Hello all!
My name is Sidney Cline and my BJJ road has been long and winding. I started in martial arts about the time I could walk and mostly kept it up until I was about 16. It was then that I met a BJJ blue belt and started hitting the mats. He and a group of us did our best in a time when the highest rank in out state was a purple belt.
A few years later, I would start traveling and trying at various schools. Often, I would drive 4 hours and sleep in my car to get to do weekend training intensives. I started a "club" in my small Eastern KY town and put down mats. Aaron Goble was one of the first guys to walk into my place and he and I have been bringing BJJ to these hills for well over a decade now.
Over the years, I have had to give up my home to keep the gym going, begged borrowed and maybe even stole to keep a place going.
About 2 and a half years ago (long story short) I had someone refusing to leave my property when asked because he was harassing my then 6 yesr old son. He pulled a gun and pointed it to my chest. Luckily, I did what I needed to. I used my BJJ training to neutralize the threat taking a bullet in the knee in the process.
I thought my years of work were over, but I was blessed to have a few new students that came one as business partners and Aaron took over most of the coaching. Now, we are in the best position we have been in for the history of the project.
Thank you all for the part you play in keeping BJJ alive and growing. This is a responsibility I hold seriously as im sure at least most of you do.