09/23/2025
Repost from
I am extremely proud to be a 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and to be the third person to hold the distinction of earning the rank of black belt from the two incredible legends and
When I was a blue belt in 2001 I got stuck on the bottom at a competition and lost. I didn’t know the term “sweep” but when I went back to Jean Jacques’ the next week, I saw a little guy somehow crawl out from under a huge dude and end up on top. I instantly recognized THAT was what I needed to learn. I had overheard this purple belt’s name mentioned in conversations around the academy a lot but I had never spoken to him. At that time, I was like a petrified new freshman in high school trying to blend in with the walls. I was just focused on surviving, improving and keeping a low profile because no one in the room needed an excuse to kick your ass any harder. And obviously I was the only female there. I went over to the guy and told him “I want to learn how to do that.” He said “Ok.” Then one day he called me and said “We’re training, come over.” I went to Eddie’s place and on the mats covered with dry leaves and bougainvillea flowers were 3 much bigger people than me. He was teaching them “the Twister” and a voice in my head said “This isn’t what I wanted to learn”. Luckily a louder voice in my head said “Shut up and just learn!” Eddie was then, as he is now, a jiu-jitsu evangelist. Always teaching and sharing with anyone who was interested in listening and learning….
(Cont on her original post and comments)
