The little ones have the most fun, at GB Compnet events.

GB Compnet, the division responsible for putting together internal competitions, has put together two tournaments for the first half of October so students can get a chance to test their skills, have some fun, make new friends, and meet members of the other Gracie Barra schools from around the US.

The first of them – and the tenth GB Compnet tournament thus far – takes place October 1 in Humble, Texas. Anyone hoping to get in on the action should rush to sign up by the September 29 registration deadline, but registering by the 25th gets a discount.

The second GBCN tourney this October will be held in Irvine, California, on the 15th. The sign-up deadline for that one is October 13, but anybody who registers by the 9th pays less.

To find out more about or  join the fun at either of the two gentle art extravaganzas, click here.

Check out the sterling performance of young Charles Bullock at the last GB Compnet event:

And check out this month’s Gracie Barra newsletter here.

Ellwanger with master Carlos Gracie Jr. Photo: Luca Atalla.

GB Louisiana’s Rafael Ellwenger is an excited man. He’s been pushing to have a big GB Tournament in the Southeast for a while, and the time has finally come. On October 23, 2010, the GB Competition Network 6 Southeast Tournament will be held in New Orleans, LA, at the University of New Orleans.

It’s the first GB Compnet event outside of California. Ellwenger thinks having the tournament in New Orleans is going to bring in a lot of people. “It’s central to all the southern schools and it’s a tourist city,” he says, “I think a lot of people will come – it’s a fun city to be in.”

The tournament targets all the GB schools in the Southeast and will draw in students from Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Texas. Ellwenger hopes that even some people from California might show up because of the great venue.

We’re not going to New Orleans to party,” Ellwenger says, “We’re going to compete, but it’s a fun place to visit and there’s lots to do once you get there. People need to come out and support this event. If it’s successful, we’ll have more in the future.”

Ellwenger wants a lot of students to register for the tournament to show how organized and united GB is in the Southeast. “That’s my main goal,” he says, “I threw the biggest Carlos Gracie, Jr. seminar ever two years ago and I’m expecting to do great things again with this competition.”

Ellwenger says that these internal GB tournaments make everyone better. “You have fun, make new friends, and break barriers between states,” he says, “The whole purpose is to show everyone that we are a team and a family. It’s not Louisiana against Florida. We all make up one big GB team. This tournament is about socializing, having fun, making new friends, and trading email addresses and FB names.”

Ellwanger says once you make new connections at these GB tournaments, whenever you go to other GB schools to train, you have friends there. “That’s how we did it in Brazil, and that’s how we want to do it here,” he says.

Professor Marcio Feitosa, Professor Draculino, Professor Patrick Head, Professor Fabio Costa, Professor Rafael Ellwanger, Professor Mathias Meister, Professor Marco Macera, Professor Eddie Lirette, Professor Joe Hurst, Professor Joshua Miller, Professor Brian Davis, Professor Eder Persiliano, Professor Fabio Vilella, Professor Marcelo Ribeiro, and Professor Marcelo Souza are all confirmed and will be attending the event.

For registration information for the GB Competition Network 6 Southeast Tournament, please contact Gbcompnet.com.