Paying off

Soileau’s determination earns him black belt
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Everyone has a passion.
For some, that passion turns into a hobby used just to pass the time.
But for others, like Jeremiah Soileau, the passion for something can turn into a dedication which pays off with personal, self-fulfilling rewards.
Soileau’s passion, Brazilian jiu-jitsu. His reward, the right to wear a black belt.
After 10+ years of training and competition, the Grand Prairie native, has finally reached the goal that only a handful of people in the world have been able to reach, the ability to don a black belt around his Gi.
Soileau, the son of Donald Soileau and Linda Thomas and the grandson of Joyce Doucet, felt great pride with his major accomplishment, but also learned a lesson in humility through the process.
“When I was awarded my black belt, I was overwhelmed because I understood the work it had taken to achieve this goal,” stated Soileau. “When I started this process, I was a young guy and thought I was tough. To be honest, this journey has had a tremendous humbling effect.” “Brazilian jiu-jitsu has made me have to grow-up and it has given me skills that I am able to use in my professional career,” Soileau continued. “Because of my involvement in the sport I’ve learned how to deal with uncomfortable situations and be able to think on my feet.”
Soileau was born in Opelousas and went to Grand Prairie Elementary until he entered high school. His freshman year, Soileau attended Sacred Heart, but left when his family relocated to Texas.
After graduating from Port Neches-Groves High School in 1995, Soileau did odd jobs for the next two years. In 1997, Soileau entered a technical school and after two years got his degree in process technology. His first job after graduation was with Union Carbide and ever since then, Soileau has spent his time mastering his trade.
So how does a working class man get involved in a sport that requires a ton of discipline? A childhood love, of course!!
“Back when I was a kid, I loved all of the Bruce Lee movies,” said Soileau with a laugh. “If it had karate, or Samurais in it, I wanted to watch it. My cousins and I would always say that if we could do anything it would be that. And, those memories always stuck with me.”
Moving to Texas gave Soileau the opportunity to give his childhood dream a shot. But, his first introduction into the world of martial arts did not go as Soileau planned.
“When I was 14, I tried out karate for about a year, but I found myself not being very good at the punching and kicking part of the discipline so I gave it up,” commented Soileau. “After I got into the work force, I was talking to a friend of mine about martial arts in general and he pointed out a guy named Quinn Mai and said he had a black belt in judo and taught some guys at his house. So, I went and talked to Quinn and he invited me to watch a class.”
“After seeing what they were doing, I immediately fell in love with what he was teaching,” Soileau continued. “Compared to the traditional karate I was first exposed to, these guys did bag work, they sparred and they weren’t dressed in the fancy Gi. With judo, I didn’t have to worry about punching or kicking so it worked easier for me.”
Soileau relocated to Houston, forcing him to find another school to train at. Through the recommendation of Mai, Soileau attended a Brazilian jiu-jitsu seminar featuring Hoyce Gracie, a legend in the sport and a pioneer of UFC.
The seminar introduced the principles behind Brazilian jiu-jitsu and some of the moves involved in the sport. Following the lecture part of the seminar, the participants were able to spar with each other so they could apply some of what was just learned.
It was during this period that Soileau fell in love with the discipline. From that point on, it was just a matter of getting totally involved and dedicating himself to the process of getting better.
In 2007, Soileau earned his blue belt and continued to compete until he was able to attain his purple and brown belt. During this period, Soileau garnered two gold medals and a double bronze in competition tournaments.
After receiving his brown belt, Soileau found himself at a self-check point in his life concerning his participation in the sport.
Believing that he had not done enough to deserve his brown belt. On top of that, Soileau suffered an injury that halted his participation in competition.
But, a change in instructors gave Soileau a much needed boost in his quest to become a black belt. In 2016, Soileau returned to competition and collected two bronze medals and a gold medal at the San Antonio International Open.
In 2017, Soileau was sent to Indonesia for work purposes, which did not allow him to compete much. A return to competition in 2018 and 2019 showed that Soileau had not missed a beat, with him winning four silver and two bronze medals.
This past year, Soileau was unable to compete due to no tournaments being played because of the COVID-19 crisis. However, that did not stop Soileau from being rewarded his black belt back in March.
Despite all the success that Soileau has had in his career with Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the one concept that he hopes that people will understand about the sport is how much it can put focus and discipline in a person’s life.
“Brazilian jiu-jitsu is like kinetic chess,” stated Soileau. “It not only works you physically, but it works you mentally. Since I have been in the sport, I have learned a ton more patience and how to fight through the hard times. I have seen the toughest people, including kids, come to the sport and find the focus needed to escape some very bad situations. It really gives them something to expend their energy on.”