Discipline and balance the key to fighter’s success

And you thought you were busy. Well, it takes several breaths to list the various jobs and responsibilities of Darwin Douglas.
The 41-year-old, a member of the Sto:lo Nation who lives in Chilliwack, B.C., is probably somebody you don’t want to mess with. Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is something he does professionally.

Douglas and his wife Francine also own the Four Directions Martial Arts Academy in Chilliwack. Besides owning and helping run the gym, Douglas also frequently visits various Aboriginal communities where he spearheads a MMA Youth Leadership Program.

The husband-and-wife duo also organize MMA events. And the couple recently started Cheam Trading Inc., a salmon and seafood company.

And not to be forgotten is the fact Douglas is also a councillor for the Cheam First Nation. He’s in the first year of a two-year term, having made a return to politics after an absence of about a decade. He had previously served three terms as a councillor for his First Nation.

Douglas believes the reason he can juggle his numerous duties is because of what he’s learned from his athletic pursuits.

“The greatest thing about martial arts is the discipline and the balance,” he said. “We’re incredibly busy but I give a lot of credit (for the juggling I can do) to the training.”

Though he had dabbled in kickboxing and Muay Thai (Thai kickboxing) in his teen years, it was less than a decade ago that Douglas became involved with MMA.

“Some people would think it’s a little late to be getting into it in my early 30s,” he said. “But I’ve always been athletic. I’ve always done other sports. And it didn’t take me long. I was training for about a year-and-a-half before I had my first fight.”

Douglas was victorious in his first pro event back in June of 2008. His pro record currently stands at 4-6.

Douglas’ most recent fight was on Jan. 18 at the River Rock Casino Resort in Richmond, B.C. He defeated Bill Fraser of Comax, B.C.† in that three-round bout.

With that victory, Douglas, who competes in the light heavyweight category, was also able to avenge a loss he had suffered against Fraser in August of 2011 during a bout in Vernon, B.C.

Douglas’ next fight is expected to be May 29, also at the River Rock Casino Resort. But an opponent for his bout has yet to be announced.

Despite his age, Douglas is hoping to continue fighting for a few more years.

“My body is in good shape,” he said. “There are younger guys in their early 20s and mid-20s who are way more banged up than I am.”

Though he coaches and trains others in the gym and passes on wisdom through the MMA leadership programs, Douglas does not hide what he enjoys doing most.

“I like the fighting,” he said. “There’s nothing quite like the excitement of getting in a cage and fighting. It’s a good exercise. It builds character and you learn a lot about yourself.”

Not surprisingly, both of Douglas’ children spend some time at the gym as well.

Darwin Jr., who is 10, is into Muay Thai. He has already been part of various demonstration events.

“It’s really nice to pass down some knowledge and to see him fight,” Douglas said.

His five-year-old daughter Ava is also a regular at the gym. She practices jiu-jitsu.

“The gym is a big part of our lives,” Douglas said. “It also gives us a healthy lifestyle. Fighting is only part of it.”

Even a few years ago Francine Douglas didn’t think the gym would play such a huge role in her life as it does now.

Her husband had been spending countless hours at the gym.

“Eight years ago when he started training at the gym I never saw him,” she said.

She didn’t hesitate though when the opportunity arose to buy the gym about three-and-a-half years ago. At the time it was called Revolution Martial Arts.

When they took it over the Douglases changed the name.

“Four Directions means balance,” said Francine Douglas, who handles the scheduling and bookkeeping at the facility. “That’s what this gym does for us.”

As for her husband, he said these days he’s finding he is having to defend his sport less and less.

“It’s gotten a lot better in the last two, three years,” he said of the MMA awareness. “Even five years ago there was a very bad stereotype of the sport. More and more people though are looking at it and realizing MMA fighters are the best conditioned athletes in the world.”