➡︎ UPCOMING EVENTS

➡︎ SOUTHMOUNTAIN JIU-JITSU 2.0

➡︎JIU-JITSU JEDI: Wisdom for Your Training Journey

➡︎ JIU-JITSU EXCELLENCE: Student Spotlight Series

➡︎ PARENTING INSIGHTS

Newsletter November 2023

UPCOMING EVENTS:

Competition Classes

Fridays until the week before competition: Nov 3, 10, 17, Dec 1 – Kids @4:30p Adults @5:30p

Early registration deadline Nov 4
Normal registration deadline Nov 18
Masters Cup – register here
Kids Cup – register here

Thanksgiving 🦃

Academy will be closed Nov 23-26

SOUTHMOUNTAIN 2.0

Demo is underway...

In late October, we were thrilled to receive the keys to our brand-new news academy, marking a significant milestone in our journey. Coach Sarah met with the owners a week ago, officially accepting the keys on our behalf.

While the keys are now in our possession, we are eagerly awaiting approval from the city of Phoenix to commence construction. This crucial step will set our grand vision into motion, and we can hardly wait to share the journey with you. Once we receive the green light, we’ll be documenting the entire construction process through a series of engaging videos, giving you a front-row seat to our progress.

As we look ahead, the next few months promise to be a period of rapid advancement. We’re gearing up for an exciting transformation of our new academy, aiming for a late winter or early spring opening date.

Stay tuned for updates as we bring this new academy to life. We can’t wait to share this exciting chapter with you!

JIU-JITSU JEDI: Wisdom for Your Training Journey

Good Jiu-Jitsu Hygiene

Maintaining good hygiene is crucial when practicing Jiu Jitsu. To ensure a clean and healthy training environment, here are a few important tips for you to remember:

Wash Your Gi and belt:

Your gi, the specialized uniform worn in Jiu Jitsu, can accumulate sweat and bacteria during practice. It’s essential to keep it clean by washing it regularly. By doing so, you eliminate germs, prevent unpleasant odors, and maintain a fresh gi. After each practice, take the initiative to wash your Gi and your belt.

Trim Your Nails:

During Jiu-Jitsu training, your hands and feet are actively engaged. To avoid accidentally scratching or hurting your training partners, it’s important to keep your nails short and well-groomed. Regularly trimming your nails ensures safety and minimizes the risk of unintentional injuries.

Take Showers before and after training:

Engaging in physical activities like Jiu Jitsu can leave you sweaty and covered in bacteria. Taking a shower after practice is essential to cleanse your body thoroughly and keep you safe.

By following these simple hygiene tips, you contribute to a clean and healthy Jiu Jitsu environment, while taking care of your own well-being. Remember, good hygiene practices are fundamental for responsible Jiu Jitsu practitioners.

Keep up the great work, and continue enjoying your Jiu Jitsu journey!

JIU-JITSU EXCELLENCE: Student Spotlight Series

BERNIE LARA

What is your favorite part about training at South Mountain? My favorite part about training at South Mountain is the community! From the coaches to the friends I have made and the people I get to meet coming into Jiu Jitsu or people who have been doing Jiu Jitsu for a long time, it’s such an incredible community that helps you push yourself to achieve goals and who is also there to uplift you on your journey through Jiu Jitsu.

What was your first competition experience like and what did you learn from it? My first experience of competition was fun! I was also nervous because I didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know if competing was for me. What helped was competing alongside my training partners and my coaches who encouraged and believed in me.

What are your jiu-jitsu goals for 2024? My Jiu-Jitsu goals for 2024 are to continue to grow my knowledge in the sport and learn new skills that I can apply in the sport but also outside of Jiu-Jitsu. The goal is to be consistent and continue to learn.

NICHOLAS AHUMADA

What is your favorite part about training at South Mountain? My favorite part about training at South Mountain is honestly the vibe. SMJJ has this family-oriented feeling that makes training less of a “workout” and more of an experience. I know I can go in on any day and get that work in. We all want to see each other grow to be our best so every day we push each other to that point and beyond.

What was your first competition experience like and what did you learn from it? My first competition experience was an experience, to say the least. I have always competed in sports I’ve done from a kid throughout my adult life so I was eager to compete against others at my level. Coach Sarah really put that work in for me and Bernie through intense training and just the dedication to getting us prepped physically and mentally. The biggest thing I took away from the comp was that, a loss does not define you or your Jiu-Jitsu career. Understand what went wrong, both physically and mentally, and learn from it. The outcomes are sometimes out of your control, but what you can control is how you train for the next one.

What are your jiu-jitsu goals for 2024? My goals for Jiu Jitsu for 2024 are to continue training and working on my game. I plan on doing a mixture of Gi and No-Gi competitions next year. I really want to help set the goal high for our “Competition team” and get our school on the AZBJJL rankings as well as on the map with other top schools in The Valley! 2024 is going to be something to watch for sure.

PARENTING INSIGHTS

Embracing Your Role as a Parent

As a parent, it’s only natural to want the best for your child. When you enroll your child in sports or any extracurricular activity, you do so with the hope that they will learn important life skills, gain self-confidence, and become well-rounded individuals. However, sometimes in our desire to see our child succeed, we may unknowingly overstep our roles. We become not just parents but also coaches, striving to guide and shape too many aspects of their sporting journey. Let’s explore why it’s crucial to embrace your role as a parent and allow the coach to be the coach.

Before I begin, I want to make one thing very clear: The parent role is by far the most important role in your child’s life! Just because it does not include many aspects of the coach’s role it does not diminish its importance.

While I emphasize the distinction between the role of a parent and the role of the coach, I want to clarify that I’m not suggesting parents should refrain from attending practices or watching their child in action. It’s a common response to my initial recommendation to “not coach” for a parent to say, “It’s better if I’m not here,” or “I just won’t watch.” In my view, this swing of the pendulum has gone too far. We’ve transitioned from overstepping our role as parents to completely stepping back from the parent’s role altogether. Your presence at your child’s practices and competitions whenever possible, is essential.

The desire to see our children excel is natural, but our attempts to help them excel can sometimes become counterproductive. When we take on the role of coach, we may inadvertently convey the message that our children are “not enough” as they are. We set ever-moving targets for them, constantly pushing them to do more, try harder, and achieve more. But what if we shifted our perspective and took those targets for our child off our plate entirely?

What we truly intend to communicate is, “I believe in you. I know you can do it.” This message is better delivered through our roles as parents, in the following ways:

See Them: Our child knows if we find interest in them, their activity, and their participation in it. As a tired parent myself I can appreciate the need to decompress after a long day, but it is important to find time to set down our work, our book, our social media and put our eyes of non-judgement on our child and simply see them.

Be a witness rather than an audience: A witness is present, attentive, refrains from making judgments, and sees and accepts the child exactly as they are in the present moment. It is crucial for a child to be seen and fully accepted for who they are. This acceptance is the fertile ground in which self-acceptance can take root and flourish within themselves.

Provide a soft nest: Let the tears flow freely. Offer emotional support, affection, comfort, and an overall safe space for your child to express their feelings. This includes physical sensations such as pain, fatigue, tiredness, and emotional experiences, such as, overwhelm, fear, anxiety, frustration, sadness, embarrassment, confusion, joy, and pride (to name just a few).

Find the wins: Find and celebrate achievements including the non-technical ones such as being an encouraging teammate, attempting a new skill, coming back after a setback, or displaying great effort.

To guide your child effectively in their Jiu Jitsu journey, it’s essential to keep your long-term goals for your child in mind. Instead of focusing solely on achieving happiness through winning and high achievement, consider qualities that lead to life satisfaction, such as authenticity, resilience, and self-acceptance.

Your support, patience, and belief in their inherent worth and capabilities are crucial. Embrace your role, avoid the pitfalls, and keep the long-term perspective in mind. By doing so, you can help your child develop internal motivation, a growth mindset, and the skills they need to navigate their emotional experiences, both in sports and in life. Your role as a parent is irreplaceable, and it is indeed the most important role of all.