QCP #028 | Sophia Cassella, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Athlete | The Inner Game of Training, How to Optimize Mat Time, and Life as a Student-Athlete

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Instagram | @sophiacassellabjj

Sophia Cassella is a 22-year-old brown belt from New Jersey, under Jason Rau. She's trained with some of the greatest minds that helped change the sport today in what some people call the renaissance of Jiu Jitsu.

She commutes hours and hours every day from New Jersey to New York to train with some coaches and grapplers in the sport who are considered to be the best to ever coach and compete - John Danaher, Gordon Ryan, Gary Tonon, Renzo Gracie, and all of the greats that drop in there to train.

 

To account for the amount of travel she had to do, she home-schooled herself throughout high school. She is currently studying in college while working and still finding the time to train and improve her game.

That is inspiring dedication to the art! And going back to truth, it is interesting that this path she took, even though unconventional, is happening during a time when many of our long-established institutions and conventional ways of thinking are being questioned and re-tooled.

Her competitive drive and work ethic have propelled her to be one of the rising stars in no-gi Jiu Jitsu. Best known for one of the fastest submissions in a women's match on Who's Number One. She is currently the Medusa EBI Strawweight Champion, a seasoned competitor, and a student of the game. She is determined to be the best, and how can you not be inspired by that kind of spirit?

Sophia has such a busy schedule. This conversation was recorded a few months ago as she had just finished up a whole day of working, studying, driving, and training and still was gracious enough to sit for a chat with us.

Training out of Vanguard Academy Jiu Jitsu in New York by way of New Jersey, please enjoy this episode about the mental game of training, the remarkable Sophia Cassella!