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Sep
10
Jiu-Jitsu in the Park
Filed Under Uncategorized
Saturday morning, while driving out of town, I saw a disheveled group of young boys walking to the park—messy hair, wrinkled sweat pants, holey T-shirts and shoes made for the dirt. Tucked under the lead boy’s arm was a scarred and bloated football, more round than football-shaped, held tightly as if it were some sacred relic.
I imagined the same group of kids, going to the same place, but instead of one of them carrying a football, they all had worn and tattered, grass-stained gis under each of their arms. They were walking to to the park to train. No instructors, no parents, just a group of friends with a love for jiu-jitsu.
If I were ten years old again, I would start that group.
I did that once Mark in Sunset, I think I was around 12, It was the park next to the old city office. Mayor was our neighbor an he ran down the hill and Stopped us, called my grandmother, who forbade us from this activity outside of their home. The mayor freaked when he looks out of his window and my Cousin Monica and I are submitting and Choking kids at the playground. It looks pretty hokey back in the early 80′s 2 Kids in Gi’s and neighbor kids in blue jeans and Geranimal shirts getting rolled… HAHAHA I think society is more open about it now!