Congratulations to our November Student of the month, Josh Hawley. Josh became a regular on the mats quickly after joining, and has shown dedication, positivity and hard work. Get to know Josh below and come join him and the rest of the crew in our beginner’s class on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6pm! What is your name, how old are you and Where are you originally from? My name is Josh Hawley. I'm 30 years old, born and raised here in Charlotte, North Carolina. What brought you to BJJ and Checkmat Charlotte. I had just moved and decided that I needed to really focus on self defense without any weaponry. Coach Michael welcomed me to the gym with open arms despite having no prior experience. The first week I saw how much he put into this school and how much he cared about his students and the reputation of his school. I haven't looked back since. What other sports did you grow up Playing if any? I actually didn't play any sports growing up. I was a videogame addict and Halo was my drug of choice. 😅 What do you enjoy doing outside of BJJ? Outside of BJJ I like to spend time with my friends, travel, Scuba dive, and play with any toy that goes bang, boom, or vroom. 😁 If you could be one animal, what would it be? Gotta say a Lion. Maybe I watched too many Disney cartoons growing up but "I just can't wait to be King!" What is your favorite food? Steak - Medium Rare (as God intended) Where do you get inspiration and motivation for BJJ? I want to always be able to protect the people I care about. I'm rich in relationships with my family and my friends so it pushes me to be as good as I can be. What is your proudest moment in BJJ so far? Coach once said about me: "Once he figures out what the hell he's doing he's gonna be a great fighter." In one word describe life at Checkmat Charlotte? Disciplined What is the one thing you like best about BJJ? If you show up, the room will take care of you. What advice would you give to a brand new student starting BJJ? Stay humble at all times and be ready to work hard and listen. Lastly I'd say remember this quote by Admiral William McRaven: "You will fail. You will likely fail often. It will be painful. It will be discouraging. At times it will test you to your very core. But if you want to change the world, don’t be afraid…"
