Isaiah Balderrama (pictured, 1st place), a 3rd-grade student with Springs’ Magnolia Academy, has been training in jiu-jitsu for three years. He has competed in six tournaments, bringing home bronze, silver and gold medals.
He trains 4 or 5 days a week. He likes jiu-jitsu, said Magnolia Principal Beverly Voechting, because “it makes him work hard to reach his goal, gives him patience in tough situations and it’s fun training with friends.”