Tracy D’Arcy began her Jiu-Jitsu journey eight years ago during college and it wasn’t long before she was hooked. What captivated her then – and still does – is that there is always something to learn.
According to Tracy, “You can always get faster, stronger, and more technical. It’s great to have something like that in your life to drive you mentally & physically every day.”
We are honored to have this long time Girls in Gis member hosting again and look forward to this event. We had the opportunity to speak with Tracy and hear some exciting news regarding her future. Check out what she has in store for us at the Girls in Gis Texas-Keller event on August 30th.
How has BJJ impacted life?
It has completely changed my life. Back in 2007, I was tired of working a corporate job & randomly applied for an office manager position at a BJJ academy that hadn’t opened yet. Eight years later, we’re still here & the academy has been a great success. I got lucky enough to land a dream job & appreciate it every day.
Has it changed who you are?
Yes. I used to be pretty shy when meeting new people. Teaching BJJ forced me to get comfortable with public speaking very fast. I’m completely different from the shy white belt I was when I first started.
What are your goals as a black belt?
To keep learning and improving every day. I’ve spent a lot of my time as a brown & black belt focusing on teaching & growing the academy. Now, I’m ready to get back into competing & will be making a serious jump into MMA this coming year.
You’ve been a part of Girls in Gis for a long time. Has the group changed?
The events are huge now! Plus, it’s great to see Girls in Gis expanding to other states. It’s also kind of cool to look back at old GiG pictures when I didn’t know a lot of girls in the BJJ community that are now great training partners.
What kind of impact do you think the group has had on the BJJ community at large?
I think it’s such a positive environment for women. I really like when girls attend and say it’s their first time ever trying Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. A mat full of helpful & friendly girls – that has to be the best introduction to this martial art!
What do you have in store for the girls?
We will be doing some guard passing & transitions, plus a Q&A session for any techniques or positions they may be having trouble with during their daily training.
What do you hope they learn from your event?
During technique, we’re going to work on staying relaxed when passing. A lot of the best fighters and competitors out there are so smooth and just kind of “surf” when they pass & transition, so we will be working on that. There’s regular points in a match, then there’s style points – we’re going for both!
We hope that you can join us. For more information about this upcoming event visit us at: www.girls-in-gis.com/blog/girls-in-gis-texas-keller-2/