First Tournament

Sunday, October 20th

Zachary and Ethan competed in their very first Jiu-Jitsu tournament with their teammates from Maniwaki Jiu Jitsu — both kids and adults!

I can proudly say that all three of us survived the experience One of the boys even came home with some hardware!

As a mom of three with Autism, I’d love to say I had no worries or concerns about them competing … but I’d certainly be lying. Watching them step into something new took courage — from them and from me.

These things don’t happen without a dedicated team of coaches and an incredible support system. What you do matters — far beyond medals or a win/loss column.

The real victory isn’t in the hardware they brought home, but in the lessons they’re learning along the way.

Resilience is the best win.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned — and that’s okay. It’s okay to feel disappointed. What matters most is picking yourself up and trying again. It’s a hard lesson but the most important lesson in life.

I’d like to express a big Thank you to Chad, Seb, Alex, Xavier, Maverick (Ethan’s Best Friend and training buddy), and everyone who has been part of this journey with my boys. You’re all winners in my book.

Because at the end of the day, that’s what it means to Live with Purpose.

Live with Purpose