On Saturday, Feb. 10, Varsity Academy hosted an in-house event to provide an opportunity for their students to showcase and test their skills in front of friends, family, and the community at large. The event boasted nearly fifty matches between more than forty students ranging in age from four to forty in front of a crowd of nearly two hundred.
According to Varsity’s head coach and co-owner Manuel Guillen, “The goal of the event was to give the kids a chance to see what competition is all about without having to travel to Lubbock or Midland. Hosting the tournament in-house made it easy for the students to invite their friends and family to see what they learn and cheer them on. Often students will travel for their first competition, which adds the pressure to perform well even though only mom and dad are there to help make sure the competitor feels supported.”
Though some students felt greater anxiety in front of such the unprecedented local crowd, each child reported that they had fun and cannot wait for similar events in the future. The parents also expressed excitement, with one parent saying “count me in” for whatever comes next.
The event also featured local food truck Changos Birria, now open based on a market schedule on 1st and Logan. Changos sells birria tacos, quesadillas, and ramen, as well as a few personal birria creations. To track the Changos schedule, follow the food truck on facebook or Instagram @changos_birria.
Varsity Academy is located at 1032 S. 13th St. in the southernmost corner of the Abo Shopping Center. Varsity’s after-school kids classes are divided according to age, with classes available Monday through Thursday each week. Varsity Academy can be found on Instagram @varsity.academy and reached by phone at 575-308-1553 or email at varsitymma@gmail.com.
