Congratulations to Jillian Chalke for being awarded Competitor of the Year for 2021 Jillian was awarded competitor of the year for her commitment and dedication to competing as much as possible and training hard with no excuses. In 2021 she went on an absolute competition rampage, stepping out on the mats for over 80 individual matches and bringing home 30+ medals for Checkmat Charlotte. What is your name, how old are you and Where are you originally from? Jillian Chalke, 29, originally from Virginia What brought you to BJJ and Checkmat Charlotte? I literally woke up one day and thought “you know what might be fun?” and then I chose Checkmat Charlotte because of the women’s program. What do you enjoy doing outside of BJJ? Outside of BJJ???? Just kidding. When I’m not in the gym I enjoy gardening, traveling, cooking (eating), sewing, and spending time with family and my Fiancé, Dan. How long have you been training? Three years almost exactly. What life lessons can you draw from BJJ? The biggest thing I’ve learned is the importance of staying calm under pressure (both literally and figuratively). What is the hardest thing about BJJ? Modulating my intensity appropriately during rolls. I am a one speed kind of a person, and I work on this every day. What is your proudest moment in BJJ so far? I am proud of everything I have accomplished in a short time, but what makes me the most proud is my consistency in training and showing up. I do everything I can to show up for myself and my teammates, and that is something I am extremely proud of. Being awarded competitor of the year is also at the top of my list. Literally my blood, sweat and tears went into this achievement. What is the one thing you like best about BJJ? It’s so hard to pick just one thing. But if I have to - definitely the community and opportunities it has given me. What advice would you give to a brand new student starting BJJ? Don’t set limitations for yourself. I hear people saying “I can’t do that because of my size/body type/flexibility/age/etc” Jiu Jitsu is adaptable for all of us. Not every move will click on the first try, and not every tournament will go according to plan. Don’t give up, you will be surprised with what you can achieve if you believe you can do it.
