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SPMT 430 - Week 14 Blog - In house Kids BJJ Competition

 Over the weekend, 11/23/2024, my BJJ school hosted an in-house kids competition for all the Big Brother Affiliates in the area. Competing in a combat sport can be intimidating for new practitioners, especially for a solo sport such as Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Hosting an in-house competition so that all Big Brothers can compete is a great way to gain experience in a safe and friendly environment where all can gain competition experience and train simultaneously. My school, Centreville BJJ, has hosted in-house competitions before, once last year for the adults, and now this year for all of the school's kids classes. It was great seeing all of their parents cheer for their little ankle-biter kids. The room was crowded with parents, coaches, and lots of screaming kids. Being in the room, with all of the kids kind of made me realize that I may be not ready to have kids of my own... But I was happy to see all of the positive attitudes from all of the kids who were there to cheer on their si...
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SPMT 430 - Week 13 Blog - My BJJ Gym 7th year Anniversary

 Over the weekend of 11/16/2024 was my Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Gym's, Centreville BJJ, 7th anniversary of being open, and was an event that invited all of the Big Brother Affiliated schools in the area to join as an open training session as well as belt promotions. In the previous gym class session we did stripe promotions, where individual who put in the hard work to train, learn, and put in the effort at practice is recognized for their efforts with a stripe on their belts. A stripe is usually seen as a benchmark for year(s) of effort and training within that belt level. I have earned my fourth stripe on my blue belt for training at the blue belt level for about 2-3 years. Over the weekend, the gym promoted a staggering 5 people to the blue belt level and 1 person to the purple belt level, above the blue belt. As for stripes, there were about 20 + individuals, including myself that have earned a stripe on their belt, showing their diligence to stick with the gym and the sport and rec...
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SPMT 430 - Week 12 Blog - Weeks leading up Washington Commanders Vs. Pittsburg Steelers

 After the Washington Commanders' amazing gameplay over the last two weeks, they faced a tough challenge this week when facing the Pittsburgh Steelers. First, they had an awesome comeback game against the Chicago Bears, who are on par with the Commanders gameplay-wise. They were trailing back and forth with the Bears, and in an amazing last play, the Commanders won the game by an insane Hail Mary throw! I honestly thought we (I am a Washington fan) were going to lose that game! It was the talk of the town after that play, and to see Jayden Daniel's gloves, football, and touchdown pylon on display after the play was hilarious because of such an exciting moment that was just part of the regular season for a rookie.  The week after the Washington Commanders faced the NY Giants, who were in my personal opinion not as good as the Bears from what everyone else was saying about the Giants. How their quarterback was not as good as he used to be and could be a better player. The Giants...
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SPMT 430 - Week 11 Blog - World Series: Dodgers Win!

 What a great sports week if you're from the World Series to my favorite team, the Washington Commanders. First off, after watching the LA Dodgers win the first two games of the World Series, I had a good feeling they were going to take home the championship. My feelings were solidified when they won the third game on the New York Yankees' home turf in game 3 in dominant fashion. When I was watching game four, and saw that the Yankees won, I wasn't worried about the Dodgers losing the World Series because watching that game felt like a pity win for them. It was as if the Dodgers said, "We're okay, let them have one on the board so they don't look too bad." Going into game 5 and watching how the Dodgers overcame the Yankee's 5 - 0 lead to win the World Series was hilarious. After watching the fifth inning, I knew they would take home the championship win. It all started tipping into the Dodger's favor when Aaron Judge made a misplay in the fifth inn...
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SPMT 430 - Week 10 Blog - World Series Games 1 & 2, LA Dodgers vs. NY Yankees

       The start of the 2023-2024 MLB World Series started 10/25/2024 with both games 1 and 2 at Dodgers home stadium, giving them the hometown advantage to start the series. I do believe in home town advantages because the hometeam is fresh and is not in weary from traveling, as well as being in their comfort zone being at home. Not taking away from anything the Dodgers did, but boy were the two playing great games of baseball. With the LA Dodgers winning the first game of the series, it was definitely a momentum shift in their favor to continue the winning effort into game 2. In game 1, the NY Yankees were leading the game 3 - 2 until at the end, LA Dodgers Freddie Freedman scored a walk-off grand slam homerun, which was amazing to see because the sports commentators stated that it was the first in World Series history. I honestly thought the Yankees were going to take home game one, but this is sports and the championship series, anything can happen and everyone i...
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SPMT 430 - Week 9 Blog - Washington Commanders Recap Vs. the Baltimore Ravens and Carolina Panthers

 Last week, my favorite team, the Washington Commanders, played against the Baltimore Ravens in a hyped-up match between two DMV-native teams. Every time they play against each other, the famous game is dubbed "Battle of the Beltway." With both quarterbacks being Heisman trophy winners, Lamar Jackson and Jayden Daniels, it was an exciting and competitive game to watch because the sports analysts/commentators commented on their play styles as if they were going to go head to head in a player vs. player game instead of a team vs. team type of game. Overall at the end of the game, the Baltimore Ravens came out on top, but the Washington Commanders fought very well and played a hard-fought game to be proud of themselves. Even the sports commentators said the same thing, that their gameplay was hard fought and that they should return to the locker rooms with their heads held high for playing a very competitive game of football. Probably that game was a good look into Washinton...
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SPMT 430 - Week 8 Blog - Affiliate Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu School Grand Opening.

 For context, I train and coach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Centreville BJJ, and we are part of an affiliation called Big Brothers. There are about 10 plus BJJ schools in the DMV area that are affiliated with Big Brothers and a new school recently opened up in Fairfax called Cascades. The new gym owner is one of my old former coaches who taught me BJJ at Centreville BJJ and earned his black belt last year. The funny story is that both my gym and his new gym are held inside Tae Kwon Do schools. Both of our schools are Tae Kwon Do schools full-time, and BJJ schools part-time, mostly in the evenings. It was a great experience to cross-train with everyone who I don't normally spar with on a normal basis, and see most of the affiliates from multiple schools show up to support. As well as friends that I have made along the way who are not a part of the Big Brothers affiliation, who train at other schools and enjoy the opportunity to experience what is taught at each and every separate school....
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