FOSTERING THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT

Competition is a strong tool to help to nurture the competitive spirit within your child. It will also help to deepen the bond that your child has with his/her strength within and will create a focus to each training that only the challenge of training for a competition can bring. 

The mental skills developed through Jiu-Jitsu competition, such as self-control, staying calm under pressure, attentive listening, grit, and resilience are beneficial beyond their martial arts journey and have been shown to contribute greatly to the overall development of children.

As a parent, you play a significant role in creating a positive experience for your child. Please read the basic information below. It will help you prepare and enjoy the tournament day and the process leading into it.

We highly recommend you take a moment to read the CompNet Parents Guide. This is an invaluable resource to help you prepare and align expectations for the event  https://compnet.link/parentsguide

TIPS FOR PARENTS

1. When registering your child for the tournament, have a conversation with their coach or professor. Ask them if they feel your child is ready and how you and they can work together to help them prepare for the tournament. Also, you and your child coach should decide which division you should register for.
2. Registration is non-refundable. If the reason for the request is a medical condition, the deadline to request preserving credits is one week before the event. Tournament credits can be used to register for future events in the Illinois region.
3. When you register your child, you will receive one complimentary spectator ticket per family. Additional tickets ($10 cash) can be purchased at the door.
4. A CompNet division is built by three elements: Age, Rank, and Weight. Make sure to register your child for the age group they will be in on the day of the event. If your child receives a promotion (change of belt color) before day of the event, you must update the registration before correction deadline.  Change requests past the deadline will not be accepted. 
5. CompNet Tournaments age groups follow a similar structure to the GBK Program used by Gracie Barra Schools. 
6. A typical age group for CompNet Tournaments goes as follows: Tiny Champs (3 and 4 years old), Little Champions 1 (5 and 6 years old), Little Champions 2 (7 and 8 years old), Juniors 1 (9 and 10 years old), Juniors 2 (11 and 12 years old), Teens (13 to 15 years old), Juvenile (16 and 17 years old).
7. When choosing the weight division, make sure to weigh in your child wearing the full Gracie Barra Uniform (Kimono, Rashguard, belt). The official weigh-in happens a few minutes before the athlete's first match. Monitor your child's weight during the weeks leading into the competition and make any changes in division before the correction date (February 27th).  Click here to download the CN Kids Weight Chart
8. A child that does not meet the weight requirement for the division is subjected to immediate disqualification. 
9. If your child is alone in the registered division after correction date, the tournament organizer will use its best judgment to create competitive matches by moving the child's registration up or down in weight, age, or rank. 
10. The deadline to change your child's registration (weight, belt color) is May 14th, 2024. You can make changes by logging into Smoothcomp. Reach out to [email protected] if you need further assistance. 
11. CompNet Tournaments have all youth divisions in the mornings. Plan to arrive at the venue 60 mins before the doors open (or 60 minutes before the estimated time for your child's division). We will release an approximate time for each division on the Thursday before the tournament. 
12. Plan to attend the tournament from 8am until 1pm. Once the estimated times of each division are released, you can adjust your schedule accordingly.

Through the experience of competing at a CompNet Tournament, parents have a very unique opportunity to create quality moments with their children and teach them valuable lessons about sports and life. If you have any questions about how to prepare for the tournament, reach out to your child's coach or professor.