Brand New Club Introduces Jiu Jitusu Self-Defense
Bell Ringer Bell Ringer
Issue date: 4/27/10 Section: Arts & Life
|
The club, which tries to promote the realistic uses of self-defense, was first conceived by Scott Smalls, professor of biology. Upon contacting interested students, Smalls was joined by Daniel Barber, junior communications and sociology major and current Jiu Jitusu club president .
"It's not exactly what you see on UFC," Barber said. "It's what actually works in the streets."
Barber said that while Smalls, who has done years of boxing, Brazilian Jiu Jitusu and Judo, is both the instructor and advisor of the club, he will be leaving Augusta State University after spring semester of 2010.
"Right now, our replacement advisor is going to be Graham Connelly," Barber said. "We're still in talks of trying to find a new instructor."
During the Wednesday and Saturday meetings, Barber said the group has practiced basic moves, like cross punches, jabs, front choke escape, and wrist escapes. However, when safety equipment arrives, he said the club will begin to engage in more rigorous defense moves.
Paul Lambert, the club treasurer and a sophomore accounting major, said the club is very useful for college students.
"You never know what's going to happen these days," Lambert said. "You don't want to be that guy who gets ambushed and doesn't know what to do. So it's a learning experience and it's something fun to do."
Currently, the club already has 12 active members. Potential members have an option of paying a $20 fee for an entire year or a $10 fee for each semester.
"You're really not going to beat that price anywhere you go in town," Barber said.
Barber stated that although the club isn't planning to be active during the summer, if enough interest is generated, he and the other officers in the club wouldn't mind putting meetings together. For those who may feel weary about joining a club that requires a physical waiver, Barber said that certain procedures and protocols are taken when it comes to safety.
"There's a difference in someone hurting another individual when they don't quite know what they're doing and someone who is going out of their way to do that," Barber said. "So we have some experienced people who know what they're doing, so if that comes into play, I'll have them watching."
Barber stated that his ultimate hopes for the club are a self-defense class that will be taught as a curriculum course and an MMA team on campus.
Although he said public safety is a great feature on campus, Barber said there may be times when students may need to fend for themselves.
"There'll be a certain point where [public safety] won't be there, and you have to have a basic level of self-defense to be able to get yourself out of a situation to be able to contact the higher authorities," Barber said. "That's your life on the line."
Be the first to comment on this story