Many females attended the first Oklahoma Girls in Gis event. Photo: Girls in Gis Staff Photographer Lauren Gilgan
The Texas-based Girls in Gis organization made its way to the Midwest over Labor Day weekend with over eighty ladies landing in Oklahoma. GIG was at GMA Triton Fight Center in Broken Arrow, a suburb of Tulsa on Saturday, August 31. It was hosted by brown belt Summer Krause-Wilhelm, the co-owner and instructor at Triton Fight Center and currently the highest ranked female in the state of Oklahoma.
Ladies from all different teams came to train together. Photo: Girls in Gis Staff Photographer Lauren Gilgan
Participants traveled from across Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas and even as far away as Mexico. In total, eighty-four females ranging in ages from six to sixty-four, shared the mats for three hours. Twenty-seven academies were represented and fourteen females experienced their first introduction to Jiu-Jitsu. Participants also raised a tremendous amount of in-kind donations for Domestic Violence Intervention Services, a Tulsa based women’s and children shelter.
The Triton Female Fight Team and Summer, were tremendously vital to the success of this GIG event. Summer’s natural leadership abilities and expertise on the mats shined through as she lead the group through a series of technical Jiu-Jitsu sequences, choke holds and submissions. The event was both educational and enjoyed by all.
Summer shows a loop choke. Photo: Girls in Gis Staff Photographer Lauren Gilgan
Giveaway donations for the Girls in Gis physical challenges and raffles were provided by Defense Soap, Century Martial Arts, Neocell, Just a Girl in a Jiu-Jitsu World, Girlzilian Femjitsu, American Grappling Federation, Girlz BJJ Lifestylez, Massage Envy, Gi Freak and Real Pretty Flowers. Generous contributions included gis, patches, gift cards, apparel, nutritional products, magazines and competitor entry fees.
This tremendous event in support of women and girls in Jiu-Jitsu was the first of its kind in the state of Oklahoma. Judging by the enthusiastic turnout, it won’t be the last. A big thank you to the Triton Fight Center, Summer Krause-Wilhelm, Piet Wilhelm, Triton Fight Center Female team and all of the contributing sponsors. Oklahoma and the Midwest are definitely on the map now for female grapplers!
More information regarding Summer and the Triton Fight Center can be found at: http://tritonfightcenter.com/
* With info by Shama Ko
