Your instructing staff is part of the most elite organization of jiu-jitsu practitioners in the world, The Royce Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Network. The world’s most renowned martial artist and THREE time undisputed world champion, Royce Gracie has personally trained your instructors in the art of Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.

Lead Instructor: Jeff Reese

Grappling since the age of six, Jeff is most at home on the ground. Wrestling for the better part of twenty years had prepared Jeff for what he describes as a “not so smooth” transition into the world of Gracie Jiu Jitsu. When asked about the crossover Jeff laughs, “When you turn to your stomach the first hundred times and find yourself getting choked out you start to wonder what you are doing wrong! The early days tended to really suck!” Through trial and error Jeff eventually “unlearned” every wrestling essential that didn’t translate well to the language of fighting while still managing to retain a vast arsenal of takedowns and refined ground mobility. Jeff is now a Royce Gracie trained brown belt and self described “jiu jitsu bum,” he will often joke, “Breathing is a good thing but I think I like jiu jitsu more.” This attitude is reflected by every class he instructs, always leading from the front, Jeff is involved in every second of every class. “I hate walking into an academy and finding the ‘instructor’ lounging out on the floor like it is nap time. It’s disrespectful to both the students and the art. Why not just come out and say, ‘I am better than you because I’m the instructor and you are just a student’. What a joke! I never ask anything of my students that I will not do myself.” In addition to Royce’s instruction and guidance Jeff has received training from some of the most recognizable names in the world of jiu jitsu; Rodrigo, Royler, Ralek, and Rolker Gracie, Kid Peligro, Pedro and Gui Valente, and Rob Kahn. When asked about his desire to seek out and train with such talent Jeff frankly responds, “The only way to improve is to never stop being a student. Seek out and train with guys who are better jiu jitsu practitioners than you are. Take your lumps and learn from them. It is easy to be the best guy at your academy. You feel good about yourself. You are the big fish in a small pond. After a while you will come to realize that you are not progressing and that the only way to remedy the situation is to seek out better instruction and better challenges. That is why people come to our academy. We provide the instruction and the challenges necessary for every student to become a great jiu jitsu practitioner.”

Assistant Instructors:

Steve Brunetti: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Brown Belt Tom Casey: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt Tyler Calvey: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt Brian Durkin: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt Marty Flynn: Profesional Boxer Jim Hettes: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt Tom McGuire: Judo Black Belt Tim Muenkel: Judo Black Belt Dominic Passaniti: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt Steve Polito: Gracie Jiu-jitsu Purple Belt