BOISE, ID, APRIL 27, 2019 – NW SUBMISSION CHALLENGE
SBG Montana sent 43 jiu jitsu athletes to the Northwest Submission Challenge on Saturday, April 27th in Boise, ID. They brought home 20 gold, 21 silver, and 17 bronze medals.
All 4 Montana gyms were represented with 1 athlete traveling from SBG Drayton Valley, Alberta. This was SBG Montana’s largest showing of competitors at a tournament.
Head Coach Travis Davison of SBG Montana said, “We had several 1st time competitors and they all performed very well. Our organization and communication continues to improve and allows us to bring 40+ competitors to an event and ensure that each one is coached and cared for.”
Kalispell’s Marnic Mann competed in the tournament just weeks after winning her pro MMA debut, winning double gold in the Gi and No Gi Blue Belt divisions.
“JIu Jitsu is the foundation of my fight game,” Mann commented. “Competing in these tournaments helps me stay technical and dangerous on the ground in MMA. I want them to have to ‘pick their poison’ when in the cage with me.
Katrina Schmale of SBG Drayton Valley competed in the tournament in preparation for IBJJF World Championships in Long Beach, CA. She explained that the experience shaped her for her upcoming matches at IBJJF Worlds. “Most of my matches went really well, and I was able to make my opponent play my game. But not every match went according to plan, and I’ve brought some solid lessons back with me.”
All in all the tournament was an opportunity for Schamle to sharpen her game. “[The] biggest lesson I took away from NWSC is learning how to make adjustments and take action when things aren’t going according to plan.
These takeaways aren’t only competitive athletes. Even the youngest martial artists improved under the same pressure.
Head Coach Cody Bessette of SBG Bigfork coached his athletes and was himself a competitor, wining Gold in the Purple Belt No Gi Division and Bronze in the Gi division.
Bessette is also a parent of 2 athletes as well as a coach. He shared, “These are real life stressors in a controlled environment where I know they are going to have to rely on their own abilities to execute something they may not have prepared for. Success or failure, it was an opportunity for positive growth. [Competition] prepares my children for the future.
Davison shared, “The culture and community on the mats breeds successful jiu jitsu competitors. Without the “One Tribe, One Vibe mentality, SBG would be just another jiu jitsu school with an average number of members and average level of jiu jitsu. Our shared values lead to our success in competitions.
With each tournament SBG’s Comp Team only gets better and better. Davison shared, “Our motto is to ‘improve 1% every day.’ We will get back to the gym then head to Tacoma, WA in July for the Revolution Tournament.”
