Interview With Bailey Prisby (The Fearless Teen BJJ Practitioner)
Bailey Prisby is a comitted BJJ practitioner with a bright future in the sport. With her passion for this martial art and a strong team behind her, she shares her insights on the sport in a unique and empowering way. This interview shows the many benefits of Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
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Full Name: Bailey Prisby
Age: 14
Belt Colour: Grey White
Professor: Jean Kleber Freitas
Short Term Goals: Get better at the Omoplata position in gi and any other new positions I am taught along my journey.
How long have you been doing jiu-jitsu for?
Around 6-7 years in and out
Where do you train out of?
Kimura Brazilian Jiu Jitsu USA
Do you prefer gi or no-gi?
Gi because it's easier to make your grips and control
What are some lessons you learned from jiu-jitsu that apply to everyday life?
Perseverance meaning to never give up on something and keep trying until I achieve and learning from your mistakes because your coaches will guide you every step
Bailey Prisby with her team at Kimura Brazilian Jiu Jitsu USA
How often do you train?
6x a week Monday through Saturday
What made you want to start training?
I automatically knew at a young age that I needed self defense in my life and having jiu jitsu has changed my lifestyle completely because it makes my confidence better and I feel a lot stronger and powerful when fighting.
Do you plan on training your whole life?
Yes of course! It blossomed me into the person that I am today!
What’s it about jiu-jitsu that makes it so addicting?
Being surrounded by good people and the techniques and my academy's slogan is "United as a Family" and I love that and whenever anyone walks in they treat automatically like family and I love by that to treat anyone with respect and also that when learning new positions, they have it where we learn it for a whole week so it could be implanted to our brain so we can keep it in mind which I love tons.
What has jiu-jitsu done for your physical health?
It has made my physical physique a lot more muscular and it has made me a better person toward other people and to myself and anyone that surrounds me and I love my academy and there is nothing that can replace it.
Has jiu-jitsu benefited your mental health?
BJJ has benefited my mental health by all the positivity once again surrounded around me and my physical attribute and that how respectful people are and they always uplift you and it's also doing good cause you're giving back by doing the same thing to others
If you could restart your jiu-jitsu journey, would you do anything differently?
Honestly, starting sooner, I shouldn't have waited that long because I started it when I was around nine years old I think I should've started as soon as possible
What’s your advice for someone that’s never tried jiu-jitsu before but is interested in trying it?
My advice for someone that hasn't tried BJJ at all is that it's always always nice to try something new because even though you think you may not like it, BJJ Aki Moore BJJ is one of the best places you could ever experience trying out ever. It's a free one week trial and you get to have the most fun of your life while making new friends along the way.
Do you have any aspirations in jiu-jitsu?
My aspirations in BJJ are probably getting better at some takedowns such as the suicide before I used to be really good at it, but I've lost that, but I am extremely very good at using the overhead takedown and I also want to work using the Omoplata sweep in gi and nogi and any sort of sweeps in closed guard, and I also want to improve my triangle from close guard
What’s your favourite move?
My favorite move at the moment is probably the bow and arrow choke from taking the back or doing the superman sweep tripod sweep or the arm trap sweep from close guard but the Superman from when the person is standing up from when I'm in close guard
If you didn’t discover jiu-jitsu, where do you think you’d be now?
I have no idea where I'd be because jiu jitsu is my passion and I'm so glad I found something like this has made me into the person I am today
Would you like to see the sport become more mainstream?
Absolutely I think everyone in the world should know the sport because it is one of the best ways for self-defense and it's very easy because it's just technique and there's no kicking no punching. It's just all technique and using grappling. It's very similar to wrestling, but I feel that jiu jitsu has more of an impact on people and it has a lot more technique.
Have any of your training partners pushed you to reach your full potential?
Absolutely especially one of my best friends Sabrina Stone, Isabela Lobeto, and some other regular friends, such as Olivia Petrakis, Beatriz Soares, etc.
When you were first starting, what was the most difficult concept of jiu-jitsu that you had trouble getting?
Technique because I used to do karate when I was younger and karate I feel did not have that much technique at all and when I came to BJJ Aki Morra had tons of technique that I had to learn, but I picked it up quickly along the way from one one of my professors that comes every now and then Ricardo Barbosa Jesus
If you had to describe Jiu-Jitsu to someone that's never heard of it before in under 5 words, what would those words be?
My five words to describe BJJ to a random person that has never heard of. It would be spectacular groundbreaking, easy-going, perseverance, and lastly work.
What has been the most memorable moment you've had on the mats so far?
When I got my new belt back in 2021, which was my gray white belt that I still have currently because I've been training on and off back then from when I was in middle school but now I am fully committed to the sport and nothing can stop that.
Was there a difficult moment in your life where jiu-jitsu helped you get through it? If so, please explain.
If I'm being honest, I didn't really have any difficult moments in my life, but when my grandma passed away bjj got me through that because I was turned into a good environment and good people, and I pray to God every day to make sure that she would be OK up in heaven and for myself into my family in jiu-jitsu help with that because I had a great time on the mats all the time and I never really cried on the mats and I always stayed optimistic around my teammates and my BJJ community
Bailey Prisby with her BJJ community
What would you like to say to everyone that has supported you on your journey?
I would like to say to everyone that I am extremely grateful to have you guys by my side and I hope you guys stay with me along my journey having supporters is a great thing because I know my mom and my dad and all of my family and friends will always be my number one supporters and God will always be the top-tier. He's been there for me since day one and I can't wait to prove the world to myself that I can be the best I can be and still can be.
When the journey is over, how would you like to be remembered?
As a fearless teenager growing up with BJJ. and training at one of the best jiu-jitsu facilities ever to exist.
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