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Jennifer Dutton

sweaty. They are so wet they make sweat footprints when they
walk across the mat.
4. Coach Julian Doesn’t Know My Name

He keeps calling me Alexis. It doesn’t even sound like
“Angie.” It’s very demoralizing.
5. Coach Gary’s Breath Stinks

He gets in my face to explain instructions. There is no escape.
6. Being A White Belt Is The Worst
White belt means beginner, which means fresh meat. It
takes forever to move on to the next belt. To show progress, the
coaches wrap pieces of black rubber tape to make stripes around

the belt. I’m at two stripes, which makes me the lowest-ranking
kid in class. The other kids beat me—EVERY SINGLE TIME!
7. People Choke Me

See above. When you lose at sparring, you get choked. Mom,
WHY ARE YOU MAKING ME DO A SPORT WHERE THE
OUTCOME IS I GET CHOKED? Why is this even a thing???
8. The Uniforms Are Ugly
Wearing a gi is like wearing thick, rough pajamas with a

really confusing belt.
9. I Have To Wear A Mouth Guard
It collects my spit, makes me drool, gags me sometimes, and

makes me look like I have a gorilla mouth.
10. Getting My Butt Kicked Doesn’t Make Me Feel Confident
How is getting beat up every practice supposed to make me
confident? It only makes me feel helpless and scared.
11. There Are No Jiu-Jitsu Girls!

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