Another end of year BJJ grading in the books and what a massive one it was! It was easily our biggest grading ever, with hundreds of people turning out to put their team mates through the gruelling physical test required to receive their next belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
Firstly, congratulations to Maryanne Mullahy, Julian Beling and Brenton McKiterick for earning their Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts!
A BJJ blackbelt is truly a monumental achievement. It’s thousands and thousands of hours of consistently pushing yourself to learn and develop, and then pressure-testing your techniques, physical abilities and mental fortitude against other trained opponents in fully live sparring. Less than 1% of all people who start BJJ will make it to the black belt. The hard training inevitably means that they have persisted through injury. A black belt has been beaten countless times but that very special determination and drive within them meant they always came back for more.
So again, congratulations to Maryanne Mullahy, Julian Beling and Brenton McKiterick!
Along with the black belt gradings, there were also a large number of people – too many to name – who earned their blue, purple and brown belts. Each belt is an acknowledgement of the huge effort you all put in to develop and better yourselves! Those belts were not given, they were earned! BJJ is not easy but that’s what makes it so rewarding!
Finally, thank you and congratulations to our head BJJ coaches Thiago Stefanutti and Lachlan Giles, along with the rest of our ever-growing team of coaches. Your students are a credit to your efforts!
