By Third Degree Black Belt Emily Forrester had the hardest rolls of her life today when she grappled with 100 lbs. 13-year-old Kevin Gray, according to first-hand reports from the boy’s father. The Black Belt, who routinely podiums in open-weight divisions at local and national tournaments, just really had her hands full with the small child who has been training in the art for almost five years.
“You should have seen him,” said Gary Gray, himself a three-stripe White Belt. “He totally took it to her for the entire roll and you could see she was really getting a run for her money. The way he was taking her back and passing her guard, you’d think she was letting him do it. Like a hot knife through butter!”
Forrester, who honed her skills over fifteen years of training with elite grapplers as much as 100 lbs. heavier than her, was reported to have simply no answers to the seventh grader’s relentless assault, and spent the majority of the round barely hanging on in disadvantageous positions. Although age requirements prevent children from earning senior belts, it’s believed Kevin would easily be a high brown belt if it was allowed based on his impressive display against full resistance.
