A Drumheller native is taking a swing at the popular sport of mixed martial arts. Andrew Kloot has recently stepped into the ring and came out the victor.
    On Saturday, April 14, Kloot travelled to Trail, British Columbia, for his first MMA fight.
    “I was extremely nervous. It’s a rollercoaster of emotions the day before a fight. You don’t know what’s going to happen. It’s something you have to work through and prepare for,” said Kloot. “I wasn’t worried about getting hurt. I was worried about letting my coach and family down.”
    The match was decided in one minute and one second, with Kloot winning using a triangle choke hold. Kloot received four stitches over his eye after the fight.
    “The bell rang and I came out swinging. I didn’t mean to do that, I wanted to focus on clean striking. I kept swinging for the fences and then my opponent was forced to take me down. From there, I used my jujitsu to get him in a triangle choke and choked him out,” explained Kloot.
    Matches are decided on a points system based on landed hits, control of the other fighter, and aggressiveness.
    Kloot’s parents made the trek to see their son’s first official fight.
    “My dad is excited for me, he loves it, but my mom is not the biggest fan,” said Kloot.
    Kloot first got interested in MMA after watching the sport on TV and began to pursue it while attending Mount Royal University in Calgary.
    “Basically, I used to watch it on TV and was always interested in giving it a try,” said Kloot. “When I came to Mount Royal, I took kicking boxing classes and then a MMA club started.”
    There, Kloot learned the basic skills in MMA and kick boxing. He was then told of Brian Daniel Bird, a MMA coach, and decided to take things a step further. Now, Kloot trains at Champions Creed.
    Aside from interesting, the sport has a fitness aspect.
    “The sport is a great way to stay in shape, people like it just for that reason,” said Kloot.
    Prior to going to Mount Royal, Kloot had done little martial arts, citing only taking a little karate when he was a child.
    When he was a bit older Kloot played football at Drumheller Composite High School and minor hockey for four years.
    Not only does Kloot do MMA, he has been active in both kickboxing and jujitsu circles. Kloot participated in two kickboxing circles and won one gold and a silver. In five jujitsu tournaments, Kloot won four golds and a silver.
    He hasn’t scheduled another fight yet, but hopes to do another by the end of the year. Kloot is hoping to one day go professional.
    “I would eventually like to go professional, not necessarily as a career, but to step up with the competition,” said Kloot. “I’d like to get one or two pro fights in before I hang the gloves up.”

The 2011 Titans season was dramatic to say the least. The Titans started the season as little known underdogs and then finished off a juggernaut of a regular season with a first place finish in provincials.
    The team is already preparing a sequel to the success of last season. Starting on May 2, and lasting most of the month, the Titans will be hosting a spring camp to get everyone ready and look at the players coming up.
    On May 2 and 3, players will be receiving their equipment and doing light practices. Players will practice Monday to Friday for the subsequent two to three weeks.
    The team may also participate in a couple tournaments during the camp.
    There are 16 vacancies on the team, due to players graduating high school.
    “We had 16 guys graduate, so we have a lot of roles to fill,” said Ken Fournier, head coach of the Titans. “We’ve got a lot of good guys coming up though.”
    The positions that do not need to be filled are quarterback, one of the two runningbacks, and most of the linebackers.
    “In the skill spots we’re not looking too bad,” said Fournier. “It’s basically in the line that we’re going to have to adjust. We have depth there. We have some good young guys coming up that didn’t play as much, because you don’t play your Grade 10’s as much.”
    On top of filling sixteen positions, many players will be thrust into starting positions.
    “For the young guys, stepping into a starting role can be a lot of pressure, but we’ve had a lot of them on the field already,” said Fournier.
    The Titans will be attempting to win another championship next season.
    “It’s a tall order,” said Fournier. “Last year, where everybody pegged us as underdogs, we lost our first game, but then we took off from there.”
    Fournier expects  the competition will be fiercer now that the underdogs have risen to be champions.
    “You can win, but most of the teams in the south will be watching us now. This year you can guarantee they will be Googling how to defend against the double wing,” said Fournier. “You’re the team to beat now, so everyone is going to elevate their game. It’ll make each game that much more exciting.”
    The Bantam team, though overshadowed by the success of the seniors, had their own success last year. The Bantams have been in the playoffs for the past two years and won silver in last year’s championships.
    “There’s a lot of excitement in the Bantam kids,” said Fournier. “You obviously want to win, but it’s more about getting out there and having a good time.”
    Fournier is also working on developing a Pee Wee team to expand on the success of the football program in Drumheller.
    “It’s a good stepping stone for us and something we’re looking to get going in the next year or two,” said Fournier.
    Fournier needs willing coaches to help get a Pee Wee started and he explained the demands are fewer than the older teams. The Pee Wee season typically lasts two months, with only a couple days week.
    For now, however, it’s time to get ready for next season.
    “Everybody is really excited to get back on the field,” said Fournier. “Especially after the year we had.”