Professional qualified instructors, ready to provide you with the best training experience.
Professor Matt Started training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2009 at the Gracie Barra Regional Headquarters. Training under the guidance of Professor Marcelo Rezende, he went on to commit to his training on a daily basis and connected with all the physical and mental benefits that Brazilian Jiu Jitsu can bring.
He realised that there was something special about not just Brazilian JiuJitsu but the culture that is Gracie Barra. It was the time of Blue Belt, 1-2 years training that he knew that he wanted to share his commitment and love for jiu jitsu with others. Although it wasn’t yet time due to being a relative novice at the time, he kept that goal at the front of his mind throughout the weeks, months and years of training.
He started and completed the very first Gracie Barra Coaching Certification in Australia in 2011. And has updated his coaching certification every chance since. Some other notable firsts were competing in the very first Gracie Barra Internal competition in Australia, and helping Co- ordinate and organise the first Gracie Barra Fit Games in 2017.
While Being a Automotive Technician and enjoying his Jiu Jitsu Training he Completed a CertIV in fitness. In 2014 he was happily offered a full time job as a purple belt at the Gracie Barra Headquarters.
A right of passage is to help assist teaching kids classes, and although the main goal wasn’t to specialise in teaching kids, he soon found it was a major motivator in his teaching.
“There was just a connection with seeing kids that were timid, maybe not the most athletic kids in other sports pursue their training and end up excelling in the classes we were teaching”. “ It wasn’t just the victories on the competition mats that mattered, but seeing improvements week by week, little by little in the students discipline, confidence and well being is an amazing part of being an instructor with Gracie Barra”.
Professor Matt also enjoys the challenge of competing, with some notable results including Sydney International Pro and Pan Pacific No Gi Champion, among many other competition results throughout the years. He also travelled to the world masters with the Team to Las Vegas, and although he didn't podium, he vowed to return for unfinished business.
His coaching accolades include coaching and assistant coaching many adult and youth students to medals on the regional, national and international stage.
He received his Black Belt in 2017, and with his son being born at the end of 2018 the family unit decided to move closer to his wife's family in the Northern Rivers. While looking for a place to set up GB Ballina, he was head instructor at Gracie Barra Surfers Paradise, and was also an assistant instructor at Gracie Barra Tweed Heads.
“I am honoured to bring Gracie Barra Brazilian Jiu Jitsu to Ballina and the region, and can’t wait to share the mats with all our students!”