Jiu Jitsu tournament advice

Tournament days can be a rollercoaster of emotions for your family and especially your child. For most of the kids, this will be their first experience. They may feel an added sense of pressure since so much care has gone into the process of making it to the “big day”.  (ex. Family watching, traveling, expenses, all the prep time)

This should be a day of celebration. Your child will learn to value themselves based on how you show value to them during the process.

A big take away we want for them is to understand how their worth isn’t based on the outcome of their match. “If they lose, they’re not the worst, and if they win, they’re not the best.” We want them to win, the same way they lose, and prioritize the enjoyment of the experience above all.

Things to be aware of:

Your child’s mood might shift a lot during the lead up. As parents, I’d like us to imagine being in their shoes and having to fight someone in front of everyone. Our advice is to remind them they’ll be safe, how proud you are of them for all of their hard work, and to not set high/low expectations.

These are the times that will teach them how to face challenges under pressure in their lives, so let’s teach them how to look forward to these opportunities.