The 20th of June wasn't only the day Zilla Combat Academy officially opened its doors at The Heathers. It was also our very first grading ceremony at the new home, and the mats got put straight to work.
The day opened with open mats, both kids and adults sparring and drilling as normal, before it moved into the grading ceremony itself: months of hard work being recognised the way it should be, with a belt or a stripe, in front of the people who watched every bit of it get earned. Three gradings took place across the day: kids, seniors, and our own coaching team.
"Belts are never given. They're earned through consistency, resilience, and showing up on the days when nobody's watching."
Richard, BJJ Coach
Kids Grading
First up were our youngest students, and it was the first kids grading held at The Heathers. Every one of them has shown up consistently, put in the work in class after class, and on the day they were recognised for exactly that.
Whether it was a stripe or a full belt, it was earned. The progress this group has shown over recent months has been brilliant to watch, and it made the milestone of grading in our new home even sweeter.
To everyone who graded, congratulations. Wear it with pride. And to those whose moment hasn't come yet, keep showing up. Your time is coming.
Seniors Grading
Our seniors were up next, spanning both the regular mixed classes and the women's programme, all recognised together on the same mats. It was the first grading of any kind held for the group at The Heathers.
Every stripe and belt handed out had already been earned in the months before, through hard work, consistency and growth on the mats. The ceremony was simply the moment it became official.
For everyone who received a promotion, being part of the first grading at our new home carries a little extra weight, and it's something that will always be part of Zilla's story. For those whose moment didn't come this time, that takes nothing away from the work put in.
Coaches Grading
The day carried extra weight for the coaching team too. Head coach and founder Dayman Lake was awarded his Black Belt, presented by head BJJ coach George Pearse. Years of dedication and growth, recognised in one moment, and by some distance the story of the day.
He wasn't the only one levelling up:
- Richard, awarded his third stripe on purple belt
- Frank, promoted to purple belt
- Louise, promoted to purple belt
- Sergio, promoted to purple belt
Every one of those promotions was earned over years on the mats, not months. It's easy to forget that the people leading your classes are still students of the art themselves, and that's part of what makes this team what it is.
Whatever colour was around your waist by the end of the day, the 20th of June marked the start of a new chapter at The Heathers for every one of us. This is just the beginning.
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