Local teen is a black belt

Gabriel Lajeune, a 13-year-old from Baldwin, seems like a typical, well-mannered teenager — and that’s because he is. But he also has a not-so-typical side that’s apparent when he’s grappling and sparring with adults twice his size and age.

The eighth grader at St. Christopher School recently passed his black belt test in mixed martial arts, becoming instructor Jobin George’s first student to earn the honor.

After George — whom his students call Joshu, the Japanese word for helper or tutor — elected Gabriel to take the black belt test at the end of 2014, Gabriel knew he would have to further dedicate himself to mixed martial arts and hone his techniques.

He has been attending class at Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts in Rockville Centre for the last nine years and has progressed steadily in his training. George took over the school about three years ago, when Gabriel was a high brown belt — the belt under black. It was soon after George arrived that Gabriel began taking classes with adults. “The very first time it was intimidating,” he recalled. “Now they’re just my friends.”

According to George, he could have elected Gabriel for the black belt test a few years ago, but decided to wait until the now 13-year-old’s skills fully developed. “It’s a very selective process,” George said, adding that of his more than 300, students only a handful could pass the black belt test.

For two months leading up to it, Gabriel took eight classes a week, including two private sessions. Training has become a huge part of his life, but it’s something he loves to do. “It really is like a second home,” he said of Tiger Schulmann’s, likening the community to a family.

His actual family is also a part of the Tiger Schulmann’s family. His mother, Sandra, and 9-year-old sister, Emma, also take classes, which make mixed martial arts a big part of family conversations.

When the test day finally arrived, Gabriel traveled to Tiger Schulmann headquarters in New Jersey, where he was graded on five 90-second rounds of kickboxing and three three-minute rounds of grappling. Each time a round ended, George explained, Gabriel would face a fresh opponent — each a black belt-level adult. A panel of five instructors, who do not know Gabriel or where he trains, judged his performance.

Following the test, he knew he did well, but was expecting he’d have to retake the test at a later date. “It’s not easy to get on the first try,” he said. One out of every 50 or so people attempting to get their black belt pass on the first try, George estimated. The next day, word came down that he was one of them.

After months of training, he said it was a great feeling to achieve his goal. George was a little more blunt about his reaction. “I was ecstatic,” he said.

Gabriel continues to train and works just as hard. He will attend Chaminade High School in the fall, and play soccer and take up crew, but still make time for mixed martial arts.

“It’s a huge part of my life,” he said. “Now that I’m a black belt it’s a huge responsibility.

“I feel like if I just got my black belt and quit I wouldn’t really be accomplishing anything,” he added.

In the coming months, Gabriel will begin leading children’s classes at Tiger Schulmann’s, and the high-achieving student has begun thinking about a career in the field.