Dawson Creek MMA gym’s seminars raise more than $2,500 for victims in Tumbler Ridge

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — A Dawson Creek-based mixed martial arts (MMA) gym stepped up to support the Tumbler Ridge community in the wake of last week’s school shooting, raising $2,515 for the victims’ families.

The incident on February 10th involved 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar shooting five students, a teacher, and her mother and stepbrother before dying of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, with more than two dozen more injured.

Legend Martial Arts Academy head coach Evan Ollenberger had already scheduled seminars throughout the weekend with a pair of special guests: MMA veteran Tristan Connelly and seasoned grappler Alex Martinez.

But after the tragic events, he decided to hold them as a charitable event, with entrants giving donations to the Tumbler Ridge Parents Advisory Council fundraiser. 

Seven seminars took place throughout the weekend, with two on February 13th, three on February 14th and two on February 15th, with topics including positioning and strategy for both no-gi and gi competitors.

Members of the academy are residents of Tumbler Ridge, and Ollenberger remembers his first reaction after learning of the news of the shooting:

“Once I got online, I’m like, ‘holy smokes, this is real’…it seemed like something that wouldn’t happen here,” said Ollenberger. “I had to digest it for a couple of days. [It was] just so horrible, and you’re kind of in your own space feeling helpless.

“I was just sitting in that sort of negative mind frame for a couple of days, and decided, ‘well, I should at least do what I can.’”

Typically, seminars involving a pair of professional fighters can cost up to $100 or more. But Ollenberger made the event by donation only, with some attending for free, and invited local clubs from around the region.

While martial arts as a whole is for combat, knowledge and defence, Ollenberger said in times such as the aftermath of traumatic events, it can be therapeutic with participants getting themselves in another mindset.

“Lots of people just came for free to relax and rather use it as meditation,” Ollenberger told Energeticcity.ca. “If you are focused on anything else, you might get thrown or submitted.

“It is just such a good thing to put your mind off it. It’s good to do something positive.”

A total of $2,515 was raised from the seminars, with proceeds benefitting Tumbler Ridge’s Parents Advisory Council, an organization of parents and caregivers who support students at the district’s schools, according to its Facebook page.

Ollenberger said his academy “would like to help out any way they can” and the gym members’ “hearts go out” to the victims of the shooting.

On the competitive side, Legend’s grappling team will be heading to Grande Prairie to take part in the Peak Grappling Winter Classic starting on Saturday, February 21st.

What began as a hobby gym in 2022, Legend began focusing on just adult classes, but later incorporated children’s lessons. 

Current membership at the gym is around 130 members, according to Ollenberger.

To donate to the Tumbler Ridge PAC fundraiser, visit its GoFundMe page.

More information about Legend Martial Arts Academy is available on the group’s Facebook page.