The winter is coming to an end and when the signs of Spring are emerging that is when you know it’s time for Girls in Gis Oklahoma to bloom. We are more than overjoyed to kick off our 2016 season of events back at Triton Fight Center, the place it all started almost three years ago. We have so many exciting things going on at this event. We will have four Century gi to giveaway!! Bring it BJJ has graciously donated some giveaways and thanks to Cummins Southern Plains we will have Jason’s Deli snacks at the event!!! Even more special we have three amazing hosts for this event and a special yoga cool down! We caught up with Jessaca Champion-Linnabery of Triton Fight Center and she is one of the most courageous women you will meet. All of our host are truly inspiring women and we can’t wait to have them share the mats with us this weekend.
Jessaca Champion-Linnabery, a domestic engineer (stay at home mom), is a purple belt at Triton Fight Center that began her journey in 2010 shortly after he son started kids Jiu-Jitsu class. It wasn’t long before the whole family was training. Her husband Jake is a Brown belt, her 20 year old daughter Kassidy is a blue belt and 10 year old son Wyatt is a yellow-white belt. She says having a supportive family that trains gives her a purpose and make her want to be a better wife and mom.
She also says the camaraderie and teamwork in our gym is what keeps her motivated. She has gained friendships and an extended family at Triton Fight Center. She is inspired and uplifted by seeing her professor, coaches, mentors and peers giving back on and off the mat. Giving their hearts out day in and day out. When she is not engineering a household she enjoys spending time with her family, spending spare time with jiu-jitsu related activities, watching movies, going to dinner and hanging out with friends.
Jessaca began her journey with Brown belt Summer Krause in her women’s class. She said “to be able to train with a female brown belt every day is something I will forever be grateful. She has inspired and had a tremendous impact on so many women. Her passion for teaching us and wanting women to succeed in this sport is amazing. It was an honor to be her student. When you see a woman who is athletic, hard working and a brown belt in jiu jitsu, you admire that. Of course it is beneficial. It is because of women like her, that make women like me want to train.” Jessaca says the benefits for females in training BJJ together is it builds confidence and shows women what they’re capable of. It shows women they are strong mentally and physically and their body can be a powerful weapon. She describes jiu jitsu as a character builder.
“[To the newcomer] Jiu-Jitsu does build confidence but for those who are confident it will humble them. Jiu-Jitsu doesn’t lie. It exposes who you are and can take you out of your comfort zone. How you choose to confront that will define your journey. Bottom line…. Don’t quit!!!”
For Jessaca Jiu-Jitsu has played a huge part of the healing process. While she was in the U.S. Army in 1997 Jessaca was stalked and assulted by a man she know. Someone she was in the Army with and had been deployed to Kuwait with. He started stalking her after they returned from Kuwait. At the time, because she knew him she didn’t think it was really stalking. Looking back, she knew that it was wrong. He broke into her house one night while she was sleeping. Her daughter was next to her in bed and she woke up to him holding the gun to her daughters face. He wanted her to leave with him and she wouldn’t, so he stood at the end of her bed and he shot her.
Jessaca suffered a collapsed lung, cracked collar bone and almost died. She says that no matter how many years pass that feeling never goes away.
“Being helpless and the what ifs! I’m not one to freely tell this story and I was very hesitant. But this had a significant and still has a significant impact on my jiu jitsu journey. When you’ve been attacked it mentally and physically can make your body shut down. It still happens to me but I push through. Most people have fight or flight. I felt I only had flight. I work at it every day. I may never overcome it but I will work at not letting fear over run me. jiu jitsu is my therapy. It helps put these emotions I have in perspective.”
We are honored that Jessaca has shared this story with us. We hope that those who have also suffered trauma can also benefit from Jiu-jitsu just as she has. So if you have a friend that you think could, please invite them to Girls in Gis this weekend or any of our events. For many women who have suffered trauma, they say this is a very safe and comfortable place to take that first step. Everyone is welcome.
This is the first time Jessaca is hosting and she says she is very nervous, but she is a warrior and this is a piece of cake compared to everything she has already overcome. She also has an amazing team of ladies that will helping to make this a memorable event. Along side Jessaca, black belt Gina Franssen from X2 Fitness in Minneapolis,Mn coming down to host and share her wisdom, Purple belt Janie Meadows of Oklahoma Martial Arts Academy will also be sharing some of her skills with us and we have a great yoga cool down at the end of the event with Shelby Williams. So far we have over 120 girls registered and room for more. No experience required! So what are you waiting for!!! Let the 2016 season of GIG events begin!!
Registration and information: www.girls-in-gis.com/blog/girls-in-gis-oklahoma-broken-arrow