Blue Belt Memories
Kimberly Souza, Master Francisco Mansur, and myself with utterly ridiculous hair.
I received my blue belt under Claudio Franca, one of Francisco Mansur’s top students. Even after moving to San Diego and training with Roy Harris, I would occasionally end up back in Northern California and hang with my old crew.
At Claudio’s San Jose academy, Garth Taylor and I rapped out about my upcoming promotion to purple belt. I also mentioned that 2 others were going to be promoted around the same time, Kevin and Luke. Garth was Luke’s wrestling coach in high school, and the one who got him involved in jiu jitsu. Luke and I moved down to attend UCSD at the same time, and we both began training under Mr. Harris.
Garth, having known Luke as an undersized kid who was often whooped on, voiced his opinion that Luke probably shouldn’t be promoted just yet. Let him dominate at the blue belt ranks for awhile was his reasoning. Garth was a black belt, and I had no reason to disagree.
Back in San Diego, Mr. Harris and I were chatting after class and I relayed Garth’s opinion that Luke shouldn’t be promoted. I will never forget how his face changed, not into an expression of anger, but simply a stone cold visage. Then, I generously volunteered “I’m not in any rush to be promoted. Take your time.”
“Don’t worry,” he replied. “I will.”
I cringe when I think about that conversation. Me, a blue belt with a couple years of experience, telling my instructor who and when to promote. The man who taught, coached, and encouraged me, who knew my BJJ inside and out, who could shut me down at any time, with a depth to his game that I really could not even conceive of, was the man I was giving advice to. Unbelievable. I needed to trust more and realize that he was growing me, and others, at the right rate for long term success and a true understanding of BJJ.
Mr. Harris did take his time in promoting me, receiving my purple belt after 5 years of training. Luke morphed into a total and complete stud, with a superhero like physique and a slew of the hottest girlfriends San Diego had to offer. I’ve never forgotten that conversation, and keep it in mind as I have now become the professor, and continue to grow my students and friends, one at a time, in the way that serves them best.