Casey earned FOUR stripes on his brown belt. Lindsey was promoted to brown belt. Angela and Tim both picked up the faixa roxa, as did Brock and a few others.
Standing against the wall, having made it just in time to squeeze into the final purple belt spot as Rodrigo began addressing everyone, it was interesting to see all the white belts from Eastside getting stripes, including a number of women. I've always known that the Eastside location would be a big hit, and it's nice to see that the academy there is growing.
Jeff was there to present the trophy and Rodrigo made a point of saying that if the Revolution was a two-day event, with gi on one day and no-gi on the other, GB Washington would love to compete in full at the no-gi competitions, as well. As far as Jeff is concerned, it sounds like an issue of labor: if he had the volunteers, he'd be open to it. But the events don't run themselves. Personally, I'd be open to doing anything short of refereeing. But we'll see what comes of it.
As I said to Eric and Sean, it is always fun to see white belts promoted to blue belt. After all, everybody gets a white belt. The blue belt is the first one that you actually earn. Even visually, seeing them go from an almost virginal, all-white acolyte's robe to the sharp visual contrast of the blue belt ... It's a little jiu jitsu geek-esque, I'll admit. But I still get a kick out of seeing it.
Of course, if they're one of those white belts who always wears a blue gi, the whole thing is kind of turned upside down, I guess. But better white belts stop wearing blue gis than I pass up the opportunity to commit metaphor.
As for me, two white stripes. And a great 15-minute roll with Sean afterward.
