Here's what my jiu jitsu competition career looks like:
Copa Northwest 5*
September 2005
0-1, DNP
Copa Northwest 6
December 2005
1-1, DNP
Pac NW Championships 1
April 2006
2-0, 1st place
Copa Northwest 7
July 2006
1-1, DNP
Pac NW Championships 2
September 2006
0-1, DNP
Copa Northwest 8
November 2006
2-0, 1st place
* competed at 163
It's been an all or nothing affair for me in local competitions. Six tournaments: four DNPs ("did not place") and two 1st places. A part of me will always believe that the DNP at Copa Northwest 7 could have easily been at least a second place. But 6-4 is a respectable record after my first six events as a white belt.
Much more to say in later posts. The whole team did very, very well. Tommy was unable to compete due to a medical (which explained his absence all week). But among the white belts, Griff won three exciting matches, Lindsey and Jeff also both took home medals. Mike, in his first tournament, almost caught his guy with an armbar from the guard. He's going to be just fine. Jason, the white belt one division under me who performed so well at the Pac NW Championships 2 lost his first match to the guy who I think ended up winning the division.
Casey and Clint lost their first matches and didn't advance, as did Angela. So it wasn't a great day for our blue belts. But the purple belts, Jason and Chris both had very fun matches, with Jason putting on a submission and guard passing clinic and Chris beating a 240 lb. purple belt with a sweep from the closed guard in overtime.
No gi was entertaining as well. Dave fought and lost a tough match. Mestre Curiso went one and one, as did George, who lost his second match to a really tough opponent from a mixed martial arts school in Yakima.
All in all a fantastic day. I've got to believe that our school took home the team prize, there were just too many of us winning too many divisions. I'll debrief my fights later--including a controversial (!) call in my first match. I'll also review preparation for this tournament; a lot of things went very well and I want to repeat them at the next tournament. There are also a few things I want to do differently (like come into the 30 day's out period at my goal weight), that I'll note also.
