Qatar 2016 : Interrogation of big teddy bears are a big thing...
Monday, May 23, 2016
Thursday, May 12, 2016
Wednesday, May 11, 2016
ERBIL KURDISTAN 2016 CLINIC
Erbil Kuridstan 2016 Clinic
It is always a great honor to work with such beautiful and amazing people. The pleasure is all mine...
2016
Tuesday, May 3, 2016
2014 Palm Island - Dubai
Palm Island, Atlantis, Dubai UAE. I finally made it. I remember telling someone... I am going there one day.I did it.
It is a stopping point, until I go to my new career abroad.
So, thankful for the opportunity and experience.
I guess, I got hooked going abroad...
The Journey: Martial Arts : 2020 Update: Blackbelt
The Journey: Tae Kwon Do, Karate, Wrestling, Boxing, Judo, BJJ, MMA
After 18 years of Martial Arts training, in 2019, I had earned and was awarded a blackbelt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
This was and continues to be the most challenging Martial Arts achievement in my life. I am so thankful to have made it this long. I am grateful to God for continuing to allow me the ability to train/teach/enjoy this wonderful gentle art.
I am thankful to share and be surrounded by brothers and sisters from the academy that I train and teach. Also thanks to those from other academies and/or individuals that I've trained with here at home and around the world.
I want to personally thank those who have been my instructor(s) along this path:
Brian Miller, Benjamin Rothrock, Mario Aiello, Laban Propst, Joe Franklin, Roger Rodolphe, Barry Siegal, Dennis Jones
Special Thanks to: Octagon MMA/Krav Maga/David Stacy Kimberly Jenkins : Globetrotters BJJ/Christian Graugart and Jay Pages
Most of all my Family ❤️
"I truly feel, that a blackbelt is a white belt that didn't quit and that a blackbelt is where the journey continues, from the beginning again." totally stole this from two quotes I've read. ☺
This is our family(brothers and sisters)
My father before he passed would always ask me, if I would ever teach/coach others. Dad I wish you could have been here to see it... I know you did... but I am so happy to tell you that I couldn't be more honored to train with, train/coach with a wonderful group.
(Please, if you like continue to read my post from 2016)
July of 2008 I stepped into the cage at age 38. Usually not a wise thing to do. But for all my life I had trained as a martial artist and fought as a fighter. MMA had just become legal in N.C. I had to test myself. So, way before 2008 my journey started. I mean, I started way back when I was a kid. I remember Tae Kwon Do being the first thing I trained as a kid. Then Karate was next. I followed my older brother's foot steps and went into wrestling. I loved wrestling and in my middle school and high school years I was never pinned in a match (Western and Northwest). I didn't say I had never lost. But, I loved the "grind" as they call it now. Boxing at the Lindley Boxing Recreation Center came natural. Then my brother and I started Judo/Ju-Jistu together at the Greensboro Judo Ju-Jitsu Club. Another point in a wonderful journey.
While training at the GSO Judo/Ju-Jitsu Club. A guy about the same size as my brother and me came strolling in. He had a blue belt on. What? Is there such a thing in Judo/Ju-Jitsu? There was in BJJ. After being choked out and submitted by him all the time and never passing his game. I became one of his, if not his first student. That's right out of his garage. Wait, or mine... that was also the start of the 201 MMA Club... basically my two car garage turned into a mat room. We had all the gear...
So, the constant training and learning never stopped. As it does for many it was a huge part of my life. I wanted to achieve the goal of fighting in MMA. So, that's when I met up and was so honored to be trained by Laban Propst of then, Team ROC of Greensboro, NC. I was his first fighter he had ever trained and went to the cage with. I am forever thankful for his mentor-ship and friendship. It went beyond training and the cage.
Shortly, after my fight in July 2008 we had lost our oldest child. My son, our son, Grayson in a horrible drowning accident. The journey for me stopped that day... life itself... stopped...
The pain and the sorrow was so unbearable that there wasn't enough tears, enough crying out, and not enough of my soul to bear it. Nothing of life, meant anything...
The years went by and I could never get myself to think of getting back to anything, let alone back on the mat to train.
Laban Propst had always invited me to get back on the mats, but my spirit and soul was broken. By the time I came back to the mat, Laban moved to Knoxville, TN. He is now an owner of a school there. Forever grateful Laban and all of Team ROC Greensboro.
Brian Miller was another person who trained me and walked me to the cage that day in July of 2008, I am forever grateful to him. I am also thankful for his constant encouragement and friendship both on and off the mat. When I had finally reached a point to step back onto the mat, I went to where it all started for me. More like who? I found out where Brian was teaching and went there. I knew, and he knew at times he could see my spirit gone. But no matter how many times I left and didn't show up for a while, he let me come right back into it. A lot of times I didn't have enough dough to pay for classes. Let alone join a school. See, after my son died, I walked away from being a full time paramedic for a while. So the money wasn't as good as it was before. If, money was ever good at all... But, he let me keep coming... I remember, jokingly, maybe about ten years later he decided I had earned my purple belt. This was right before my family and I went to Saudi Arabia to work and live.
When I finally returned back to the United States of America I found him again teaching in Greensboro, NC at Octagon MMA that's owned by David Stacy. David Stacy I am thankful for you and the school I call home now.
This is a picture of Brian and me training together for the first time back in the US.
Mario Aiello testing and seminar. Thank you Professor Mario for also believing in me.
My brother Bob, also trained with me and walked with me to that cage back in 2008. My permanent training partner/brother. Nothing like training with your brother in the garage, any time, all the time. My brother though stayed on the path he was on, but went to another school closer to him. Larry Kidd owner EFA in High Point. My brother would encourage me to also go train with him at EFA. Larry has also been the best to my brother and me and our families as well. Forever thankful...
Then Chad Carico a special thanks and gratitude to you as a training partner and friend...
I am so thankful for all my teammates from all the schools I've trained and continue to train with...
I am blown away, watching each of my teammates and friends achieve their goals and just kill it out there...
I am blown away, watching each of my teammates and friends achieve their goals and just kill it out there...
"Sometimes the fight is the journey"
H.L.T.
(Humble, Learning, Training)
Money does come from Trees
After getting a company to do some tree work for us in our backyard. I had the opportunity to do some tree work. I started as a young man a long time ago. But it had definitely been a while. I started again by being on the ground crew working the job I had hired the tree company to do. I was hooked again.
Again equally thankful to God for reminding me the value of honest hard work.
People ask me all the time why do you still do tree work when you do medic work... make that... and go here and there... around the world...
ANSWER:
"thankful to God for reminding me the value of honest hard work"
"You can't look down on a man that does a hard days work, especially if he is up a tree"
"It's just really some cool man stuff..."
So if you can need some tree work done... Call the number on the truck and ask for Jim...
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