Jiu Jitsu Juniors Ready

THE first local junior jiu jitsu competition team has been selected to compete at the New South Wales Winter Cup in Sydney, in May.

Rod Eadie, head coach at the Hunter Central Academy in Scone, said the young team was ready to start competing at a three star event.

“They are starting with a three star rating, which is a mid-range event, so it’s a good pace, you’ve got a range of belt colours and competition skills,” said Mr Eadie.

“What we are trying to do is build them up with the highest skill sets they could possibly have for their rank and then they will get to test that at a reasonably good competition level,” he said.

Jiu Jitsu Juniors: Back row: Coach Lochie Eadie, Jonny Honeyman, Riley Saddler, Heath Eadie, Zane Walsh, coach Rod Eadie. Front row: Iris Flaherty, Mia Kelaher and Tyrone Robertson.

Team member, Mia Kelaher has been doing jiu jitsu for a year and is excited to be going to compete at a state level.

“When we do the comp if we win we feel so good about ourselves and even if we lose we say we feel so good that we’ve had a go,” said Ms Kelaher.

“I think I will learn stuff there and it will be very hard, but fun,” she said.

“We get to meet new people and we get to have fun,” Mia Kelaher said.

There is also an adult competition team from the local academy, which has already had wins at Pan-Pacific, Oceanic and National competitions.

Rod Eadie said it is not a prerequisite of the Academy to compete, but people enjoy learning things they could only learn through the challenge of competition.

“The adults team is really for anyone who wants to compete and we build up their skills level for where they want to compete, so the highest rating in the southern hemisphere is a six star event and that is a huge international event; the Pan Pac’s,” he said.

“It’s not a prerequisite for grading at our academy to compete, but what they get out of competition really is character building and there are lessons that can’t be learned just in your normal dojo,” Rod Eadie said.