26d • Sunday Reflections
Sunday Reflections: November 9th 2025
This weekend, we hosted our 5th Utopia Open. I watched kids compete, parents cheer, and coaches guide. I also watched frustration, tears, and moments that didn't go the way people hoped. And I was reminded: competition teaches us more than technique and game plans. It teaches us how to show up when things don't go our way.
Drew and I spend a lot of time curating these matches. We want them to be competitive. We want them to push our student-athletes. We want them to be challenging, because that's where growth happens.
But with competition comes adversity. Calls get missed. Matches feel unfair. Emotions run high. And that's not a flaw in the process. That's part of the lesson.
The Reality of Competition
Refs are human. Coaches are human. We miss things.
A call doesn't go the way you think it should. A match feels one-sided. Your kid loses, and it doesn't feel fair. I get it. I see the frustration. I see parents questioning calls. I see kids crying after tough losses.
And here's what I want you to know: we see it too. We care. We want every match to be fair, every call to be right, every kid to have their best moment.
But competition isn't perfect. It can't be. Because the people running it, coaching through it, and the student athletes competing in it are all human.
The Life Lesson
Here's the truth: life doesn't always go your way either.
You'll work hard and not get the promotion. You'll do everything right and still face setbacks. You'll show up with integrity and still encounter unfairness.
That's not pessimism. That's reality.
And if we only teach kids how to succeed when everything goes perfectly, we're not preparing them for life. We're setting them up to crumble the first time things don't go their way.
Competition teaches resilience. It teaches you how to lose with grace. How to handle frustration without falling apart. How to keep showing up even when the outcome isn't what you hoped for.
That's the lesson. Not the medal. Not the win. The ability to face adversity and choose to keep going.
What We're Really Teaching
At Utopia, we're not just teaching jiu jitsu. We're teaching character.
We're teaching kids how to handle disappointment. How to respect the process even when it's hard. How to support their teammates even when they're struggling themselves.
We're teaching parents how to model resilience for their kids. How to respond to frustration with composure. How to celebrate effort, not just outcomes.
And we're teaching coaches how to guide through adversity. How to help a kid process a tough loss. How to turn a frustrating moment into a teaching moment.
This is bigger than the mat. This is about who these kids become. Who we all become.
Gratitude
This weekend wasn't perfect. But it was real.
I'm proud of every kid who stepped on the mat. Win or lose, they showed up. They competed. They faced adversity and kept going. I'm grateful for the parents who trust us with their kids. Who support them through the tears and the cheers. Who model what it looks like to handle frustration with grace.
And I'm thankful for the coaches, refs, scorekeepers, and operations volunteers who give their time and energy to make these events possible. You're human. You care. And that matters.
Competition isn't always fair. But showing up anyway? That's what builds character.
To every parent, coach, and volunteer who was part of Utopia Open this weekend: thank you. You're teaching me just as much as I'm teaching you.
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Sunday Reflections: November 9th 2025
