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BY JOHN BURBRIDGE
jburbridge@nwitimes.com
219.933.3371 | Tuesday, May 30, 2006 | (No comments posted.)
SCHERERVILLE | If Mike Kissane decided to go out for his high school wrestling team, he'd probably get disqualified more than Jesse "The Body" Ventura.
"By habit, most of the holds I would use would be illegal," the St. John 15-year-old said.
So for the time being Kissane is sticking with Sport Jiu-Jitsu. And to say he's holding his own weight there would be selling him short.
At the North American Grappling Association Tournament May 20 in Cicero, Kissane went 3-0 while winning his 140-and-under division. And for record, Kissane represented the "under" part, as in "well-under."
"I just used my technique and had good defense," Kissane said of breaking down opponents who had more weight to throw around.
Kissane was part of a contingency representing Corral's Martial Arts in Schererville. Among those students who placed or made it to the final or semi-final rounds in their divisions were Kevin Young and Chris Zelnis (both second), Rudy Bambic (finals) and Sean Fadden (semi-finals).
Another student, Todd Schwartz, took third in welterweight masters division.
Though Schwartz has been studying Jiu-Jitsu for less than a year, the activity has probably taken him around world and then some with all the mileage he has accrued.
"I travel 90 miles to get here," said Schwartz of Fowler. "It was either that, or turn around and drive all the way to Indianapolis to learn Jiu-Jitsu out there."
Though Kissane has ruled out high school (Folkstyle) wrestling as a future endeavor, he may up the combatant intensity to become a full-contact, mixed martial arts fighter when he turns 18.
Schwartz, however, plans to stick strictly with Jiu-Jitsu.
"I love the cerebral part of the sport," Schwartz said. "It's more about thinking ahead than brute strength. Like chess on a mat."
* Corral's Martial Arts in Schererville is holding a summer special for all local high school students -- three months of training for half price. For more information, call (219) 688-7363.
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