THE RED CORNER
NEWS AND UPDATES FROM THE NORTH STAR ACADEMY OF MIXED MARTIAL ARTS
WEEK OF FEBRUARY 9th, 2026
Monday Mindset, Junior Samurai Stripe Challenge, Membership Updates, and Facility FAQ Links all available at the bottom!
Happy Monday team!
We have an awesome week of training on the horizon!
I will be off the mats for the next week, however, as I am heading over to Innsbruck, Austria for a Jiu Jitsu intensive with some of the sport’s top athletes. This is my second year attending, and on the previous trip I picked up some incredibly helpful details that have had a significant impact on my jiu jitsu. I’m looking forward to sharing all this with you when I return!
All classes are on as normal, so no issues there. We MAY, however, have an adjusted schedule for Saturday (2/14) morning as many of our competitors are heading to Reading for an event. In the event that anything changes, I will make sure to notify you all.
Stay posted as we sort this one out.
This past weekend we ventured into NYC for Dashaun Kimp’s muay thai debut. Dashaun went a full 3 rounds against a game opponent, coming up short on the scorecards on the losing side of a split decision. These things happen. I am incredibly proud of the hard work Dashaun put in over the course of his training camp, and the courage and gameness he had to step into the ring. On to the next one!
I do want to take a moment here to make one thing clear: as a gym, we have an identity. This identity is built on many things, largely on those qualities and values that we all collectively bring and share. However, some parts of this identity come from the top. So read closely, as this is important: I will never, ever call a judge’s decision unfair. Complaining about judges getting it wrong is both a waste of time and an act of incompetence. And just like dirty feet on the mats, that nonsense is not welcome in our academy 😉
As athletes, we are responsible for everything in our domain, even those things that are not our fault. No, it’s not fair. But it’s real. And it’s how we move forward.
We accept decisions with gratitude, appreciation, and finality. Whether I personally think Dashaun won or lost is irrelevant. We do not piss and moan, we do not blame, we do not complain. We get back to work and we get better.
One of my greatest pet peeves is reading the social media rants the day after competitions where coaches, fans, and fighters alike blame judges, blame refs, blame weather, blame everything except themselves. Variables exist. We can’t control them. We can only control our actions.
So keep the focus inwards. If we do not win, it’s because we did not do enough to win. Full stop.
This mentality is at the core of our gym’s identity. We don’t complain, we conquer.
I should say, the above is not motivated by anyone’s actions. Dashaun and the team at large took the loss in stride, and he demonstrated impressive spirit in how he has handled and internalized the experience, and everyone on our team has been nothing but key elements in an incredible support system. I want to thank you all for always providing sure footing for those who take the risks to go out there and put it on the line. It truly takes a village.
Thank you all for always being awesome!
For those of you in today’s morning classes, I’ll see you on the mats! For everyone else, catch you next week!
–Coach Jackson
You can find this week’s Monday Mindset HERE
You can find this week’s Junior Samurai Stripe Challenge HERE