This is me speechless for once and for those who know me, know that I can talk a glass eye to sleep! I really didn’t know what to say! So I’ll say my thank-yous here. Im sure Ill still miss a few people off the list - but believe me, I owe a little bit of this black belt to pretty much everyone who is reading this! First up, Vito Juliano. He lent me UFC 1 on VHS back when I worked at Toys R Us. It really was the spark that started it all for me. Phil Wright - my first coach who provided a great platform and environment to start my journey. Lots of fond memories, ill fitting gis and trying to roll like Imanari and Takumi Yano. I’m still trying ;) Darren and Helen Currie - who helped steer me and Factory in the right direction in the early days of me setting up my own club. Always on hand to support the club and the guys when competing and at seminars. Chris Haueter - what an honour to be promoted by someone who has had a HUGE impact on my game. We have had some absolute monster rolls over the past 6 years and his influence, lessons and beatings have shaped my game. John Will - whose annual seminars have always shown me to dig deep with the exploration of the art. Lots of life lessons off the mat and plenty of game-changing details on it. John Allen - we started on the same day and he’s been on the mat with me ever since. Always on hand to help and support me in many ways. Doug Mochan - He sadly quit training but along with John Allen he was there from the start and was always on hand to roll that extra round, drill before classes and bounce ideas off. I miss him on the mat! James Nardone - He came in at white belt when I was a blue belt and quickly I was like ‘I’ve gotta up my game every time we roll’! The nearest I’ve had to a regular coach since Factory formed in 2007. Thanks for all the advice, tips, 1000s of rounds and filling in for classes. Leroy Holcroft - Great sparring and drilling partner. Plenty of hype to push me, when I’ve needed it most. Without Leroy I wouldn’t have been able to keep the momentum and progressive growth Factory has seen over the last 7 years. Always on hand to assist and cover classes when I’m away competing and at seminars. A huge help to me and the club. Cheers dude! Lloyd Cooper - Again huge support for me at the club on and off the mat. Always on hand for a roll, drill and bounce ideas off. Great to have the Gripper back in Manchester to herald a new chapter of training for me. Gary Furlong - Injected a very different no gi style into the club and my game about 4 years back, which really helped both my gi and no gi game. Always there with lots of little tweaks and additions to round my game off. All the coaches, assistants and people who train at Factory. Whether supporting me while away, supporting me financially by paying fees, supporting seminars and helping each other to be the best you can be. A rising tide, lifts all ships. My family, my Mum, Dad and everyone else - especially Kirsty who has to put up with me being away and late home all the time, plus moody when cutting weight. PhD Nutrition - Thanks to Jay and Mark - your continued help has been brilliant and really useful. Having a supplement company backing me with as much drive and ambition as me has been really inspiring and kept me pushing hard each and every day. Scramble - always there for me, always kept me in super cool gis, rashguards and kit for many years now. More importantly you believed in me and my vision to be the best I can be. Love you guys! All the visitors and supporters we’ve had at Factory over the years on and offline and to all the cool people I’ve trained with around the UK and in the USA - too many to list, but thank you! https://dropbox/sh/koyhh4o4y9uf3bc/AAD8AcZvmDWcdAP4-LDhEYMea/Video%2005-11-2014%2020%2023%2056.mov?dl=0
Posted on: Thu, 20 Nov 2014 09:23:34 +0000
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