DeBass ’24 Trains for World Jiu-Jitsu Championship

“All he truly wanted me to get out of jiu-jitsu was self-defense so I would be able to stand up for myself if I was ever attacked,” she explained. “Eventually after finding myself in a position in which I needed to defend myself against a boy on the school bus in the seventh grade, I realized the importance of my training. That incident really expanded my love for the sport.”

 

This love has taken her to countless tournaments, has presented her with opportunities to make new friends, and given her the confidence to approach others and share her passion for the sport. DeBass is currently in training for the world championships which will take place in Las Vegas in November.

 

“Participating in tournaments can be stressful,” DeBass says. “I usually try to attend as many classes as I can before a competition and roll with as many people as possible. One of the scariest things about tournaments is that when you are in the juvenile division there is never a good weight class, and because there are not many teens participating, I often end up with someone who is not even close to my age, height, or weight and who is male. This makes it very difficult to prepare.”

 

Though Chatham Hall does not currently offer a jiu-jitsu team, DeBass finds that the conditioning and camaraderie that comes with other sports bolsters her training.

 

“At Chatham Hall you are able to show your love for anything. GIRLS’ Day has to be my favorite day of the entire year,” she says of the day last winter during which she was able to instruct others. “I got to show some of the girls and faculty members my love for jiu-jitsu. Now there are many girls who have a strong interest in jiu-jitsu and I would love to be able to show them all more of it this year at GIRLS’ Day.”