I signed Gabby up at Tri-State for a couple of reasons. The first was that she was being bullied in school and the second was that she was having anger issues stemming from some issues at home. Since starting, she has gained some confidence in standing up to bullies but the biggest change is that she has a much better handle on her anger. At times, when she starts to get really angry about situations that are out of our control she will let it out by working on her training instead of screaming, yelling, and hitting/kicking things around the house.

I started at Tri State back in the Spring of 2015. I had done martial arts as a kid, and grew up around it since my father was competing/teaching/judging TKD, but I decided to focus more on dance instead. Well, I fell back in love with it after my intro session! Martial arts is very similar to dance, in that it has the perfect balance of structure (footwork, coordination, remembering combos) and freedom (finding your style, flowing with your partner, and experimenting... the "art" part). PLUS hitting stuff is fun! Tri State is also a pretty special school because it only attracts really genuine, humble, hard-working people; no big ego's or foul language here! I am so appreciative for everything I have learned, the friends I have made, and the calories I have burned. Thank you to Ajarn Jeff Jones, Sifu Kasaun Tramel and Sifu Aiden Sharkey; although I miss punching my friends in the face, you guys are absolutely CRUSHING IT on Zoom!

My martial arts journey started when I was 19 years old in the fall of 2009, 6 years before I joined Tri State Mixed Martial Arts. In the years leading up to me finding martial arts, I struggeld with dyslexia and my mental health. In school, I was bullied profusely and would often miss weeks of school at a time. In my Jr. Year in high school, life took a sharp turn. At that moment I realized I did not like the person I was. I made a choice to do... to be better. Martial Arts saved my life. In February 2016, I joined Tri State. The moment I walked through those doors I knew this school was something special! I was in awe at the professionalism of the staff, the culture, and the school as a whole. I joined that day! After some time training at Tri State, Sifu Jeff offered me a position as an assistant instructor. It has been such an honor teaching. Teaching was very new to me and I was a bit nervous at first. Sifu Jeff gave me a gift to help kids, the kind of help I wish I had when I was their age. My hope is to be a positive influence to others the way Sifu Jeff has been to me. Tri State is home!