Joshua Pinson was one of Straight Blast Gym Atlanta’s first Kids Jiu Jitsu students, and he is killing the game!
Last summer, Angela Pinson enrolled her two sons, Josh and Israel, in our Growing Gorillas Kids Jiu Jitsu program at Straight Blast Gym Atlanta (Angela also trains at SBG Atlanta in our Muay Thai and Fitness Kickboxing programs). When we asked why Angela wanted to get her kids involved in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, young Josh spoke up on her behalf.
“My mom wanted me to do Jiu Jitsu because she wanted me to improve my level of self-discipline. I can be lazy, but when I feel a sense of determination there isn’t anything I can’t do especially when I am pushed!“
Josh, who was 12 years old at the time, began training in our Jr Gorillas program (our oldest group of kids). It was evident from the start that Josh was a good athlete with amazing potential to be great at Jiu Jitsu. His first Jiu Jitsu Coach, Randy Garcia, took an immediate liking to Josh. Coach Randy said this:
“What I like most about Josh is his leadership skills. As one of the oldest and biggest students in class, he has a rare ability to be paired with anyone and maximize the training for himself and his partner. Whenever we are lined up on the wall or playing team games, he takes control in ensuring that everyone is where they are supposed to be. And his teammates respect him in this role as well. That is due in part because he leads by example through good behavior, great listening skills, and a genuine interest in Jiu Jitsu. He could make a great coach in the future if he ever decides to take that path.”
High praise, but much deserved. Josh’s other Jiu Jitsu coach, Filipe Matos, added this about Josh:
“What I love most about josh is that he’s never complaining. The other day he got kicked by accident and I thought he would make a big deal of it but he just kept it rolling. He is super tough.”
We asked Josh about what he likes to do when he’s not training at Straight Blast Gym Atlanta:
“When I’m not training Jiu Jitsu, I like cooking, playing video games, writing novels (action genre specifically), trying new foods, and singing.“
