For Kids

It looks like my martial arts world is going to change again.

Things started with a conversation. The vice principal at my school asked me about getting his son into one of the little kids Jiu-Jitsu classes. Turns out he's too young, but the talking soon bent into other angles.

We started wondering if a Jiu-Jitsu club should run at the school.

The talk grew, and spread. The principal and school district seem to be OK, as does the local Jiu-Jitsu academy. We are waiting on word from the association's headquarters as well.

It looks like I'll be the coach (school term), or leader (association term), or instructor (in normal terms). As I'm not a certified instructor there are restrictions on exactly what we can do.

We will likely have to qualify as a “Gracie Garage”. This means that while we cannot use the association's name, or claim any sort of authorization, we are permitted to work together through the program. It also means we are forbidden to collect any fees or charge students in any way. This is perfect for a school club.

I am certified by the National Coaching Certification Program as both a level one Wrestling and level one Karate instructor. I've been teaching martial arts since the early 1980s, and been a school teacher for about as long. I can certainly do the job.

The only weirdness will be that I'll be retiring just as the club is starting. I can be a community coach, but school clubs need a staff member to be involved. The vice principal wants to be that guy. He wants to learn Jiu-Jitsu.

Any student who wants to go beyond what we'll be doing in the club can either join the Gracie University online program, or attend the local Certified Training Center where I train.

I've tested the idea with one of my classes, and it was overwhelmingly positive. It might actually be too popular. The vice principal agrees. He's agreed to be the guy to sort that all out, and keep wait lists and such.

The school even has room-sized wrestling mats.

We've set a target date for after Spring Break.