River Mayfield: A Lifelong Martial Artist
On the latest episode of the Easton Community Podcast, host Mike Tousignant interviews Coach River Mayfield, the new general manager of the Longmont academy.
At 27 years old, River is currently the youngest general manager of an Easton academy. He may be new to the role, but he’s no newbie to martial arts. In his conversation with Mike, River shares stories about growing up obsessed with martial arts, how he got started at Easton and life as a GM.
Listen to the episode here!
River’s martial arts journey began over two decades ago, when he was just five years old. Inspired by a flyer sent home from school, he joined a local karate dojo, and it quickly became his passion.
River’s father joined karate with him, and over the years it became a family affair, with River’s younger siblings and cousins joining in. But River and his dad were always the most dedicated to their training. His dad even became a sensei, and years later, would take over as the owner of the school.
Bare-knuckle training and dojo storms
In his conversation with Mike, River describes the intense training regimen the two shared. Their routine consisted of 6:00 AM P90X workouts, bare-knuckle bag work, and striking homemade dummies made of 2x4s. It may not sound like some kids’ idea of a good time, but River reveled in the intensity and the time spent bonding with his dad.
Their tough home workouts aligned with the training philosophy in the dojo. River and his fellow students practiced a full-contact style of karate, distinct from the point-based “sport” style seen in most dojos. Their training emphasized the combat aspect of the martial art, and the senseis expressed skepticism of the less fight-focused karate styles.
To demonstrate the effectiveness of their training style, River’s dad would take him to visit other karate schools for weekend “dojo storms.” River would attend a kids class, and when it was time to spar, he’d show the other kids what real combat karate looked like. Then they’d be asked to leave.
[Dos and Don’ts While Visiting Other Martial Arts Academies]
Shouldering responsibilities
Nevertheless, River grew up with a real sense of duty and responsibility in his identity as a young martial artist. His dad instilled in him the expectation that he would be a protector of other kids – a one-boy “neighborhood watch.”
At barbecues, River’s dad would instruct him to be on the lookout for trouble and fights between the other kids. As the resident martial artist, he had a duty, and he took it seriously.
He also continued to take his training seriously, pushing himself and competing as often as he could. Karate competitions were rare at the time, but River was a fixture in the annual Colorado state tournament, and took home gold every year, starting when he was eight years old.
To raise the money he needed to pay the hefty competition fees, he went door-to-door in affluent neighborhoods, pitching his passion to his community, and developing the business skills he’d later need as an Easton GM. “I had this whole speech that my dad helped me write out that I would perform for whoever opened the door,” says River.
[How Competing in Martial Arts Benefits Your Kids]
From karate to Jiu Jitsu
He finally took a step back from the competition circuit at age 15, though he stayed involved in karate, including leading kids classes. It was around this time that he first got interested in MMA. It’s no surprise that the brutal efficiency of MMA caught River’s interest. Watching the fights as a teen, he could see the same sort of pragmatism and effectiveness that he valued in full-contact karate.
It was this interest in MMA that first drew him to Jiu Jitsu. Though he first heard about Easton as a teen and wanted to get involved, it wasn’t until he was 21, when the Longmont academy opened near his home, that he finally began training.
River was one of the Longmont academy’s first students. He sent an enthusiastic introduction email to then-GM Jordan Shipman, and attended his orientation in Boulder before the new academy even opened for business. He arrived early to watch the randori before his Fundamentals class, and was immediately hooked.
“That looks incredible,” he thought. “This is exactly what I want to do.”
Though he started out training in both Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu, and even competed in an in-house Muay Thai smoker, River eventually put his MMA ambitions aside. He decided to prioritize his Jiu Jitsu training. He rose through the ranks at Easton, and eventually became Longmont’s Kids Martial Arts Department Head, bringing his years experience coaching youth classes in his dad’s karate school into his new context.
Growing into a general manager
Now, with his promotion to general manager, River enjoys the growth that comes with his new responsibilities. At the Easton academies, the GMs are the captains of their ships, and River takes the role seriously.
River describes the role as unglamorous but deeply gratifying. He emphasizes the importance of relationships, stewarding the community and taking care of his team and members – much as his dad taught him to look out for the other kids when he was younger.
He’s grateful and a little incredulous to be where he is today. He knew that he wanted to make his passion his profession, but he didn’t expect martial arts to become a viable career for him as early as his 20s.
Check out the full podcast episode to learn more about how growing up as a martial artist prepared River to lead his team at the Longmont academy.
