09/08/2026
These three photos tell a story I think is worth sharing.
The first is Daz sitting beside me at one of his first competitions. He had high hopes, trained hard and genuinely believed he was ready. Then the day didn’t go the way he’d hoped. Anyone who has competed long enough knows that feeling. Sometimes you do the work, put yourself out there, and still fall short.
Not long after that photo, Daz stepped away from Prevail and Jiu Jitsu. A year or two later, out of nowhere, I got a message asking if I’d mind if he came back. Of course he could.
The second photo is Daz winning the Victorian Championships last year as a white belt. The third is this year. Blue belt. Victorian Champion again.
So what changed?
Yes, he trained harder. Before both campaigns, Daz was on the mats four or five times a week. But more importantly, he didn’t just invest in himself. He invested in the room around him. He encouraged others, challenged them, held them accountable and allowed them to do the same for him. His journey became part of ours, and ours became part of his.
That’s leadership. Daz may not be standing out front telling everyone where to go, but rather leading from alongside them. Sharing the hard sessions, holding the standard and lifting others while allowing them to lift you.
Sometimes you fall short. Sometimes you walk away. Sometimes you need time. What matters is what you do when you come back.
Daz earned those moments with his hand in the air. But the victories aren’t the most important part of these photos.
The space between them is.
You don’t rise to the occasion. You fall to the level of your training.
And at Prevail, none of us trains alone.