Published: Sunday, January 7, 2007
Hubbard's Fasline is a hit in Brazilian jiujitsu
The 16-year-old has developed into one of the top performers in America in his age group.
By JOHN KOVACH
HUBBARD — Frankie Fasline of Hubbard has discovered that learning Brazilian jiujitsu to compete in the sport of submission fighting has helped him to begin actualizing his true potential as an athlete.
"This does increase your self-confidence and self-esteem. It makes you feel good," said Fasline, 16, a freshman at Hubbard High, who recently won the title belt for the second time in the 15-17 age class at the Canadian Open Submission Fighting Championship in Ontario, Canada.
Fasline, who was representing the United States in what is Canada's largest and most prestigious international single-elimination submission fighting tournament, tapped out all six of his opponents to win the championship belt.
"You basically win by making some one give up or by tapping out where they are in so much pain that they give up or their arm is going to be broken," explained Fasline of the two ways that a competitor can win in submission fighting.
Brazilian jiujitsu is waged between two contestants on a mat in which more than 3,000 moves or holds or grips can be used against an opponent.
"Giving up is where [an opponent] is out of shape and he can't go anymore," Fasline said. "He can't physically keep up so he gives up."
"Tapping out is where he gives up [because he doesn't want to get hurt]."
By definition, jiujitsu is an art of weaponless fighting employing holds, throws and paralyzing blows to subdue or disable an opponent.
One of best in U.S.
In just three years of training in jiujitsu, Fasline has developed into one of the top performers in America in his age group in submission fighting, which differs from ultimate fighting by some limitations on what moves can be used, and the fact that the latter sport is done in a large cage.
"I'm not allowed to punch or kick at all. The only thing I am allowed to do in submission fighting is to create some hold to have the other give up [or tap out]," said Fasline, who is not allowed to compete in ultimate fighting until he is 18. But, "In the UFC [Ultimate Fighting Championships], everything goes [in the cage], but not for me because I am only 16."
In the no-holds-barred ultimate fighting, opponents can fight in any way they choose to except for using weapons.
Trained by James Terlecki of Next Level Jiu Jitsu/MMA of Boardman and Eduardo "Dudu" Barros of Dudu Barros Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in Akron, Fasline has won many championships throughout the U.S.
Barros, a native of Brazil, is a four-time Brazilian national champion.
Fasline's accomplishments include being a two-time gold medalist at the Gracie's World Championships, as well as gold medalist at the U.S. Submission Grappling Championships that took place in New York.
He also was a two-time gold medalist at the Hall of Fame Classic Championships, and has won first place in several tournaments that have taken place in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Thanks to grandfather
Fasline was introduced to the sport of submission fighting by his grandfather, Frank Fasline of Campbell. Frankie's career has been reinforced by the staunch support from his father, Michael Fasline of Hubbard.
"I started the sport three years ago. I was a smaller guy and Brazilian jiujitsu gives the little guy a chance. My grandfather heard about it and I signed up with it and I fell in love with it and put my sports of football and baseball aside to do it," explained Frankie, who began his training with Terlecki in Boardman and became so focused on the sport that he gave up football and baseball.
Fasline loves the individual aspect of Brazilian jiujitsu and submission fighting.
"The thing is, it's man-on-man and you don't have to rely on the team. If you make a mistake, you can't blame the team, you can only blame yourself," said Fasline, who still enjoys weight training, skiing, riding four wheelers and golfing.
He said the sport exposes you to many ways to stop an opponent.
"You can use any move. There are probably more than 3,000 moves. These are holds or grips [you can use on opponents]. There is very little wrestling, just on takedowns. It's a lot different than wrestling. In wrestling, you try to pin a guy," said Fasline, who is hoping that submission fighting eventually will become an Olympic sport.
Fasline is preparing for several upcoming tournaments. He tentatively is scheduled to compete in a Cleveland meet on Jan. 27 and at the Arnold Schwarzenegger Classic in Columbus in May. He also is slated to fight at the Pan Am Games in California in the last week of April.
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