Mixed Martial Arts Rule Change: Should Kids Be Allowed to Ground and Pound

**PizDoff** · Posted On: 11/01/2010 11:49pm

Martial arts rule change a danger to kids: coach

A veteran mixed martial arts coach says he had to stop several children from being held down and punched in the head at a recent tournament, after new rules were introduced allowing youngsters to engage in "ground and pound."

Organizers of a tournament last weekend in Burnaby, B.C., included a new division that allowed children to be hit in the head once they are on the ground, despite rules prohibiting that level of violence. Competitors wear protective headgear.

Previously, hits to the head were permitted only when children were on their feet.

Children are at risk of concussions and other injuries if punching to the face is allowed once they are down, said Chris Franco, owner of Vancouver's Franco Kickboxing-Pankration gym.

"There was one child who is 95 pounds competing against another child who was 150 pounds," Mr. Franco said. "They were both 12 years old, but I stopped the match because I thought the (smaller) boy might be snapped in half.

"One of my students, who is a seven-year-old girl, had a bigger boy on her in what is called a mount position. The referee wasn't stopping it and the boy just kept hitting her in the head."

Mr. Franco, who has coached martial arts for more than 20 years, said he stopped the fight before the girl was hurt because he believed there was potential for severe injury.

However, Don Whitefield, who organized the new MMA division and is an MMA coach, said that the new rules were "better and safer."

"In the past during this tournament ... there always was lots of blood on the mat and it was not safe," Mr. Whitefield said in an email.

"The only problem I can think of was that some poor-fitting head gear (could slip) and impair the vision when clinching and grappling, since some parents hope their kids ... grow into the gear rather than buying properly fit gear."

Joe Ferraro, host of MMA Connected on Rogers Sportsnet, said only professional adult MMA fighters should use the "ground and pound" technique.

"I personally don't condone children grounding and pounding each other in tournaments," Mr. Ferraro told the Vancouver Sun.

"That's something that has to be taught and learned, and your body has to get conditioned to that. You don't throw somebody learning how to play hockey straight into a body-checking system. They have to learn how to skate first."

Parents sign waivers on behalf of their children to enter tournaments.

Jason Gagnon, who was a referee at the tournament and is an instructor with Mr. Whitefield at West Coast Jiu-Jitsu, said "the most important thing to us as coaches is that the kids are safe. We are very aware that these are not professional athletes, and want to make sure we can run the most successfully safe and fun tournaments for the participants."

Opponents point out, however, that while headgear offers protection in a standing fight, it's impossible for a competitor to "duck and weave" when being held on the ground, which increases the potential for damage.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/can...598/story.html

**Permalost** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 12:16am

I think kids gnp is a bad idea on several levels. They shouldn't allow it, especially to the head.

**Robstafarian** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 1:07am

Allowing kids to use ground and pound is remarkably stupid. I wouldn't know what to say to someone who didn't understand that.

**Hedgehogey** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 3:19am

Children's brains and skulls are still developing at such a pace that they shouldn't be allowed to punch each other's heads hard at all.

**JKDChick** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 4:03am

I've trained with the guy who defended the practice and ran the tournament. I have a large number of personal issues with him, mostly in regards to his sense of honor and integrity.

I'm not surprised he's done something this stupid.

**Soldiermedic** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 5:15am

"The only problem I can think of was that some poor-fitting head gear (could slip) and impair the vision when clinching and grappling, since some parents hope their kids ... grow into the gear rather than buying properly fit gear."

Really? Thats the only problem he can think of? And it just so happens that its not with the rule set, or the fact that they are kids, but with ill fitting equipment?

This guy sounds like a flaming asshole.

**MMAMickey** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 7:06am

Would insurance even cover that ****?

**Permalost** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 9:45am

Apparently he didn't get the memo that GnP uses the ground as an anvil.

**helmutlvx** · Posted On: 11/02/2010 10:17am

Originally Posted by PizDoff

"There was one child who is 95 pounds competing against another child who was 150 pounds," Mr. Franco said. "They were both 12 years old, but I stopped the match because I thought the (smaller) boy might be snapped in half.

"One of my students, who is a seven-year-old girl, had a bigger boy on her in what is called a mount position. The referee wasn't stopping it and the boy just kept hitting her in the head."

No attempts to keep weights in similar classes and separate it into female and male divisions?

It sounds like some kind of morbid Kiddy Fight Club.