Kids learn to manage difficult physical situations calmly — without striking. That ability quietly changes how they carry themselves at school, on the playground, and everywhere else.

Every position on the mat is a puzzle. Kids who train BJJ get better at staying calm when things are hard and thinking through what to do next — skills that transfer directly to the classroom.

Bowing in, listening to coaches, taking care of training partners — the rituals of the mat build habits of respect that parents notice right away. Kids here look out for each other.

BJJ is full-body movement — rolling, bridging, shrimping, balancing. Kids get genuinely athletic without realizing they’re working out. For high-energy children, it is an outstanding outlet.

Games, movement, listening, and early mat awareness. The focus is participation and fun — formal technique can come with time.

Structured drilling, core positions, and controlled positional practice. Kids build a real technical foundation at their own pace.

More technical depth and live sparing. Teens prepare to train alongside adults in select sessions as they advance.

Colby trained at Curucuruland in Brazil under Rodrigo Pagani — including direct experience with the kids program there, working alongside Rodrigo with his son Rockson. That setting, one of the most respected BJJ academies in the world, shaped how Colby thinks about teaching children: technique-first, patient, and built around what each kid actually needs to succeed.

Before joining Connection Academy, Hannah spent years teaching children and families at Jubera BJJ in Broomfield — where she also earned her black belt under Matt Jubera, Xande Ribeiro’s first American black belt. She brings deep experience managing age-appropriate class structures, working with kids of different learning styles, and building the kind of environment where children feel safe enough to push themselves.