty of BJJ is its ability to prove how a smaller individual can defeat a larger opponent with the right technique. With nary a punch or kick in its arsenal Brazilian jiu-jitsu has been on a steady climb as the hot, go-to martial art for both adults and kids. Considered the premier mixed martial arts and Brazilian jiu-jitsu school in the region, Mike Rogers opened St. Charles MMA in 2007. “What makes jiu-jitsu special is that don’t have to be an athlete,” Rogers said. “It’s a self defense set up for the smaller and weaker. If you end up on your back, it’s what it’s designed for. Also, it shows you a way where you don’t have to stand and go toe-to-toe in order to be the victor. You can be the victor by surviving.” Walking the thickly-padded room, Tracy Taylor maneuvers around and over mounds of kids jockeying and grappling for possession. Taylor, built like the former D-I linebacker that he was, is the kids coach at St. Charles MMA. Just over 40-years-old with three children who also train in the sport, Taylor plays the role of pal, then teacher, and then confidant, all in a matter of minutes while juggling each situation on the mat. “It’s a laid back atmosphere, not that there isn’t definite discipline to the class,” Rogers said. “But at the same time it’s kids and it has to be comfort-
able and friendly and they have to feel like they can talk to their instructor.” Practitioners like Taylor, who recently earned his black belt after finishing second in the world as a Master’s brown belt, boast that BJJ is probably the most effective martial art for children to learn self-defense. While spinning kicks and breaking boards are exciting to watch, it’s tough to deny the practicality of the ground-based art form and how a child can defend himself in a really bad situation, such as a bully trying to choke or pushing him or her to the ground. See JIU-JITSU on page 2
Healthy Living
Byerly RV
“Wild” photos courtesy of Fox Searchlight Pictures
Movie FREE Online Subscription at mycnews.com
9