06/17/2026
After 35 years of teaching, I've learned something that surprises most parents.
They come in asking about technique. They want to know if their kid will learn how to defend themselves. If they'll get in shape. If they'll earn a belt.
Those are the wrong questions.
1. The real question
After teaching thousands of kids, I stopped asking "can this kid learn jiu-jitsu?" I started asking "is this kid ready to be coached?" That one question predicts everything.
2. What coachability actually means
Coachable doesn't mean obedient. A coachable kid will argue with you. They'll push back. They'll question the method. But when it matters, they actually listen. They're willing to be wrong.
That's the difference.
3. What I've watched happen
The most talented kids I've taught sometimes never transformed. The least talented ones sometimes became my strongest students. The variable was never ability. It was always willingness.
4. Why this changes everything
Because coachability isn't fixed. A kid who isn't coachable today might be next year. The question isn't whether your kid has it. The question is whether they're in an environment that develops it.
5. How I can help
If your kid is coachable, or ready to become coachable, I'd love to have a conversation. Come see what this environment looks like. One visit tells you more than any post can.
The goal is who you become.