Members compete in BJJ Tour Santa Cruz, win many medals
By Coral Pratt
Lake County Sports on Facebook
SANTA CRUZ >> Ferreira Family Fight Academy recently traveled to Santa Cruz to compete in BJJ Tour Santa Cruz, with six athletes representing the academy and bringing home six gold medals and additional silver medals.
Established in Lakeport in 2018, Ferreira Family Fight Academy is led by professor Bruno Ferreira, a second-degree black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and professional cage fighter, and Nicole Ferreira, who is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and helps run the academy. Together they emphasize the traditional foundations of the art, focusing on strong fundamentals, technique and discipline.
The academy offers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, kickboxing and Muay Thai, with classes designed for students of all experience levels. Whether training for competition or simply learning the fundamentals, students are taught to develop their skills through technique, consistency and discipline.
The academy’s athletes put those principles into practice at BJJ Tour Santa Cruz.
BJJ Tour Santa Cruz results were as follows:
— Julius Ferreira — Double gold in Gi and No Gi (moved up a weight bracket in No Gi).
— George Hornung — Double gold in both Gi and No Gi.
— Mara Eichelmann — Gold medal in Female Gi.
— Gisselle López — Gold medal in female Gi.
— Maddy Eichelmann — Silver medal in Peewee Gi and No-Gi.
While competition is an important part of the academy, Ferreira Family Fight Academy’s work extends beyond the mats.
The academy takes pride in working within the communities it serves and with organizations supporting individuals on the autism spectrum and people with disabilities. That commitment reflects one of the academy’s core principles that Jiu Jitsu is for everyone. That philosophy comes from the foundations of Jiu Jitsu, which teach that technique, leverage and skill can allow a smaller or weaker opponent to defend themselves against a stronger opponent.
For Ferreira Family Fight Academy, the focus is on preserving the foundations of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu while helping students build confidence, discipline and a strong understanding of the art. Those interested in trying a class can visit the academy at 190 S. Main St. in Lakeport.
PHOTOS: Courtesy of Coral Pratt