Trigger alert.
Brown/Black Belts with fragile egos aren’t going to like this article very much.
( I know I didn't at first when I was first introduced to this concept)
That’s because there’s a commonly held misconception that one’s RANK in Jiu-Jitsu is equivalent to their status and effectiveness as a coach.
This couldn’t be more flawed….especially when coaching kids.
Now…..Elementary & Middle School teachers are already nodding their heads because they know where I’m going with this.
In the BJJ community, some coaches let their ego get in the way from growing as a coach…. (while ironically toting a sign at the wall that says leave your Ego at the door.)
But I’m going to share some of our “Secret Sauce” behind our award winning kids program, which is made up LARGELY of White &
Blue Belt coaches. 🤯
1. CHILDREN SPEAK THEIR OWN LANGUAGE 🗣️
And it’s unique to each child.
My daughter Scarlette (8) is hyper sensitive and constantly seeks approval.
Always wanting you to “see what she did” and be praised for it.
She wants to be shown exactly how to do something, so she can mimic it to perfection.
So when teaching her Jiu-Jitsu, it will
be important to walk her through EACH point, step by step.
Then tell her how PROUD you are of her at the end. (Crucial)
My son Landon (5) is……well kind of a caveman mixed with Sonic.
He likes what he likes…..and he’s not interested in anything he doesn’t like.
He’s also more of a “Ready . . . Fire . . . Aim” kind of kid.
We all know adults like this. They’ll watch 3 minutes of a 15 minute Youtube video and dive right into a DIY construction project they’ve never done before because, “They’ll figure it out.”
(Only to find that the unviewed 12 minutes would’ve saved them hours down the road…..but I digress)
Landon’s got about a 30 second attention span before he just wants to go “Do Jiu-Jitsu”.
He’ll let you know this, because he will carelessly break eye contact with the coaches and start scanning the walls and ceiling as if he is Harry Potter listening to a Basilisk in the hidden pipes.
Teaching Jiu-Jitsu to each of these kid’s brings its own challenges.
And a “One size fits all approach” wouldn’t produce the best results at tournaments or off the mats either.
Which brings me to my next point.
2. WE DON’T SELL JIU-JITSU 🤯
Professor Mohammad Abdrabboh & I founded Metro Jiu-Jitsu in 2018.
In 6+ years and 1,000+ families later…we’ve never once had a parent bring their child in because they wanted them to be a Jiu-Jitsu World Champion.
Not once.
Parents want the intangible benefits of Jiu-Jitsu.
•They want sensitive kids (Like Scarlette) to breed more confidence.
•They want unruly kids to learn the discipline that comes from training Jiu-Jitsu 2-3x/week.
Even if (and especially when) they don’t “feel” like it.
• They want hyper kids (Like Landon) to learn self control.
• They want kids with ADHD to learn how to focus and increase their attention span.
• They want their child to learn respect for adults which comes from the class structure of Jiu-Jitsu.
By focusing on these intangible benefits, you will raise the overall “preparedness” of each child to actually learn Jiu-Jitsu.
But….if the environment isn’t conducive to ample learning. You’ll be fighting an uphill battle.
3. CREATE THE ENVIRONMENT TO LEARN 🏫
It was Einstein who said, “I do not teach anyone. I only provide the environment in which they can learn.”
The environment of your Jiu-Jitsu “classroom”….cannot be overstated.
But it’s also unique to YOUR culture.
Now, Metro is a very family centric Jiu-Jitsu academy….clean, bright, and welcoming to kids & adults.
If we wanted to change our culture to a Cage Fighting or MMA grunge style feel…..we could do that (and there’s nothing wrong with that).
But Mohammad & I are family men, so we set to build a gym that we would feel comfortable with our kids learning Jiu-Jitsu at and that would check all the boxes WE needed.
Below is just a few important points (for us) that create a successful learning environment:
• Cleanliness.
We spend almost $3,000/month on nightly cleaning, sanitizing, mat scrubbing and even ozone machines to where our gym looks and smells clean the moment you walk in.
I would recommend EVERY Jiu-Jitsu school invest in at least some ozone machines and timers.
Run them at night for 2-3 hours, and this will drastically change the “Aura” of your Jiu-Jitsu school.
Unless you like the smell of high school wrestling rooms….then….keep that.
• Silent messaging.
AKA signage.
I remember all through grade school, when I entered a new classroom, I was always curious WHICH one would have the best motivational or funny signs.
My wife, Amanda, had an incredible teacher growing up whose entire classroom was covered in silent messaging.
Literally every square inch of the walls and ceiling had something to say.
Was it sensory overload? Probably.
Did Amanda do better in that history class than any other year? Also yes!
• Warm Greeting!
One of the policies for our coaches is to be the “Hype Man” (or woman) for every child when they arrive for Jiu-Jitsu.
Greet each child by name and tell them you’re happy to see them!
Kids are malleable and they will match your energy/attitude.
If you’re lethargic…..expect them to be.
If you clearly don’t wanna be there….expect the same.
• Reward Them Daily
Our kids have opportunities to earn “Leadership Tickets,” every class, for their performance.
(This could be giving 100% during matches, or simply listening well to coach)
Then once per month (on the same day as our stripe promotions) we do a large raffle to give away some cool toys for all the “leaders.”
• Pulling Method Of Coaching
My father was a marine.
And he raised his children like it was boot camp.
Believe me when I say, “Negative reinforcement works….short term.”
But positive reinforcement works longer.
At Metro Jiu-Jitsu, we believe in coaching kids with a “Pulling Method,” not a pushing one.
Ex: “Landon, come on buddy are you really giving it 100%? I know you have more than that don’t you? YES! That’s it little dude!”
Compared to “Landon if you don’t get your act together and stop acting like a sissy…..you’re gonna sit out and do pushups for the rest of class….got it?”
See the difference?
4. CONTINUING EDUCATION
Our coaches undergo continuing education on several topics.
• Childhood development
• Childhood communication
• Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu techniques
• Kids sports performance
One of the common ruts to get stuck in is, “We’ve always done it this way.”
And if it’s working . . . Great!
If it’s not . . . Revamp it!
5. WE DON’T PRIORITIZE "THE GOLDEN CHILD"
In every Jiu-Jitsu academy across the nation you will have a handful of kids who are blessed with the God given ability and require very little coaching to excel at Jiu-Jitsu.
You show them a move once.
They implement it immediately.
“Wow, I must be a really great coach.”
Wrong!
A coaches skill is determined by what they can do with the LEAST prepared kids . . . Not the most.
That would be the equivalent of going out on a smooth sea, and finding your way home at night.
“Man I’m the world’s best Captain!”
Try again Skipper!
Had it been a stormy sea, we would’ve seen just how skilled you were.
Similar concept.
Now, for those kids who DO want to take it to the next level, we have a competition team they can join.
But for the other 95%+, we meet them where they’re at, and coach them to grow where they are planted.
Follow this up with encouraging EVERY child to compete……has resulted in some pretty substantial success at Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.
THE RESULTS
Now, if you’ve made it this far . . .
It should be clear we don’t really care about Jiu-Jitsu tournament accolades.
BUT, it is one measure of success to see how your child is progressing.
So when we commit to going to a team tournament, we promote it heavily and we actively arrive and compete as a team.
•Shared snacks.
•Cheering others on after your match.
•Celebration dinner after.
•And a second celebration at the gym that week.
In truth…..the question usually isn’t, “Are Metro kids going to win the team award?”
It’s usually, “How much are the kids going to win by?”
But during the tournament….HOW they win or lose their matches is JUST as important as if they win/lose.
Showboating excessively after a win, can expect a stern conversation from a coach later.
Throwing a temper tantrum after a loss…..can expect immediate correction from a coach.
The gold medal on the line is only good THAT day.
The character built in the process will follow these Jiu-Jitsu athletes the rest of their life.
Did we miss anything?
What are some winning tips for your kid’s Jiu-Jitsu program?
See you on the mats,
Coach David
