Gracie News

Semi-Annual Belt Ceremony

December 23, 2009

On Saturday, December 12, 2009, we had our
semi-annual belt ceremony. Altogether, there were 48 blue belts, 6
purple belts, and 7 brown belts awarded. The only person to receive a
promotion to black belt was John Boyd. Uncle John started training when
he was 51. He was first introduced to Gracie Jiu-Jitsu when a friend
let him borrow a UFC 1 on VHS. Intrigued by what he saw, John drove
over an hour from his house in Thousand Oaks to the Gracie Academy in
Torrance. Upon his arrival, he sat in his parked car for nearly two
hours imagining the pain and torture that most likely awaited him on
the other side of the glass doors. Then, against the will of every bone
in his body, he finally built up the courage to enter the building.
When he did, he was instantly greeted by Rorion who immediately offered
to teach him a free introductory private lesson. Fearfully, John agreed.



Today, Uncle John is a black belt, a certified instructor, and an
inspiration to everyone who knows him. His dedication is unparalleled,
and we are very proud to have him as part of the family.




A Grand Master Story
Grand
Master Helio Gracie's greatest passion was to share his knowledge with
those who needed it most. One day, during one of his regular trips to
the Unites States, the Grand Master was overseeing a Gracie Academy
group class and he noticed that a man who was nearly double the age of
all the other participants in the class. That man was John Boyd. The
Grand Master was so delighted to see someone of John's age practicing
the art that he offered to teach him a private lesson for free. John
accepted the offer and, luckily, he had the foresight to film the
lesson. Click on the link below to view some clips of this
unforgettable moment in John's jiu-jitsu journey.



Updated list of Certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Belt Holders

New Video:
Uncle John's Private with the Grand Master