Team Texas: Casidy Welch

Name: Casidy Welch

Rank: Blue Belt

Hometown:  Moved a lot as a child, currently live in League City, Tx  (Houston, Tx)

Where you train: Gracie Barra Texas in Webster, Tx under Professor Draculino

How long have you been training? 3 years

Favorite Gi?Adidas

What’s in your gym bag?
Gi, belt, rashguard, spats, sports bras, baby wipes, face wipes, deodorant, mouthwash,
Mouth guard, brush, ponytail holders, fingernail clippers and files, eye drops, breath mints, tape, chapstick and hand towel. I’m sure there’s more! Haha

Favorite submission? Triangles

Favorite thing about the Jiu Jitsu community in Texas?
I love that our Texas competitors extremely supportive and competitive.

What’s one thing you would change about the Texas Jiu Jitsu community?
I would encourage more females that train to actually compete.

What is your greatest accomplishment?
I have two amazing kids (teenagers), who are really awesome humans. They are my greatest accomplishments.

What has been your biggest struggle in Jiu Jitsu?
My hair!!! I can’t keep it up and out of the way….and healthy!

If you could give any advice to your white belt self, what would it be?
Train in the Gi, I spent my entire white belt career training Nogi only and if I could go back I would have put the Gi on from the start. Also don’t take ANY breaks. Stay on the mats year round.

What motivates you to train on days when you just don’t feel like it?
I don’t rely on motivation. Motivation is fleeting. It will come and go. I just have Discipline. I have been a high level competitive and Pro athlete most of my life, so I just have discipline.  If it’s training day. It’s training day. It doesn’t matter how I feel, I’m training. I’ve never regretted training, and always feel better afterward. Always.

If you could take a private lesson with any Jiu Jitsu practitioner who would it be? Why?
John Danaher. He has a beautiful mind and an amazing ability to break down and decipher Jiujitsu.

Who is your favorite competitor to watch?
So hard to pick only one since it takes two competitors to create a really exciting match. Then we get into Gi vs Nogi….styles….I’m a nerd, I sit at home on the weekends watching Jiujitsu and Judo and Wrestling and MMA  I’m going to go with Gilbert Durinho Burns. He’s exciting well rounded and He has been a mentor and one of my favorites since I started. My first seminar was with him in Dallas actually.

Who is your favorite TX competitor to watch? (outside of your current affiliation)
So hard to pick just one as we have such amazing Jiujitsu here. I’m a big fan of the Tackett boys and Mona Bailey. They are young and it’s just amazing the skill they have at their age!

What’s your perfect Jiu Jitsu playlist?
I listen to pretty high energy heavy stuff, or violin orchestra instrumental stuff. Kinda two ends of the spectrum.

What do you remember about your first day of Jiu Jitsu?
I honestly don’t really remember my first day.

What do you remember about your first tournament?
I had been training for about 3-4 weeks and went to a Dallas Naga Tournament, Double gold Gi & Nogi, I believe. I went back to bodybuilding shortly after that for several years.

What is your post-competition meal/restaurant?
I don’t cut weight, so I don’t really crave crazy stuff post-competition. I like steak and potatoes.

When you’re not training Jiu Jitsu, where can we most likely find you?
Working, Relaxing, or lifting weights

2020 is quickly approaching, What changes did you make this year and what are your goals for the new year?
I really found my rhythm in training and a schedule that works great for me. I hope to travel a bit to compete this year but plan to return to Masters Worlds in Vegas as well.


Anything else exciting coming up?
Yes, I’m competing at Third Coast Grappling Championships December 7th, 2019 and then I’m headed to NoGi Worlds in California the following weekend!