POLL: Am I being too tough on affiliates??

[Jay Chow]

From what I read, purple's can promote blues. Blues and purples aren't the issue though. It's browns and blacks. IMO, if you can make the sacrifice to even get to that point (years), then you can figure a way to make a sacrifice to put in the time to get promoted. In other words, you spent years training to get to brown/black. I'm sure you can figure out a way to take a week to get to HQ.

For sure, Brown and Black you gotta get to HQ/compete, I'm talkin' about Blues and Purples

[Jonathan Wylie]

You know what, I think it depends ENTIRELY on their situation. It's cool for me to say I can get there once a year, but sometimes we go through money problems, we expect children, we move house, we have a job we can't get away from for long enough without sacrificing too much money.

A lot of us can make it down there, I'm 21 and I live at home. I try to make it down once a year to HQ and I've been the past two years. Unfortunately, due to unforseen circumstances, I won't be able to make it. Spilling water on your laptop which is the source of some of your income costs a lot of money to fix. For example, £650, nearly a new computer. That's my excuse for this year, but I will FOR SURE come down next year for a month to make up for it. I can't wait.

So, I think special exceptions can be made for people who are unable to travel. You should give out belts according to their skill level, determination, loyalty and situation. However, they better be at an unbelievably high level to be given it, something which you will be able to determine straight away. We've all rolled with White belts who are way overdue their Blue (or even Purple) belts. Maybe they are super determined, but super poor. Maybe they have a low-end job and need to support a family, but that doesn't take away from their skill level OR their loyalty.

That's just my two cents, take it as you like,

You make the same good point a lot of other people make JC the problem is there is another option (competition). Plus unless you are a jiu jitsu savant and can go from white to black in 4 years then you don't have to make the trip every year. You have years to plan for a trip to HQ.

[Jon Helton]

Traveling to HQ anytime at all in the near future is not an option for me. I now have over $10,000 of medical bills (after insurance) from my sons heart surgery last month. I'm lucky I have insurance cause so far I've gotten over $350,000 worth of bills. That's with 2 more surgeries to go. I did still get slammed with thousands and have to do what I can. So I'm sorry, but not everybody can make that trip. I will one day, but no time soon. I'll be lucky if my affiliation and school survives after all the shit I'm having to deal with right now.
The way affiliate ranking is now though, it still leaves me another option. Compete. I'm more than happy with that.

[Jay Chow]

Traveling to HQ anytime at all in the near future is not an option for me. I now have over $10,000 of medical bills (after insurance) from my sons heart surgery last month. I'm lucky I have insurance cause so far I've gotten over $350,000 worth of bills. That's with 2 more surgeries to go. I did still get slammed with thousands and have to do what I can. So I'm sorry, but not everybody can make that trip. I will one day, but no time soon. I'll be lucky if my affiliation and school survives after all the shit I'm having to deal with right now.
The way affiliate ranking is now though, it still leaves me another option. Compete. I'm more than happy with that.

You only have to look at your son to know that you shouldn't lose hope. For sure 10th Planet Charlotte will survive.

Competition is great, but in the UK it's rare, we only get two major tournaments a year, that's not enough. Especially when the past two times I have been too injured to compete, it's ridiculous. So I HAVE to go to HQ.

[John Alighieri]

join the club here in NZ no gi comps are rare. One nationals a year...

[Matthias Sieber]

If you don't have the tournaments in your area, just organize them yourself.

[Jay Chow]

If you don't have the tournaments in your area, just organize them yourself.

This goes back to the monetary issues. As I said, I'm talking about exceptional circumstances, but I agree with the competing and visiting HQ as a whole.

[David Rosado]

Damn Helton. Respect. Good luck with everything. I'm def counting my blessings. Hearing the sacrifices you guys make really puts my situation in perspective. I've got it good.



Hey Jay Chow...can I put a little bug in your ear? Not sure how realistic it is for you, but have you considered organizing competitions? Do some research. Look into what it entails. Talk to the local schools and see if they'd be interested. Sometimes if there's no option, you gotta make the option. I mean, you've already considered opening your own 10th planet. Why not get some experience handling business? I'm sure it's easier said than done, but unless you look into it, you'll never know.

[Derek Stewart]

Its Your System! Its Your Rules! Don't Change it!

[Jay Chow]

Damn Helton. Respect. Good luck with everything. I'm def counting my blessings. Hearing the sacrifices you guys make really puts my situation in perspective. I've got it good.



Hey Jay Chow...can I put a little bug in your ear? Not sure how realistic it is for you, but have you considered organizing competitions? Do some research. Look into what it entails. Talk to the local schools and see if they'd be interested. Sometimes if there's no option, you gotta make the option. I mean, you've already considered opening your own 10th planet. Why not get some experience handling business? I'm sure it's easier said than done, but unless you look into it, you'll never know.

It's in the making,