CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE OUT WHY LADIES DON'T COMPETE IN TOURNAMENTS???
I went to the GTA tournament today to compete only to find that AGAIN there were not enough ladies to run a gi division. There were only two ladies that showed up for the women's gi divisions today (myself included). Unfortunately, there was a substantial weight difference between us and the promoters didn't feel it was safe for us to pooled into one division - not that I blame them at all. I would have done the same thing. Safety is the most important issue. But, it was a disappointing day to say the least.
This is not the first time that this has happened to me. It is extremely frustrating and it just plain SUCKS! I don't understand why more women don't compete in tournaments!
There has been a lot of discussion about how pooling weight classes for women discourages us from competing. FYI everyone, the GTA tournament, and pretty much every other tournament that I have seen, posts weight classes for women. Two out of the last three tournaments, I have had nobody in my division. Saying that posting weight classes is the only way that women will compete is obviously not true. Us ladies know going to a tournament that the weight classes are in effect IF they are able to get enough women out. Otherwise, the promoters have no choice but to combine divisions together. We know that going in and I don't think this deters people from competing. If there aren't enough women coming out, what do you expect the promoters to do??? They have no choice but to pool everyone together. I don't blame them for that. Until more women start coming out, this cannot change.
So what is it that stops women from coming out? Is it the cost of competing? Is it the fear of competition? Just a lack of interest all together? I am finding it so frustrating to be all psyched up and ready to compete only to find that there is nobody to fight.
Please talk to the women at your clubs, find out what is stopping them from coming out! If we know what the issues are FROM THE WOMEN (not just what you guys THINK the issues are) maybe we can address the problem and get some more participation.
Just to throw an idea out there...would any ladies be more comfortable if there was a "ladies only" tournament at someone's club??? I know that when Yael has been so kind as to organize the women's open matts, there has been participation from the women. Would a ladies only tournament help the situation?
Also can everyone tell me how many women train at each club? I just want to know if it is even realistic to hope for the day when I don't have to guess if I will be able to compete when I go to a tournament.
Sing it sister!! I know the frustration that you speak of. I don't know why women don't want to compete so I don't have any answers - I just wish more women would.
Personally, I like tournaments where I am guaranteed more than one fight. I have paid $60 US for only two guaranteed fights, in my books that money could have been much better spent elsewhere (I don't think this is a female only issue however - guys don't like paying $30 for five minutes rolling time either).
Maybe it's partly money and partly the fact that you gear up for a tournament, train hard and then WHAM! only one fight. It definitely gets a little disheartening. Especially if you have cut weight and then realise there was absolutely no point making the effort because there was no one else in the weight class anyway.
Hey girl (not sure if we've met?)...sorry to hear about the low turnout today, but to be honest in terms of this specific event, i'm not really surprised since it was more of a last minute, smaller tournament. But in general yeah, the canadian women bjj scene is pretty pathetic when it comes to tournies...although did you compete at joslins? I was in the stands and it seemed like there was a nice number of women.
I really don't think this has to do with cost..i'd say lack of interest in competing and just the fact that the # of women training bjj here is not that high.
Even with my open matts which i try to anounce well in advance and work with ppl's schedules, i've gotten max ~10 women and they're all different weight classes/levels...so right there we see lack of interest, etc.
I'd definately be up to help organize an all women's tourny if there's interest in that..even if we can use that as a way to build women's confidence to compete in regular events, that'd be great.
I often go to the states to compete for this exact reason, so much more opportunity to find women at my weight/level.
Maybe we need to try to start more women's classes and market towards women so that we can help the sport grow in canada(?)
I know Leka Viera in California runs an all women's bjj program and apparently has LOTS of competitive women there...I realize it's a different situation but it just goes to show that the women are out there we just have to figure out how to lure them in :D
p.s. i think starting a listserve type thing of women who train, and women who are interested in competing would be a good idea. Just to make sure everyone is aware of events and possibly to organize future open matts, clinics, etc.
I know at Toronto BJJ we have 3 women on a regular basis:
2 purples and 1 blue
and also a white belt that comes out here and there
I don't think i've ever competed at a tournament that had more than 4 other women competing. Yea, it is very frusterating, especially when you get a group with varying weights. I kinda expect it though, after all theres still not that many that try bjj and stick with it (that i've seen at least, it may be different for other clubs, but at mine there's maybe 2 other girls and one of them doesn't roll). As well, some just seem to want to do it for self defense/recreation purposes and aren't all that aggressive or interrested in competition - not all men compete either.
I'm all for pooling weight classes, it beats not being able to compete, or only having one match. A women's only tournament would be great - wish i could have made it to Yael's open mat.
Jiuchick..when is the next open mat? If I know in advance I'll definitely come. (even book off work)
I was not out at the tournament today..even to watch due to poor scheduling and lack of funds around Christmas time and partially due to the fact that I had no one to fight when I entered Joslins.
I asked a number of the girls that were there about their clubs and each one said that there was roughly 2 girls at each of their clubs..which is the same as my own (the other from my club quite possibly the one that showed up to the GTA today Ibite) so it does show a lack of interest and I'm thinking of following jiuchicks strategy of going to the states in the future until the interest is higher here.
I fully plan on being at Joslins next year.. in a different weight category.. lol
Jiuchick - yeah we have met - it's Jacqui from Joslins :)
No I didn't compete at the Joslins tourney - I was out of commission for a month and VERY disappointed that I didn't get to compete (especially since I wanted to REPRESENT!). AND there were actually FOUR women IN MY WEIGHT CLASS at that tourney! HOLY CRAP CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT???
It seems that the Joslins tournament is one of the only tournaments within a reasonable driving distance that actually gets some women out at it. But, that being said, when I spoke to the other female gi competitor today, she said that she had to be pooled at the Joslins tourney due to lack of people in her weight division. She had to fight people up to 145 and she was only 100lbs.
I have been to one of jiuchick's open matts and it was a BLAST! Rabid - I highly recommend making it to the next one! I took two other women from Joslin's with me and we can't wait to go back. It was incredible to be on the matts with eight other women of varying skill levels and sizes.
We actually have a women's only class on Sundays but only have four of us that have really stuck with it. I have competed (and tried to compete a few times without success) and one other person competed for the first time at Joslins (and I would be surprised to see her compete again even though she had a blast and placed third). The other two are not interested in competing for reasons that I don't know. Both would do well in competition, but I guess are not interested for their own reasons and I respect that. I just wish more women wanted to compete because it is FUN :)
Do other clubs have women's only classes? It was suggested to me today the possibility of periodically inviting women from other clubs to come into our women's classes to train. Do other clubs do that? If so, PLEASE LET ME KNOW! It sounds like a good idea!
Nice to know that I am not the only frustrated one...thanks girls :)
Ok, so i discussed this situation with a friend and we're thinking that a step in the right direction would be to get a contact/email list going of all the women training/competing on the east coast. This way it'll be easier to keep track of who's coming out to what events and maybe it'll act as a stepping stone to help organize ourselves better, which will hopefully result in a larger turnout of women on a regular basis.
So if you girls agree...and unless you have any other ideas as to how to start making change, please get the contact info (even if it's just email address) of the women who train/compete at your club (of course only those who are interested in being included) and email me at mocafrap@hotmail.com
I have exams until wednesday but afterwards I will email all the women I have contacts for and try to get as many clubs involved as possible.
For any guys who read this, if you can help us out that'd be great!!!
JACqui, girl whats up! Sorry didn't realize it was you....yeah i think a lot of women are in the same mindset as the girls you train with, just not intersted in competition for their own reasons.
Little One I'm hoping to have another open matt in the winter...hopefully in feb, if not march. Have been out of commission for 3 months but "slowly" getting back in the groove so i'll keep you chicks updated for sure.
jiuchick - that sounds AWESOME. Thanks for jumping on that :) Let me know if you need any help.
It would be nice to know going to a tournament if there will actually BE some other women on the matts. It is very disheartening to be all ready to fight and be told "sorry - nobody else showed up!" You have my contact info, and I can pass the word along to the other ladies at Joslin's.
jiuchick that sounds awesome! I have you on myspace but I'll definitely send you an e-mail and I'll see if the other female at my club would like to be added.
Ibite - the plan in the new year has always been for myself and the other female to come up and check out your womens only class. I work shift work which involves weekends, 2 out of 4 a month, so it will take some good planning but hopefully you'll see us out soon.
I think you already have my contact info, but I'll send it again anyway!
I decided to compete today, but was pretty disappointed when only 2 other girls (for no-gi) were signed up. One of the two had to leave before she competed too, cause one of her teammates got hurt, which was nothing she could do anything about, but left only 2 of us to compete (and we were in different weight classes too).
I think it would be great to get something organized between all of us, so that we can make the most out of our training and tournaments!
Sux that there was no women competing at the GTA. Thats why I tried to always have womens superfights at the OSW's, to help pump up women in the sport. Looks like since the OSW is in hold, so is the competitive spirit of the women