As we say farewell to what has been *insert any of the following here: [challenging/unprecedented/difficult/extraordinary/truly strange/awful] year* ‘The Monthly Catch-Up’ is taking a trip down memory lane and reflecting back on the year that was 2020.
By the Numbers:
To get us started, we’ve broken down 2020 by the numbers –
- Number of Classes/Week: 50
- New Classes: 8: – 4 Boxing, 4 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu + The Online TFC Revolution
- New Coaches: 3 – Minh Chong Ali, Icaro Sandes, Travis Cromhout
- New Assistant Coaches: 2 – Brock Free & Samuel Campione
- New Members of the Fight Team: 13
- Number of Fights: 21
- Number of Debut Fights: 9
- Number of Wins: 15
By the Months:
Of course, numbers don’t tell the whole story. Keep reading for our month-by-month replay of 2020.
January
January came off the back of a tough Aussie summer, with bushfires running rampant across the country. As TFC re-opened for the year, we held “Fight for the Fires” – a sparring day raising funds for the Rural Fire Service (RFS). With snags and baked goods abundant and participants from TFC, Double Dose Muay Thai and Ironfist, we were able to raise $5000 for the RFS.
To check out our full recap on January, click here.
February
In February, we welcomed Mitch Nicholson as our new Head Coach. As a Real OG of TFC, Mitch was no stranger to the club and proved a great fit for the Head Coach role. We also held our first in-house sparring session for the year. With the intention to simulate a fight as realistically as possible, members of the Fight Team were matched in weight classes and faced off for 3 x 2 min rounds.
To check out our full recap on February, click here.
March
March signalled the beginning of a new era for TFC. With our physical location going on a temporary hiatus, our incredible TFC Coaches worked overtime to develop a library of Muay Thai resources to ensure our members were able to continue kicking goals. Complemented with complemented our live-stream timetable, “The TFC Revolution” was born.
To check out our full recap on March, click here.
April
April saw the expansion “The TFC Revolution”, with the launch of our Online Training Program. Covering a seven week Muay Thai Development Program, ‘Champion Mindset’ Visualisation Workbooks and more, there was plenty of goodness to keep our members on track. Our kids class was visited by Batman, Spiderman and Dontello of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle fame (also known as Coach Ben, Coach Mitch and Coach Jarvie) to form the TFC Justice League with our younger members. Together they fought crime and looked good while doing it. We also started sharing wins from our TFC Community, starting off with amazing wins from Jayde Cinelli, Daniel Hearn, Luke Brennan and Aaron Carroll.
To check out our full recap on April, click here.
May
The Online Training Program continued to expand in May, with new resources on Partner Drills, Bag Workouts and recordings of our live-stream classes. May also saw the release of a range of resources directed at the younger members of the gym, to keep them on track and entertained! We also celebrated inspiring wins from Daniel Hearn and Travis Cromhout.
To check out our full recap on May, click here.
June
June marked the return of classes at our physical location at Slack Creek. Although classes were limited and ran a little bit differently, we could not have been happier to welcome everyone back down to the gym. We also celebrated insightful wins from Cleo Evangelou, Casey Smith-Browning and Tina McKittrick.
To check out our full recap on June, click here.
July
As restrictions continued to ease throughout July, the gym returned to its full pre-closure timetable. We also released new content in July, most notably Coach Ben’s “Total Request Commentaries”. Breaking down the technique and strategy on fights, as requested by our members, “Total Request Commentaries” gave invaluable insight from the perspective of both a Coach and a fighter. We also celebrated an exciting win from Coach Jarvie – announcing the arrival of a new addition to the James clan!
To check out our full recap on July, click here.
August
August was another milestone month for TFC, as we kicked off our Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practice. We welcomed new Coach Icaro Sandes, from Southside BJJ, to the gym to head our classes across both Gi and No-Gi disciplines. TFC member Travis Cromhout shared his experiences from his first 6-months at TFC. And we also celebrated major wins from Travis and Aaron Carroll.
To check out our full recap on August, click here.
September
We welcomed a new face to our team in September, with Jacquie joining us as our new Operations Manager/Gym Mum. While with our BJJ classes in full swing, September also saw the launch of our TFC-branded rash guards and release of new BJJ-specific content, created by Coaches Icaro and Ben. We also celebrated a big win (some may say, even bigger than his fro) from Coach Ben.
To check out our full recap on September, click here.
October
With October, came Infliction – the first major fight show since March. TFC was well represented, with five Fighters on the card, including one debut. After a mammoth day and night card, TFC walked away with four wins. We also hit up resident microbiologist Jacob Knight to give us the low-down on Staphylococcus Aureus, an unwelcome visitor to any combat gym. And, we celebrated phenomenal wins from Bethany and Rob Wolff.
To check out our full recap on October, click here.
November
In a busy run to the end of the year, November saw six of our Fighters, including two debutants, matched across November in three different shows. After six strong performances, our Team walked away with five wins. We also held our Kids Grading Day, evaluating and celebrating the hard work of our junior members throughout 2020. And, released a new video highlighting key points to remember for your next sparring session.
To check out our full recap on November, click here.
December
We ended 2020 with three huge events. Eight of our Fighters competed at the inaugural Alan Bell Open, an exhibition tournament. The Open was created memory of Mr. Bell, one of the true Titans of Queensland and Australian Muay Thai, who passed away earlier this year. With six of our eight Fighters making their debut, it was a truly special occasion. Our team walked away after a big day of ups and downs, with five wins. December also saw us hold our Adult and Teens Grading, where we evaluated and celebrated the hard work and dedication of our members. That evening, we celebrated a big 2020 with our TFC Christmas Party. But of course, what happens at the Christmas Party, stays at the Christmas party…
And finally…
We want to take this opportunity to thank all our wonderful members for riding with us throughout 2020. The TFC Fam only continues to grow stronger and we can’t wait to continue growing and building with you in 2021.
Stay safe, stay sane and we will see you in 2021!