In 2014 my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer and I had to come to #Houston to take care of her for a little while. Gracie Barra Westchase became my jiujitsu home away from home. I’d visited a few times before as the school was just a 20 minute drive from my brother’s place at the time. Each time I entered the doors, a rush of welcoming energy would envelop me that went well beyond Southern hospitality.
In addition to solid, great training, there were add-on sparring only classes after regular training. The head black belt, Ulpiano Malachias, was very kind, graciously inviting me, a lowly blue belt, to roll with him several times. That graciousness has been handed down to all of his students and I have learnt so much from everyone here.
My family has moved much further north of the city, and I’m saddest that a visit to the school isn’t likely in the near future. But, I still follow them on Facebook, proudly wear my t-shirt I purchased there, and think sometimes that if I ever did have to return to Houston, the upside (because I can’t imagine living anywhere except NYC) would be that I could find a place to live nearby and train here again.
Date(s) visited: September 2014, returning multiple times through 2015 and 2016
Class taken: Brazilian Jiu Jitsu – Gi
Instructor(s): Professors Ulpiano Malachias, Inacio Neto
Head instructor: Professor Ulpiano Malachias
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