The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Club is new to the scene at Shippensburg University.

Specializing in grappling techniques, the martial art promotes the concept that a smaller and weaker person can defend himself or herself against a larger and stronger attacker through use of leverage and technique including chokes and joint-locks.

Randy Myers, a sophomore who serves as the club’s current president, has been practicing jiu-jitsu for two years and grappling since high school, started the club in February 2012.

“I want to teach for a living and felt that the club was a good way to get experience. It can help you learn self-defense and is a good way to make friends,” Myers said.

The Jiu-Jitsu Club was also started due to interest in the sport, and there was not a club offering it at the time.

“I personally joined the club because I wrestled in high school and the school did not offer anything similar besides wrestling,” said David Iacovino, a current sophomore and upcoming president of the club.

The club tries to compete in at least one tournament a semester and recently attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s Crimson Combat Tournament.

“As a team we earned four first places, two second places, and two third places,” Myers said, “Cumulatively we were the top school.”

Practices are held five times a week in ShipRec and last roughly an hour and a half. Walk-ins and new faces are always welcome.

“I just joined the club but I am not treated differently. They explain things and are nice about having new people join the club,” Laura O’Donnell, a sophomore and new member of the club said.

Students interested in joining for the fall semester of 2013 can check out the club’s Facebook group, Shippensburg Jiu Jitsu/MMA Club, or can send an email to di6117@ship.edu.

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