麻豆社国产kids are known for killing it on the trails, dominating on the pitch and tearing up the ice, but a new group of local youth are excelling at hitting the mat 鈥� literally.
Every Monday and Friday inside Club Flex Athletics, kids grapple, roll and learn the ins and outs of Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ) from head instructor Cole Manson and assistant coach Mike Nasu at Gracie Barra Squamish.
And all the training seems to have paid off. Six 麻豆社国产competitors came home with medals from the Vancouver Roots BJJ Invitational in Richmond on Sunday, Nov. 23.
Nasu said it was a nice showing for the group.
鈥淓veryone fought with so much heart and passion and we are so proud of all of them,鈥� he said. 鈥溾�淚 hope we can get a bigger group out for the next tournament. I think more kids from the club will compete when they see how successful their teammates performed.鈥�
Earning medals in their weight divisions on Saturday were: Evan Nasu (bronze), Flint Mckone (gold), Rocky Mckone (silver), Sam Boa (bronze), William Boyar (gold) and Cohen Scott (bronze).
Perhaps even more impressive was that it was the competition debut for the Mckone brothers, Boa and Boyar, and only the second competition for Scott.
For Evan, Mike Nasu鈥檚 son, it was his fifth tournament in 2014 and the fifth time he鈥檚 taken home a medal. He may be only nine years old, but he鈥檚 quickly established himself in the sport locally.
鈥淚 never thought Evan would compete,鈥� Mike said. 鈥淗e is always so happy and easy-going and he doesn鈥檛 have a mean bone in his body, but when he steps on the mat to compete he has unbelievable focus and intensity 鈥� he changes.鈥�
That intensity began at the tender age of four, when Evan learned at the 麻豆社国产Martial Arts centre under Scott Strachan and achieved the rank of red belt. Evan continued his training at Gracie Barra 麻豆社国产in September 2013 and has earned a three-stripe grey belt.
This year saw Evan win silver at the Vancouver BJJ championships in October and a bronze at the Western Canadian BJJ Championships in Penticton in July. Mike said he鈥檚 noticed the evolution of his son鈥檚 mat game.
鈥淓van鈥檚 BJJ game has changed and improved since his first tournament,鈥� he said. 鈥淗is first tournament he just tackled and took down opponents for points and held them down. Now he is more cerebral and uses his technique to control and submit his opponents.鈥�
Evan said he enjoys BJJ and that he鈥檚 always learning.
鈥淚 like to challenge myself and compete to test my jiu jitsu,鈥� he said. 鈥淢y favorite part of tournaments is learning. Even when I lose, I learn.鈥�
The passion of the sport has led Evan to help out with coaching at Gracie Barra Squamish, as he is also the junior coach for the Little Champs (five and six-year-olds) program at the school.
The next big tournament for the youngsters is the Copa Katana in February. Until then, they鈥檒l continue rolling, grappling and escaping on the mats in Squamish.
For more information on the club, visit www.gbsquamish.com.聽
