What is your name, how old are you and where are you originally from?
My name is Alicia McCall. I am 28 and I am from Charlotte, North Carolina.
What brought you to BJJ and Checkmat Charlotte?
My fiancé! Watching him grow in this sport,going to tournaments to watch him and just hearing him talk about it made me want to give it a try. He mentioned the queens class and after a couple of months of putting it off, I finally stepped on the mats for the first time! It was an incredible feeling that I’ll never forget.
You are a dance instructor. Tell us a little bit about that Part of your life and how has it helped you and become part of your jujitsu lifestyle?
I have been dancing since I was 2 years old. I did competitive dance for 10 years and after graduating I was offered a teachers assistant position that I took and here I am 10 years later managing a studio where I teach recreational and competitive dance. Dance has helped in more ways than one. All of the stretching, cardio, and learning choreography/technique growing up has definitely helped me transition into the world of bjj. I am so thankful for it.
You also are the mother of two beautiful little girls. How do you manage the time at home being a mother and managing your time to practice jujitsu?
I’m not going to lie, it’s tricky! I feel super fortunate to be apart of a school where I can bring my kids in if I need to and still get a class in. Also, super lucky that there are so many different class times to choose from making it much easier to balance both being home with the girls, working and making it to class.
You have expressed an interest in competing, unfortunately you haven’t been able to do so often.What is your favorite thing about competing? Least favorite?
I competed for the first time in October and it was an amazing experience. My favorite thing about competing is the support you feel from your teammates win or lose. Looking up after losing and seeing your whole team smiling telling you how great you did, man there’s no better feeling. And well, my least favorite thing about competing is that all the tournaments are always on Saturday so I never get to compete 😂
What is your favorite color for a gi?
Black.
If you could be one animal, what would it be?
A gray wolf.
What is your favorite food?
A cheeseburger with fries.
Who is your favorite BJJ practitioner?
I have a few but to keep it short- Michelle Nicollini, Mackenzie Dern, Maggie Grindatti, Gezary Matuda, and of course the one and only Buchecha.
In one word describe life at Checkmat Charlotte?
Family.
What is the one thing you like best about being at Checkmat Charlotte?
“We are one.”
What advice would you give to a brand new student starting BJJ?
Trust the process. Some days are going to be harder than others and those are the days you learn the most about yourself and your jiujitsu. Have faith in your instructor/coach and don’t be scared to ask questions. Most importantly, don’t give up!
