Our kids did another amazing job yesterday at the U.S. Grappling competition in Richmond! Each of them fought well, had great results, and showed incredible sportsmanship. We couldn’t be more proud of them!
And a huge thanks to the parents and all of the Coaches who came out to support these little warriors. As Coaches it is our role to support not just the students but also the parents to enjoy the competition experience. Days like yesterday, in watching how the kids interacted so humbly, seeing how well they fought, and how appreciative all the parents were truly touched our hearts and taught us a lot. We are super grateful for you all. We love our team!
The most important responsibility we, as Coaches, assume while instructing our kids in the art of Jiu Jitsu, is not providing technical tips to promote flawless performances. The most important mission for us is to help our kids attain a level of emotional maturity and strength of character that will serve as a foundation that lead to a healthy and successful life. We believe the sport of Jiu Jitsu promotes mind, body, and emotional health. And at the academy, we provide a place for that in a safe and supportive environment. Our Kids’ Zoo-Jitsu program is intentionally designed to facilitate the growth of emotional and physical fitness and strong values. Working alongside our students, we help them grow from within and develop the abilities necessary to excel. Life promises to present challenges. So our program exposes students to constructive challenges, teaching them how to overcome them with the help and support of our coaches. This prepares the children for the time they when they must confront problems on their own.
Jiu Jitsu is both a strategic thinking game and a physical sport, which requires students to exert themselves both physically and mentally, mind and body working together in tandem, to succeed. Students must constantly learn and push themselves past their limits to achieve the desired outcome. At times, a child may be trying his or her best and is emotionally invested in the activity, but the efforts just aren’t yielding the results for which they are aiming. This can be emotionally frustrating for the student. But if he or she is able to persevere and crack the barrier that is holding him or her back through more intense learning and hard work, the result will be an unmatched satisfaction that builds confidence.
Now don’t get me wrong, our objective here at the academy is still to help kids learn how to effectively execute world-class Jiu Jitsu. This standard of excellence remains. But it is the child’s emotional development that is key to his or her success in Jiu Jitsu, and in life. If kids are unable to deal with their emotions on the mat, their progress will be stunted. People are perpetually faced with new challenges in life, and these challenges will become more complex and more competitive, just as they will as one progresses on the mats in Jiu Jitsu. Our children will need to be prepared to face them head on. The question, then, is: “Are we giving our young people opportunities to take part in activities that will prepare them physically and emotionally for life?”
This question is addressed by Clayton Christenson in his book (which I highly recommend, and which is available on Amazon here) How Will You Measure Your Life? He speaks about the value of allowing our kids, and ourselves, to engage in activities that present us with challenging experiences, to position us to be able to navigate and solve them before we are forced to face them in life. The author goes on to suggest that putting our kids in tight situations is like offering them a “course in life” where they will have the opportunity to hone their abilities to perform under pressure and develop leadership skills and accountability.
One of several ways we work with our students to help them develop emotionally is to give them room to explore escaping from a vulnerable position or to implement a technique. We don’t always immediately jump in to fix a technical error unless they are in a dangerous position. This allows the students to learn from their own mistakes and to face and overcome momentary defeat and the disappointment of not performing as well as they would have liked. This is not an easy approach in the moment as it often entails children dealing with hurt feelings and discouragement, where they may even cry. But it is part of the learning process and will help to make them stronger. Further, to immediately intervene and coach a child on what they need to do technically to win a match can reinforce a performance-based mindset. It is not helpful to the students if we communicate to them that the most valued component of the game is to come out on top, rather than to embrace the learning process.
This is a difficult route to take as a coach or parent because it is hard to see someone we love struggling as they wrestle through challenges. Our initial reaction may be that we become so focused on how the child is rolling and on what they need to do immediately to win the match, that we jump in and offer solutions the instant they are struggling, with the intent to be helpful or avoid hard feelings. However, we are not protecting our children by doing this. Instead, we may be forfeiting an opportunity to build their confidence and to increase their technical ability through leaning to deal with tough emotions. When we focus on the development of their emotions, integrity, and character, by default the techniques will come. We view this as an opportunity to teach them not only the mechanics of the sport of Jiu Jitsu but also to gain confidence and self-esteem through learning and hard work.
In speaking with students after defeats or poor performances, we praise them for trying their best, teach them that losing is part of the learning process and part of the game, encourage respect for their teammates and their coaches and encourage continued hard work and perseverence. From there we address the technical aspect. Christensen also mentions in his book that “when you aim to achieve great things, it is inevitable that sometimes you are not going to make it.” He councils us to urge our children to pick themselves up and try again, telling them that if they are not occasionally failing, then they are not aiming high enough. Christensen goes on to say that we should be celebrating failure just as much as we celebrate success, if it is the result of striving for an out-of-reach goal. Bouncing back from temporary setbacks is one of the biggest motivators I have seen to make students rise above themselves.
We measure the success of our Jiu Jitsu program by observing the degree of improvement from when the child first entered our academy. Some students have an abundance of knowledge about Jiu Jitsu and are more athletically endowed; therefore, they tend to be better at Jiu Jitsu. But the true measure of success is how willing they are to learn and put in the work to improve. I have seen many students overcome and become the top in the class through persistence on the mat.
That is why we say: “it’s not about Jiu Jitsu”. It is about the personal development and transformation of each student. Equipping our students with the experiences they need to learn to persevere through challenges, to have the ability to deal with pressure, and to be prepared to navigate tough moments in life is our mission. One of the most important jobs we have is how we raise our children, and by ours, I mean the entire generation that is coming up behind us. To miss investing in our children, our future, is to fail.
From the “it’s not about Jiu Jitsu” files, I heard an extraordinary (and for me, emotionally impactful) statement from a parent tonight – “on the mats, my child isn’t autistic.”
Over the years, we’ve had a lot of kids come through that carry the label ‘special needs’, in one way or another. As someone who has had my own challenges, I’ve always viewed the kids on the autism spectrum as My People. I can identify with a lot of the challenges they face and can see a lot of what’s coming at them, and I take a special interest in helping coach them.
I very much enjoy, and am energized by, hearing from the parents of all of our children about the positive changes they are seeing in their kids, whether it’s on the mats, at home, or at school (and that some of the kids report seeing in their parents who train, for the record – they are watching you!). Every person has room to grow, even the ones that look like they’ve got everything together, and seeing that growth is a source of joy and motivation. It’s especially rewarding to see it from the kids with unique challenges: knowing that we’ve constructed an environment where any child (or adult!) can succeed and realize growth within the same context, the same framework, and under the same expectations, regardless of the starting hand that they’ve been dealt, means that what we are doing is working, and that what we are doing is RIGHT.
So yeah. It hits me to hear “my child has goals now. My child is behaving in school now. We haven’t had a weekly meltdown in six months. My child sleeps through the night now. My child smiles now, tells jokes now.” This is the child that was there, the entire time, and Jiu Jitsu is simply providing the leverage to let them shine through.
Give your child a summer they will never forget! Team Passos is hosting its Kids’ Jiu Jitsu Summer Camp, ages 6 through 12, from June 25th to 29th. While here, your child will train in a supportive environment where they will be cared for and strengthened physically, mentally, and emotionally so that they can grow and thrive to their fullest potential.
During the week, students will learn applicable self-defense skills, gain confidence, discipline and social skills all while having a blast. Your child will benefit from one-on-one guidance from our team of Coaches and enjoy making new friends.
Camp will begin at 2:00 pm Monday through Friday and finish at 4:00 pm. Additionally, your child has the option to stay for the first kids’ class immediately following. Kids classes are from 4:00-5:00 Monday, Wednesday and Friday and from 4:30-5:30 pm Tuesday and Thursday.
No prior martial arts skills is required. Everyone is welcome. Contact our academy today to register your child for a fun and confidence building week!
During kids class, it is not uncommon for a young student to cry on the mat. Here is a bit of our take on the topic.
The reality is, crying during class will happen. It’s inevitable. When it does happen, it should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis. If the child is crying because of true pain due to an injury, then that should be dealt with appropriately and medical attention will be sought, if needed. Thankfully this is an extremely rare occurrence at our academy due to the structure and rules we have in place. In all other cases of crying our policy is to approach the situation differently.
The reasons behind crying on the mat are varied: the child may be frustrated, they could be intimidated, or maybe simply embarrassed, for example if they are losing a match. Crying can also be used by kids as a form of manipulation. It is also important to address crying on the mat quickly, because this is one of the few behaviors a kid can do in class that will distract all of the other students and disrupt the progression of the entire class. More often than not, a kid crying in class is their way of avoiding an uncomfortable situation or getting attention rather than true injury. We also find that it is commonly the same offenders who are repeatedly disturbing class. Unless they are crying due to real pain, we will make it clear to them that this behavior is unacceptable, and teach them the skills and tools to handle their emotions and express themselves in an appropriate way.
As instructors, part of our job is to teach our students how to handle their emotions, and the best way to express themselves. When I see kids crying on the mat it is most often out of frustration, mental pressure, or even a form of manipulation, rather than them being in pain. It is therefore up to the instructor to employ his or her judgment to assess where the child is in terms of emotional development, and therefore determine the real reason behind the tears.
This is particularly relevant to students who attend a regular class. The instructor will be able to figure out if a particular child using crying as a way to avoid an uncomfortable situation, or to get attention, because a pattern will emerge over time.
In this way, if we were to give the child a easy out of the situation, such as quickly ending the warm up or whatever it may be, we would be doing them a disservice as instructors and mentors. Instead, as long as they are in no physical harm, it is better to allow them to stay in the uncomfortable position so they can figure it out for themselves, work out their emotions and explore other ways of overcoming difficulty, rather than escaping the situation or giving up. By letting them find their own achievement, we give them the tools to success that they will carry into adulthood.
The habits and attitudes we are helping kids develop at an early age through Jiu-Jitsu are critical to their success later down the road. In most cases, left to their own kids will eventually learn that crying is not socially acceptable and “grow out of it”. However, this doesn’t mean that they have learned to deal with their emotions. If they are not challenged and taught how to appropriately handle their emotional reactions to situations, this will often manifest as unhealthy anger or in some cases psychological issues later in life.
Our policy is to be strong against crying in class. In many cases what may look like tough love or disregard for the child’s feelings from the outside, is actually a specially targeted way of helping our kids develop emotionally to become healthy and functioning adults. In these circumstances, it is our responsibility as instructors to make it clear to the student that their behavior is unacceptable. We should also take this opportunity to teach them other skills and tools to handle their emotions, and appropriate ways of expressing themselves.
Had a great time at our kids Zoo-Jitsu barbecue this past weekend. There were volleyball and soccer matches, bubbles, gigantic beach balls, and races. Thanks everyone for coming out. Can’t wait to do this again!
Coach Jason is a blue belt under Professor Tony Passos. Being a fan of MMA, he loved the submissions and grappling the most. Realizing how effective the ground game is led him to try out Jiu Jitsu and he has been hooked every since.
A encouraging team player is how we would describe Coach Jason. He also demonstrates the tremendous power of what showing up and working hard accomplishes. He is studying full-time in college, often wakes up by 4:00 am to work at his job at Starbucks, and makes it to the academy to train and coach in the evenings. And, he balances all of this with a upbeat and friendly attitude that is contagious.
Coach Jason shares that: “Jiu Jitsu has been a catalyst for my personal development and I am a much better human being today because of Jiu Jitsu and the great team I am surrounded by. My favorite part of coaching is the opportunity to positively influence the students — the same way I have been positively influenced through training and access to a great team. I wholeheartedly believe that Jiu Jitsu can change someone’s life. Everyone at Team Passos will welcome you into the family with open arms as soon as you walk through the doors and will work with you to achieve all your goals both on the mat and off.”
DAVE LEE
Coach Dave Lee is a brown belt under Professor Tony Passos. He began training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2007. While searching for more exciting form of exercise, he discovered BJJ and never looked back. He joined Team Passos in 2015 and began coaching due to his passion for BJJ and his desire to share that with other students.
Coach Dave is an example of what the power of consistently showing up to class can accomplish. He is an extremely dedicated student of the art of Jiu Jitsu and also extremely dedicated in helping with our Intermediate program. He is always with a smile on his face and willing to give of his own time for the benefit of others.
MATT HERMAN
Coach Matt is a pillar in our Fundamentals program. Coach Matt began training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2017. He grew up doing martial arts, and was looking to try something new after a few years hiatus. After searching the web for local BJJ academies, he found Team Passos and tried a class. His interest turned into a passion and he has been training consistently ever since.
Coach Matt welcomes and partners with newer students on the mat to help them learn proper Jiu Jitsu while also making it a fun experience. He is a hard worker and is always willing to chip in to help at the academy wherever he sees the need. Coach Matt is extremely focused on the growth of his Jiu Jitsu and embraces the process of getting out of his comfort zone in order to learn the art of Jiu Jiu and grow both on and off the mat.
MEGAN FISHER
Coach Megan is a purple belt under Professor Tony Passos. She started her Jiu Jitsu journey in November 2012 while living abroad in China. After moving home to the U.S. she began training at an affiliate gym, The Winchester Jiu Jitsu Academy, which led her to join Team Passos HQ in 2018. Coach Megan enjoys the challenge of competition but is most driven by her passion to share Jiu Jitsu through coaching. She is also dedicated to building women’s presence on the mat and leads women’s training events at Team Passos and affiliate gyms. She is married to a wonderful husband and enjoys a fulfilling career as a physical therapist assistant.
JIMMY NAUGLE
Coach Jimmy is a black belt under Professor Tony Passos. He was one of the first Team Passos students well over a decade ago. He is a true example of what consistency in training can accomplish while also being a husband and dad and building a career. Coach Jimmy has always been a great source of encouragement to everyone at the academy. His quick wit and the jokes he brings to the mat make the process of learning the art of Jiu Jitsu even more fun.
ANDREW POTOCKO
Coach Andrew Potocko is a purple belt under Professor Tony Passos. He began training Jiu Jitsu in 2011 while working and attending college part-time. Coach Andrew played multiple sports growing up, including soccer, ice hockey, lacrosse, and golf. The transition to Jiu Jitsu came after high school as “a way to exercise and stay healthy in a structured and disciplined environment.”
In 2013 he competed in the IBJJF World Championship, placing third in his division. Also during this time, he began teaching Jiu Jitsu as an Assistant Coach in the Kids “Zoo-Jitsu” and Adults Fundamentals programs. It was Coach Andrew’s experience as a coach inspired him to study education and earn a degree in kinesiology at the University of Maryland.
Coach Andrew is extremely consistent in his own training and approaches all he does with a high level of excellence. He wears multiple hats at the Team Passos. As Academy Manager he makes sure everything runs smoothly and is always a friendly face to greet everyone when they walk in. As an Instructor, he has an ability to explain the details of each position very well and is able to tailor his teaching style to the student. He enjoys helping the students understand the basic concepts and skills to provide them with a foundational knowledge of the sport.
PAUL ROBINSON
As a purple belt under Professor Tony Passos, Coach Paul assists in teaching the Kids’ “Zoo-Jitsu” program. Having spent years learning Jiu Jitsu, he enjoys teaching the kids as a way to give back and to ensure that the knowledge of Jiu Jitsu gets passed on. Coach Paul is also a second degree black belt in karate. His inspiration to train Jiu Jitsu came from the way it applies basic principles to great effect.
Coach Paul truly gets the vision that our Jiu Jitsu program is a means of investing in our students and providing the tools to succeed in life. For him, the most fulfilling aspect of teaching the kids class is to see how quickly the kids learn and apply the art. His teaching methodology emphasizes both mental and physical skills. He encourages the kids to think through their decisions of what technique to choose and why and then the correct method to implement. Coach Paul believes that by learning BJJ, the kids are able to gain a mental framework to succeed in school and life while maintaining a physically active lifestyle.
“Those kids on the mats are the future of Jiu Jitsu, and they are the future of the world. My hope is that I can take the investments that others have made into me, and multiply it by sharing what I’ve learned with each of those children. Not just reciting techniques for them to memorize by rote, but shaping their environment and giving them the input, challenges, and encouragement needed to cause them to grow into good people, to make mental connections, to develop good habits, to lay the groundwork for a healthy lifestyle – and maybe, just maybe, put them in a position to one day do things that will amaze everyone. We hear ‘it’s not about Jiu Jitsu’ a lot, but it’s true: Jiu Jitsu is a vehicle for investing in others.” – Coach Paul
Josh Pike
Professor Joshua Pike is a black belt under Professor Tony Passos. He began training Jiu Jitsu at the age of thirteen in Team Passos’ Kids “Zoo-Jitsu” program. At that time, Professor Josh’s little sister had wanted to try Jiu Jitsu so he and his brothers accompanied her so that she would not be alone. He is now a huge part of our team today.
Professor Josh began teaching in the fall of 2011 in State College, Pennsylvania while attending school at Penn State University. He realized quickly that he had a passion to help others grow and succeed in life through Jiu Jitsu. Professor Josh loves to train because “it can allow us to achieve anything in life.” Professor Josh graduated with a degree in kinesiology from the University of Pennsylvania and wishes to continue training to become a World Champion while attending graduate school.
He has not only become a fantastic Instructor and Coach but he has proven himself as a top competitor on the BJJ stage. He is extremely dedicated to ensuring that each student progresses in their understanding of Jiu Jitsu and improves in their own BJJ journey. Professor Josh loves being able to see the joy that students experience while they are learning the art. His commitment to his dreams, the academy and student, and the art of Jiu Jitsu inspires us all.
Below are the most recent competitions Josh has competed and placed in:
2019 CBJJ Brasileiro Championship – 3rd Place
2019 Chicago Spring Open – 3rd Place
Fight 2 Win Pro 82 Winner
Fight 2 Win Pro 70 Winner
2018 Atlanta Winter Open – 2nd Place
Fight 2 Win Pro 53 Winner – Submission of the night
Fight 2 Win Pro 42 Winner
2017 Atlanta Winter Open – 1st Place
2016 Miami Winter Open – 2nd Place
2016 Long Beach Winter Open – 1st Place
2016 IBJJF Atlanta Winter Open – 1st Place
2015 IBJJF Seattle Open – 1st Place
2013 IBJJF New York Open – 3rd Place
2011 IBJJF New York Open – 2nd Place
2009 IBJJF World Championships – 3rd Place
Tony Passos
Professor Tony Passos is one of the few Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts under Ricardo de la Riva. He is currently an IBJJF certified third degree black belt and a proud member and coach of Team Atos Jiu Jitsu.
Professor Tony started training Jiu-Jitsu at 18 years old in Recife, Brazil and began teaching in 2002. He has trained with and learned from world champions such as Andre Galvao, Guto Campos, Claudio Calasans and many others.
Tony has won and medaled in many prestigious competitions such as:
IBJJF Chicago Open 2013
IBJJF Chicago Open 2012
IBJJF Pan American Championships 2011
Abu Dhabi Pro 2010
IBJJF Pan American Championships 2010
IBJJF Houston Open 2010
IBJJF US National Championships 2009
BJJF Miami Open 2009
Having retired from competing to pursue his passion of teaching and coaching, Professor Tony coaches some of the top world Jiu Jitsu athletes on the biggest world stages of Jiu Jitsu. He brings the skill and experience of an accomplished BJJ practitioner and world-renowned coach to his local students and affiliates. His passion for teaching the art of Jiu Jitsu is undeniable. When he is coaching or even teaching class you can hear Professor Tony a mile away. He brings a sense of humor to the mats and as well as an unsurpassed work ethic.
Professor Tony has dedicated himself to the development of his students both on and off the mat. He works closely with all of his students on goal settings and developing personal training plans and competition strategies. His gift of teaching and exceptional knowledge of Jiu Jitsu allows him to break down a complex position in a step-by-step, easily understood manner. His teaching style consists of explaining a position from various angles while tailoring the instruction to best suit the student’s learning style and body style.
Professor Tony also works with each of our coaches and affiliates to pass along this holistic approach to Jiu Jitsu and comprehension of the art so that our students will be able to understand and apply the art of Jiu Jitsu at the highest level.
Above all, Professor Tony believes that Jiu Jitsu allows anyone to improve and transform their own lives through focus and consistently putting in the work on the mat while enjoying the journey together.
The most important responsibility we, as Coaches, assume while instructing our kids in the art of Jiu Jitsu, is not providing technical tips to promote flawless performances. The most important mission for us is to help our kids attain a level of emotional maturity and strength of character that will serve as a foundation that lead to a healthy and successful life. We believe the sport of Jiu Jitsu promotes mind, body, and emotional health. And at the academy, we provide a place for that in a safe and supportive environment. Our Kids’ Zoo-Jitsu program is intentionally designed to facilitate the growth of emotional and physical fitness and strong values. Working alongside our students, we help them grow from within and develop the abilities necessary to excel. Life promises to present challenges. So our program exposes students to constructive challenges, teaching them how to overcome them with the help and support of our coaches. This prepares the children for the time they when they must confront problems on their own.
From the “it’s not about Jiu Jitsu” files, I heard an extraordinary (and for me, emotionally impactful) statement from a parent tonight – “on the mats, my child isn’t autistic.”
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