Hey team!
I want to first formally thank everyone who submitted a video — we had an overwhelming amount of submissions, and it took me the better part of the week to watch them all and pick out a few favorites.
Once I got deep into the project, it was clear that the premise was flawed a bit: it’s not exactly fair to pick a “winner” because each video stands on its own merits, not to be compared or judged against others (just like our own progress in martial arts — it is unique to us, independent of everyone around us).
That said, because this was framed as a contest, and we did announce prizes, here are the finalists for the project.
Our GRAND PRIZE submission comes from Scott Cumpstone! Scott delivered a thoughtful, comprehensive, empowering, and slick video to the mix. I do want to add that while the shoutout to the gym (and myself) was extremely flattering, it was not a factor in the Grand Prize 🙂
No, seriously, it wasn’t. But the kind words are appreciated and it’s humbling to be along for the ride with all of you on your pursuits here at the Academy.
The following videos rounded out our Runners-Up and provide some great perspectives on training, performance, confidence, breaking boundaries, and so on. Thank you to Danny, Oren, and Trevon for your submissions!
Major +1’s to Danny B for keeping it funny, sincere, and direct! Danny is a great example of what hard work and goal-setting can produce!
Big ups to Trevon for giving us some insight into that early-stage of training, when you are starting to realize what you are truly capable of!
And finally, thank you to Coach Oren for sharing his decade plus of training experience with us — there comes a point where your training is not just a “hobby,” but rather an intrinsic part of your identity and your worldview. We are lucky to have Coach O on the squad and can’t wait to have him back on the mats with us!
Again, thank you to everyone who participated. It was a humbling project and I am privileged to have you on the team!