STEPHENS Sparring with determination: how a surprise move taught a life lesson

With each passing training session, Riyann has grown sharper and sharper. Her love for Jiu Jitsu has not relented. As she and her fellow students prepare for the upcoming tournament, she has shifted her learning into overdrive. Her passion for spending time with her friends while training burns bright within her heart, a thing I thought for sure would have lessened by now.

Sporting her new blue Gi (uniform) she received for her birthday, she entered the training facility with a smile on her face. As her friends arrived, the atmosphere shifted to a jovial spirit of fun and learning. As always, her trainer was kind and attentive as he taught the kids new tactics, challenging each of them to pay attention and excel to greatness. As I watched, I could feel the pride in my daughter beginning to swell.

When the coach gathered his students to explain that they would be helping prepare those who would be attending the tournament, a mixed response could be heard from the kids. Following the same format as he had in the previous classes, he informed the team that the five children going to the tournament would be sparing the rest of the class. I had to chuckle a little inside as the coach said those dreaded words and the response from the five students.

After the ughs subsided, the fun began.

Each student would face a member of the class in a test of who could get the other down to the mat as quickly as possible. Then the student would move on to another classmate and continue, repeating the task for the remaining thirty minutes.

Paying close attention to my kid, I watched as she showed kindness and empathy toward the younger, much smaller students she faced. Likewise, I watched as she went full force when confronted by kids similar in stature. As the kids hit the midway mark, a chain of events took place which would pretty much leave everyone in the facility laughing.

At one point, Riyann turned her attention away from the younger boy she was sparring with. A boy who was half her size. As she turned to look at the coach, the boy engaged, grasping both her legs, from behind. The boy was not going to let go until he won the battle.

As Riyann felt the boys’ arms around her ankles, her eyes widened, her jaw dropped, and she fell forward. Although unconventional by any terms the boy succeeded simply because he never gave up and he failed to become distracted.

When the laughter subsided, I couldn’t help but think about how often in life we have the option to give up or keep moving forward. Regardless of whether it’s work, relationships, or our peers, the path can grow difficult. Like the little boy, we must remember never to give up and constantly be looking for a way to win the battle. Sometimes we simply must engage to overcome. Never lose sight of your goals my friends and fight like the dickens to meet them.

Richard J. Stephens lives in Carter County and is the father of three little ladies. His experiences being a single parent, co-parent, and leader, provide a unique perspective to a wide array of issues families face in our modern times. Fulfilling roles as a youth director, elected mayor, educator, county sheriff and business owner adds to his experiences and bolsters his light-hearted approach to life. Tales from the Dad Side is a journey depicted through one man’s experiences penned through written stories and tales which modern families can relate to as they traverse this life.