Yeah we teach kids how to fight. Being able to handle yourself is an important quality, especially for young boys as they enter adolescence and into that secondary school atmosphere.

I was a boy. I raised 2 boys. I’ve coached maybe 2000 boys. I can speak with some authority on this.

Everything is great when you’re in primary school. Your teacher is great. You do finger painting. There’s still playtime at break. What’s not to love!

Then the testosterone surges, your environment changes, and suddenly everyone is jostling for position in a game that no one has told you the rules of.

And while fights aren’t inevitable, some level of aggression is. There are big lads throwing their weight around. Groups are forming. The social rules are dissolved. Everyone is playing a hierarchal shoving match.

There are options. You can just keep your head down and hope no one notices you. Lots of people do that. You can stick your chest out and stand up to everyone. A few do that too. Or you can try to be everyone’s mate. Some walk that line.

So to look at it negatively, you can be a wallflower, always be on watch, or always be negotiating. None of these are particularly appealing. I don’t have the short answer to those issues. But it does seem like there’s only a few of us get through without some sort of aggro.

Jiu Jitsu gives you the confidence to walk away from an encounter with your head held high. Knowing that you could if you wanted to, is often the reason you don’t. You don’t have to prove your manhood if you’re already assured of it from training.

Of course, there’s plenty of fun to be had in Secondary school too. Meeting new friends and exploring new subjects. But when the hassle starts, it’s nice to have something to fall back upon.

See you on the mat!

Barry