About Us

When I first stepped onto the mats at 12 years old, I never imagined how much that decision would shape the rest of my life.

What began as a curiosity quickly became a passion, and over the years, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu taught me lessons that extended far beyond training. It taught me discipline when things
became difficult, resilience when challenges appeared, and the importance of continuing forward even when progress felt slow.

Those lessons became the foundation of who I am today.
More than three decades later, I still love learning, teaching, and helping others experience the same transformation that Jiu-Jitsu brought into my life.

Throughout my journey, I have had the privilege of coaching students of all ages and experience levels. Some arrived looking for self-defense. Some wanted greater confidence.
Others simply wanted a positive environment where they could grow and challenge themselves.

What inspires me most is watching those students discover what they are capable of achieving.

I have been fortunate to coach athletes who have gone on to earn success at the highest levels of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, including major IBJJF championships.

The moments I treasure are seeing a child gain confidence. Watching a teenager develop leadership. Seeing an adult accomplish something they once thought was impossible.
All those victories stay with me forever.

My teaching philosophy is simple: every student deserves to feel supported, challenged, and encouraged throughout their journey. I strive to create an environment where learning is
clear, and students develop confidence not only in their abilities, but in themselves.

Every student who walks through our doors deserves guidance, patience, encouragement, and a safe place to grow.

Today, what motivates me most is the same thing that inspired me when I first started:
Helping people discover strengths they never knew they had and watching them grow into confident, capable individuals both on and off the mats.

My journey in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu began when I was six years old.

What started as time spent training alongside my father quickly became one of the most important influences in my life. Growing up on the mats taught me lessons that reached far
beyond competition. It taught me discipline when things became difficult, confidence when I doubted myself, and resilience when challenges seemed impossible.

Those lessons shaped who I am today.

Over the years, I was fortunate to compete at the highest levels of the sport, earning four IBJJF World Championships, five IBJJF Pan Championships, an IBJJF No-Gi World
Championship, four Brazilian National Championships, and medals in Brazilian National Judo competitions.

While I am grateful for those accomplishments, the experiences that have impacted me most are not found on a podium.

They are found in the students I have the privilege of teaching every day.

One of the most rewarding parts of my career is watching someone discover confidence they never knew they had. It might be a child who walks into class feeling nervous and unsure of themselves, a teenager learning to trust their abilities, or a woman stepping onto the mats for
the very first time and realizing she is stronger than she ever imagined.

Those moments inspire me every day.

My goal as an instructor is to create a learning environment where students feel supported, challenged, and encouraged to grow at their own pace. I believe confidence is built through
consistent effort, positive guidance, and small victories that accumulate over time.

A major part of my mission is empowering women and young girls through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I want every woman who trains with me to leave feeling stronger, more confident, and more capable than when she arrived. The mats have a unique way of teaching people what they are truly capable of, and I believe everyone deserves the opportunity to experience that transformation.

Whether I am working with a child taking their very first class, a student building a strong foundation, or an athlete pursuing ambitious goals, my commitment remains the same:

To provide guidance, encouragement, and support that helps every student become the best version of themselves.

For me, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has never been only about winning.

It is about growth.

It is about confidence.

It is about discovering your potential.

And it is about helping others realize they are capable of far more than they ever believed possible.

I don’t remember a time in my life when Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu wasn’t part of it.

I started training when I was three years old, and many of my earliest memories were made on the mats alongside my family. Growing up in that environment taught me lessons that
continue to guide me every day, discipline, accountability, perseverance, and the importance of always striving to become better than you were yesterday.

As I got older, those lessons carried me far beyond the academy. They helped me become an 8-time IBJJF World Champion, a 2-time National Wrestling Champion, a 3-time State Champion, and an ACC Champion in college wrestling.

While I am proud of those accomplishments, they are not what I value most.

The lessons I learned through the journey are what truly changed my life.

They taught me how to overcome challenges, how to stay focused when things become difficult, and how to believe in myself when success was not guaranteed.

Those are the same lessons I hope to pass on to every student I teach.

One of the reasons I love working with kids and young adults is because I see so much of myself in them. I remember what it felt like to be a young student learning new skills, building
confidence, and discovering what I was capable of achieving.

My goal is to create an environment where students feel challenged, supported, and encouraged to grow. I want them to understand that confidence is earned through effort, that
setbacks are opportunities to learn, and that they are capable of much more than they realize.

At the end of the day, my greatest reward is not seeing what students accomplish on the mats. It’s seeing them grow into stronger, more confident versions of themselves.

Because the lessons learned through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu have the power to impact every area of life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to help guide that journey.

I started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu when I was three years old.

At the time, I was simply a kid stepping onto the mats and learning something new. What I
didn’t realize was that the lessons I would learn there would help shape the person I would
become.

Growing up through Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu taught me much more than physical skills. It taught
me discipline, responsibility, perseverance, and confidence. It taught me how to overcome
challenges, how to keep working toward a goal, and how to continue moving forward even
when things became difficult.

Those lessons stayed with me throughout my life.

As I grew older, I continued competing in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and participated in wrestling,
where I earned success at the state level. While those experiences taught me a great deal
about competition and performance, the most valuable lessons came from the personal
growth that happened along the way.

Today, my greatest passion is helping young students experience those same benefits for
themselves.

One of the things I love most about teaching children is watching their confidence grow. It’s
incredible to see a student walk into class feeling unsure of themselves and, over time,
develop the confidence to face challenges both on and off the mats.

I understand that every child develops differently. Some students need encouragement. Some need patience. Some simply need someone who believes in them.

My goal is to create a positive and supportive environment where every student feels
welcomed, challenged, and encouraged to grow at their own pace.

For me, teaching is about much more than Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

It’s about helping young people build confidence, character, and habits that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.