Words by Smiley Team
During lockdown when many young people were struggling mentally, one educator in south east England stepped up to maintain a sense of normality for his pupils.
Jiu-jitsu teacher Sam Diplock won a Pride in Medway award in the pandemic, recognising him as a “local hero” for his work building children’s confidence through sport.
Locals nominated Sam for his dedication to the community of Medway, the most easterly area of Kent. Sam did everything he could to ensure his lessons could continue safely, adhering to social distancing.
“I would mask everyone up and run around like a Ghostbuster with a pack of sprays and wipes on my back while teaching, spraying all the equipment as soon as it had been used,” he says.
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He not only trained his pupils six days a week, but would also spend many seventh days travelling up and down the country attending competitions with them.
This was tough, but what really pushed him to the limits, he says, was going running every day with two of his trainees who compete on national and European levels. “I ended up actually trying to keep up with the young lads so much that I gave myself a hernia!” he says.
Sam loves his work, especially when he sees his pupils developing over time. His lessons help children gain physical strength, but also mental resilience through a number of different types of jiu-jitsu, including Brazilian, Muay Thai and MMA.
“Brazilian jiu-jitsu is nothing but hard work and perseverance,” he explains, “and I think the earlier in life we learn to work through something hard, the easier it is for us later in life to know when we've got to button down and crack on with something.”
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To help children fulfil their potential, Sam has two priorities: keep the lessons fun, but also disciplined. He enjoys getting down to their level, making jokes and chatting about their favourite television series. But when necessary he’ll also put on a stern face.
Thanks to his teaching style, he's seen many of his children develop into strong, confident and happy young people. “I've had pupils who have gone from being meek and quiet children who wouldn't say boo to a goose to becoming very confident children, willing to stick up for themselves,” he says.
After being nominated for the 2020 award, he thanked his colleagues for their support and was overjoyed to win. Clearly his passion for teaching is genuine and his comments reflect that: “It's nice to be recognised. But I never thought I was doing anything overly special. I thought I was just doing something I enjoyed.”
