Sami Gustafson started fighting when she was eight years old.
By the time she was 14, the slight, blonde-haired girl was hitting up mixed martial arts tournaments in her then hometown of Tsawwassen. That was 14 years ago, when the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was surrounded by controversy as Sen. John McCain fought to ban the "human cock-fighting."
During those early days, women were a rarity in the sport. Gustafon was often the only girl at the Lower Mainland meets. As a result, she'd step into the octagon with the boys.
"I think [competing against the boys] helped give me a little more drive," she said, noting she once earned a bronze medal in competition in which she was the only female.
The experience taught Gustafon to look beyond society's boundaries. She learned to be proud of her strength, a trait she's passing on in self-defence workshops.
"It is so much more than [just self-defence]," the Vancouver resident said.
On Thursday, Jan. 23, Gustafson is partnering with the Howe Sound Women's Centre (HSWC) to offer the free course in Squamish. At the 撸奶社区Public Library, from 6:30 to 8 p.m., she will teach women wrist grabs and other simple, effective self-defence techniques.
Participants usually start on the quiet side, Gustafon said, noting she's taught five previous workshops in the Sea to Sky Corridor. But by the end of the night, everybody is yelling, punching and having a good laugh.
"My wish is that nobody ever has to use that self-defence, but at least they'll have that strength to know what they can do," Gustafon said.
撸奶社区residents requested the workshop, said Heidi Nielson, HSWC front-line support worker. The course will also be offered in Whistler and Pemberton, she noted. It's an empowering event that lets women know they can handle difficult situations, Nielson said.
"They feel really inspired," she said. "It gets you pumped and physically active."
