At the beginning of 2009, the Team Lloyd Irvin instructors decided to institute selection criteria for international competitions. The reason behind this was simple: the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation allows only 2 members of the same team into one particular division. In previous years, the first two competitors to register would receive the opportunity to compete rather than the better most-accomplished two competitors.
As was discussed in the meeting, two competitors per weight class per division will be selected to represent “Team Lloyd Irvin”. Competitors that decide to compete, despite not being selected on the “A” team, will represent “Team Lloyd Irvin / affiliate”. For example, competitors from Brad Court’s Paramount BJJ school who do not make the “A” team will register as “Team Lloyd Irvin / Paramount”. Preference will be given to the “A” Team if an “A” team member competes vs. a “B” team member i.e. BOW OUT (COACHES: Please make sure your athletes understand this).
In specific cases that involve multiple competitors with very similar credentials, a wrestle-off between the two will be required. Beginning with the 2011-2012 season (after the 2011 World Championships), the wrestle-offs must occur PRIOR to the first major competition of the season – the European Championships in January. The wrestle-off will occur at a neutral location with no coaches under the rules of the competition being contested; this means weigh-ins and all. It is the responsibility of the coaches and the competitors to facilitate the travel to the wrestle-off.
A coach that feels that he has a prodigy athlete who has made massive improvements from the beginning of the competitive season to the middle can request a wrestle-off. Whether or not this request is granted will be based on the coach and school’s previous accomplishments
Selection Criteria (Gi events)
Recent IBJJF competition results (within 1 year): Nothing is more important than proven past results.
- World Championships and Brazilian Nationals
- Pan-Americans
- European Open
- Smaller IBJJF events such as the NY Open
Recent Competition results: Reputation of the event will be taken into account. A traditionally large event such as the US Open will be considered of greater importance than a smaller local event. It is important that athletes get experience competing at the larger events so coaches should include these events in their school’s competition schedule.
No-Gi results will be taken into account but not be given as much weight as Gi events unless the level of No-Gi competition is remarkably higher. Other grappling competition results (i.e. judo, wrestling) will be taken into account but be given far less weight.
Performances of each school’s athletes will be measured and taken into account for future decisions. For example, if school-A and school-B both put five athletes into the Pan-Americans and school-A wins five medals and school-B wins zero, school-A will be given more consideration in the future.
Schools and athletes that repeatedly register and NO SHOW the events that they have registered for will be penalized. It is unfair to the other athletes in the weight class, who would like to compete, to have to incur the costs, both financial and mental, that come from being told they are not competing and then that they are.