Jozlynn Brunson

Why Jiu-Jitsu? I started jiu-jitsu when my younger brother started doing it again. I decided to give it a try and ended up really enjoying it. I’ve been training for about seven months.

Greatest achievement: Winning a match at my first jiu-jitsu tournament was a big achievement for me. It was a lot of fun.

Biggest challenge: At my first tournament, there was no one else signed up in my weight division, so I had to move up to the women’s division. I was really nervous, especially since it was my first tournament, but as soon as I got out of my head, I was fine and ended up getting second place.

Pre-match rituals: I usually listen to Christian hip-hop or worship music before my matches. It helps me get mentally prepared and in the right mindset.

Music for motivation: “Washed” by Elevation Rhythm or “Fruits of My Labor” by Caleb Gordon.

Lessons learned: Jiu-jitsu has taught me to be tough mentally and physically. It has taught me to slow down and look at things with an open mind. It also taught me how to turn my losses into lessons and how to grow from them.

Future goals: One of my biggest sports goals is to play college soccer. I plan to study aviation sciences and become a pilot.

For fun: When I’m not training, I like to read, crochet and practice guitar. I also play acoustic and electric guitar for my youth group worship team and have been playing for two years. I’m also involved in Scouting America, so sometimes I’m backpacking or camping in Georgia.

Words to live by: You really can achieve anything as long as you put your mind to it and put real effort into what you want to achieve. You are your biggest net. Stop thinking about all the things that could go wrong and start thinking about the things that can go right. 

Photos: Cindy Peterson