February 1st, 2010 | Subscribe to AZSBJJF by Email | Subscribe to the AZSBJJF RSS Feed | Leave a Comment

Written by Kristina Barlaan

Upon first starting Jiu-Jitsu, you may have been told that your team should be treated as your famliy. That you should coach and support one another to bring the absolute best out of each other. For many people, their team becomes their extended family, and their gym, their home. But what if your team really was your own flesh and blood? When Jiu-Jitsu was first introduced to the world, it was made known by a family name: Gracie. In present times, the tradition of family bond through Jiu-Jitsu, still grows strong. From Father and Mother to children alike, the family that trains together, stays together.

Firing-Up the Spirit of Jiu-Jitsu

If a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, then it can be said that a family of fighters starts with a single member. Once the Jiu-Jitsu flame is litin one individual, it is only a matter of time before the fire spreads to the rest of the family. For the Phoenix based Reupenny family (Relson Gracie AZ), the journeywould be led by the oldest son. Tu’ufuli Reupenny was only 9 years old when he first started to train Jiu-Jitsu, and soon after, his sister Jasmine showed interest and followed. A year later, after watching their siblings train and compete, sisters Kayla and Alisa wanted in on the fun.

“We were bringing Jiu-Jitsu home with us. It just seemed to be a natural process,” explains Miller Reupenny, Father of the Reupenny clan, on how his kids first started getting involved with the sport.

So why Jiu-Jitsu? For Tu’ufuli, it’s given him plenty of self-confidence, but the Reupenny children all agree that they have fun learning new moves and enjoy being able to challenge themselves and test their skills against their opponents in competition.

“Jiu-Jitsu is very addictive; I really enjoy training and learning new skills. I like to compete because I get a rush from it; It’s very exciting,” claims Kayla, the eldest of her brothers and sisters. This spirit certainly would not go unnoticed by their parents, and the inevitable finally occured, they would find themselves on the mat; ready to learn and ready to take part in the sport that their children have fallen in love with.

“When more classes were made available due to the growth of the Relson Gracie School, my wife and I saw it as an opportunity to partake on this journey with our children. That meant training AND competing,” explains Miller, “I mean, what better way to understand what your children are going through, than to actually go through it with them? What sport or activity allows the entire family to participate? Jiu-Jitsu does this for us. Overall, training jiu-jitsu has enhanced our life. If anything, it has brought our family even closer than we already were.”

In Yuma, four hours south-west of Phoenix, the Garcia family (Yuma BJJ) shares a similar story. Michael Garcia would be the one to ignite the fire in his family, passing his knowledge down to his son Roscoe and nephew Marc Soto. After standing on the sidelines supporting the family, his wife Lucinda could not resist the call of the mat as well, and was soon dawning a gi and belt around her waist.

“I would watch my husband, son and nephew train and it would give me courage to do BJJ. I have always been 100% behind my boys on whatever they want to do in life and I believe in all of them,” states Lucinda, “My husband always gives me encouragement and keeps me positive; It is a true blessing to have family nights as BJJ nights. We all stay healthy and fit; What more can we ask for?”

With Jiu-Jitsu being able to offer many benefits, the family is able to enjoy many of the spoils of competing. Both Roscoe and Marc take pride in being able to bring new medals home after a tournament, soaking up all the excitement and energy, while also making new friends. Michael and Lucinda enjoy the subtle rewards.

“I love training and competing because every time I step on the mat I feel truly blessed. Jiu-jitsu keeps me positive and humble,” admits Michael. Competing for the first time, Lucinda notes what she likes most about competition.

“I like the pressure, nerves, and you never know the outcome until you step on the mat. It’s all up to you to bring home the GOLD. The good part of BJJ is no matter what happens, win or lose, we still go home all as winners with a positive attitude and encouragement. (We’re) eager to do better and to win next time,” says Lucinda.

With dedicated families such as the Reupennys and the Garcias, it’s no wonder Jiu-Jitsu is becoming a household remedy to any bad day.

Battle Ready

As with any sport, the true strength of a family is not tested in just training, but in competition as well. On October 10 and 11, 2009, at the 1st Southwest BJJ Classic, many families came out to cheer and support, but the Reupennys and Garcias would enter the mat and battle it out for a chance of victory.

The Garcia Family (Yuma BJJ): Michael and Lucinda Garcia, their son Roscoe, and nephew Marc Soto all won their divisions.

The Reupenny Family (Relson Gracie AZ): Miller and Seta Reupenny, their daughters Jasmine and Kayla, and son Tu’ufuli all placed on the medal podium.

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