School sports can be fun and kick up your adrenaline, but not as much as a true contact sport would, such as Kickboxing, Wrestling, MMA, and other sports of this kind. Jacob Reynolds, a junior at CHS, participates in these contact sports to help with the anger and stress caused by school and family.

Reynolds has done a collection of school sports but has been doing sports outside of school for years. He started when he was about ten years old. Reynolds doesn’t do out-of-school football or golf; instead, he takes part in Kickboxing, Muay Thai (Muy-tie), and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

“Sometimes during tournaments or big championships it does add a little more stress, plus school, but most of the time fighting just relieves a lot of stress from school,” Reynolds said. “It keeps me in check and keeps me mentally stable to the point where I can control stress and all that stuff.”

While in these contact sports Reynolds built strong relationships with his coaches. He has also built strong relationships with his peers after the ten years he’s been sparring and training with them.

When two peers spar, they typically fight each other as if they were in an actual fight in front of spectators and on a timer. While sparring, injuries can be received on both parties such as bloody noses, torn muscles, bruises, concussions, and more.

“My coaches, as of now, are essentially second fathers. They’re my father figures. When we started training they would treat me like a normal student, but as I grew older they trained with me and they grew with me and we would go to events and they went from, nice, polite, strict coaches to father figures,” Reynolds said. “My peers… There are three of us that all grew up together doing Jiu Jitsu, and by the time we got out we were at the same level of experience. So I was able to grow up with them and now we’re just a big bunch of friends.”

Other than making strong connections with people and finding ways to relieve the stress of his family life and school life, Reynolds really suggests getting involved with a sport like this for your own safety. He believes these kinds of sports allow you to keep your own emotions in check as well as keeping yourself and those around you safe.

“Some people don’t like fighting, but it’s good to know defense,” Reynolds said. “If you know defense then you’re a little safer but if you’re like me and you like to fight and celebrate your success in fighting then I would absolutely recommend it.”

One of Reynold’s kickboxing matches can be seen here.