Page 29 - Issue 3
P. 29

GRAPPLER  Summer 2019





















 “We were sponsored by Pabst Blue Ribbon.
 We didn’t skate for money, we skated for beer.”








 Kelly Beech started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu to stay   husband with her, a guy she was more attracted to
 active  when  the  waves  were  flat.  In  the  water,  on  the   than compatible with in hindsight. She loved the class.
 mat, in a conversation-she’s tough to keep up with. Her   He  hated  it.  She  landed  a  double-leg  takedown  on  a
 strong will and infectious positive outlook have helped   guy much bigger than her and was impressed by how
 her earn a second-degree black belt, compete in the   effective the techniques were. He was shocked when she
 World Championships and open her own gym, Black   went back the next day to buy a kimono.
 Belt Studio, in Neptune Beach, Florida, USA.
 An argument broke out, ending with broken glass
 Beech’s Jiu-Jitsu story begins at...the beach. Sounds like   everywhere. She left the mess where it was and went to
 Austin Powers: “Allow myself to introduce...myself.”   the gym.
 She owns a barbershop, cutting hair just like her father.
 When  her  first  marriage  ended,  some  of  her  clients   “I kept my gi and got rid of my husband [laughs].” She
 convinced  her  to  go  surfing  with  them.  After  that  she   wasn’t angry, more so liberated; an opportunity to set
 was hooked, and took lessons wherever she could.   her own standard.


 But you can’t surf all the time. For those days when the   “Being perfect isn’t enough for some people,” she says.
 weather wouldn’t cooperate, Beech turned to Hawaiian   “[My first husband] didn’t love me enough to keep me.
 Jiu-Jitsu, which she refers to fondly as “old school   If the other guy would have loved me enough, he would
 MMA.” Strikes, kicks, judo throws and submissions are   have joined me in that class.”
 all part of the game. The physical nature of the sport
 interested her; the damage she wore after training did   Beech continued training, almost exclusively with men
 not.    nearly twice her size. Her style is predicated on defense,
 a consequence of spending countless rounds in survival
 The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coach at that dojo noticed   mode. No one wanted to get tapped by the petite blonde
 and invited her to his class. She brought her second   so no one went easier on her.





















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