BRAD HATCHERS BJJ FEDERATION

TENNESSEE CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

 Prior to my reporting on the tournament, I want to reflect back to my previous article on the ICA and our direction and philosophy. I left out a very important “Disclaimer” if you will.
 

 We, (ICA) board members, and those who train with us, are an independent group. Independent of any restrictions or constraints that could be placed on any one regarding membership in any other association, attendance of any event, or comments and article on any web site.
 

 In simple English; we don’t dictate or attempt in any way to dictate who’s tournament anyone goes to, or what they say about anyone either verbally, or in print. We just organize advance training. We are happy to just get together on a Saturday and let everyone do what ever, all the rest of the days.  If you don’t train with us because you don’t like someone then that is up to you. I guess in a perfect world people would put personal feelings aside to train but that is not the case. We are after all only human and flawed characters at that.

 

  

 Saturday the 28 of August, we traveled to Maryville Tennessee, to take our maiden voyage into the world of Jujitsu. It was as indicated, our first such event. There were some surprises, but mostly a lot of education. We found that the Jujitsu group is a whole other culture. They are a very informal, but intense group of tough people. We didn’t know many people so we were able to just soak up everything instead of socializing. It did feel odd to be in the new environment and we missed the familiarity of karate tournaments, and the many friends we encounter there. The good news is, that it was a well run tournament with the fairest judging I have ever seen. There was little if any complaining and what I heard was not justified. Brad Hatcher and his people really kept a firm hand on the whole day. One thing I loved was the ability to coach. It is so stupid not to let people coach at karate tournament. It is old school and only serves to frustrate sensei’s who could help new students especially, with just one coaching suggestion. When you have judges that couldn’t see a bear in a telephone booth, at least you can help your competitor adjust. But no>> WE don’t EVER want to change anything. It worked in 1978 so why change.
 

 In preparing for the tournament we worked very hard but not hard enough. You can’t get in grappling shape two to three nights a week. One match which can be as much as 8 minutes, is equal to three karate tournaments. It is physically rough and the contact is constant and fierce. I have to say right here and now, that the Red Dragons did extremely well. Physically we gave as good as we got. We won 8 medals with ten guys and all my new people medaled. They were never physically overwhelmed but were not prepared for the strategy and continuous technique. All of that was the result of my not effectively preparing them. The point system was very confusing to me and the strategy of scoring was completely lost on me.  Luckily James Ogle was there and I asked him to do the coaching. Our terminology was different so I would sometimes translate for him. Chuck Reynolds was there and yelled in some advice earlier. He apologized and James was reluctant to put me on the sidelines. I was appreciative to Chuck, as it let me know I didn’t know what the hell I was doing. So I turned to James and he did a great job.  I told them, “I got my guys in to this, and I sure wasn’t going to stand there knowing other people could help them more”. Later after I began to catch on a bit I became more active but I still deferred to James.
 

 So I was asked, how hard was it to take a group who was dominating karate point and continuous tournaments and put them in an underdog position?
 

 We had won 8 of the last 10 grands that we competed in, with six in a row. That included three of four Hall of Fame tournament and finishing second the time we didn’t win. We were going the same places and fighting the same people. One year we won the grand in every tournament including one kata grand. Not bragging! This is not exactly a secret and is the one of the reasons behind the change.
 

 We miss some of our friends, but it was time to leave the nest and stop being, big fish in a little pond. Plus I know my guys, and I understand what my ultimate responsibility to them is. I felt we all needed a humility check. We got one. Not as much as I expected, but we now know how much more we need to know.
 

 Here is what they do know. That they can handle themselves in any situation. That their training is consistent with progress. They have experienced a ground fight that they may have in the street and they are confident as to what to look for, and that they will more than just survive it. They were motivated to the max after that tournament. At dinner that night after such a long day, they were still fired up.
 

 As to my evaluation of their fights I gave them an “A” There were some mental errors which we will work on. There was some techniques used which one other coach referred to as Bully stuff. No being familiar with the term for grappling I asked him what he meant. We parted not being friends for life.. It was shoulder slaps from Leon, Smacks to the face from Woody and a DQ to Darrin, for a kick from the back to the guys throat. That cost Darrin first place. The guys said he could not continue. Darrin had a good lead and 5 seconds to go. I didn’t like the call but I can see why it was necessary. The guy told Darrin he was probably through after this. As a former Hells Angel, he said he was going back to beer and porn. A funny guy and a very tough one.
 

 In all fairness to the team we do not train as specific jujitsu people. We ground fight only as long as it takes to get up and strike. So our techniques are not continuous type. We try not to prolong the fight. Our holds are for separation and disengagement striking, not submission. We do some of that in case we run into someone like we did Saturday. Glad we did. Hope for the best but plan for the worst. With that in mind, I applauded the guys for their adjustments. Mostly they just came out and fought with pride heart and street skill. Will we do it again? I’m sure we will. However, we are neither fish nor fowl, so we need to concentrate on all phases. We are a street combat school, not a competition school. We will use different events for additional training and reward for hard dojo training. We will not make a habit of fighting within several sets of rules and strategies that do not translate directly to the street.
 

 I told you that the tournament was well run by some very dedicated people. One of the people we met was Holly Hatcher, wife of Russell Hatcher. She was one of the dedicated souls that sat at the scorers table for nine hours, while keeping her attitude and sense of humor.  As we were leaving, Holly told Reese and I and I quote,” your people are the nicest most courteous group I’ve ever worked with. I liked your uniforms, and they are good fighters, but mostly just courteous people. Holly that was like a grand, grand championship for me.  That is exactly what people always said when we first started going to karate tournaments. Then the jealousy and cheating started and our manners went with it. It was great to be appreciated again.
 

 Speaking of appreciation, thanks again James Ogle and some personal comments from Chuck Reynolds, two of the real innovators and leaders, in the Martial Arts. We look forward to seeing Chuck again at his tournament the 25^th of September. Thanks to Ron and Debbie Honeycutt, who came to support us in the brave new world we entered. Thanks to Joe Laney for his support. He is always is a welcome site for me and my people. It was good to talk with Pete Mills and spend some long over due time with Devan Pleasance.  Thanks to all the ICA masters who have worked with my people over the years and supplied knowledge that I could not. Long time ago, Phil Little held a jujitsu seminar given by Danny Glover. That gave me my first clue as to what else needed to be learned and how one dimensional we were.  Then came a demonstration by Willie Wilson that I will never forget. It gave me another look at what we could not defend. Clyde Stanley who wowed us and worked with me individually. He honored me with a sho dan in his style. Of course, my main guy was Butch Hill, who organized our thinking and trained our bodies; Butch Hill style!! I don’t mean to turn this into an Academy Award acceptance speech. It is just hard to pass a milestone in your training and not reflect on how many people it took to get you there. It is important to say thank you and let people know you remember and appreciate their help.  Lack of appreciation for those who helped you achieved something you could not have on your own, is the character trait of a selfish, ignorant, self involved, fool. . . A very smart boss of mine once told me, ”if someone gives you a dollar and you turn it in to one million, don’t ever forget who gave you that first dollar.” I once did some research on selling a business plan to the bank. I read about this company that was still making slide rules, when their competition was developing calculators. They were trying to tell the bank that calculators were a fad, inaccurate and needed batteries. Some banks I’ve known couldn’t read a balance sheet, but they knew better than that. Anyone bought a slide rule lately?? Besides, never talk down another guys product when yours is obviously inferior. Also be sure and leave out the portion of further product development and talk about its history instead. And if that doesn’t work. Bash the living hell out of the president of the other company and forbid your people to look at, or even try a calculator. I’m just saying………..

 

See you at Chuck Reynolds.