Instructors
Professor Leonardo Machado
Professor Machado is a 2nd Degree black belt. He received his black belt in 2011 from Ricardo Marques of BTT Juiz de Fora. He has been training Jiu-Jitsu for 14 years. He loves sharing his knowledge of the sport with his students and continues to compete actively. Often on the weekends you can find him refereeing at tournaments, thus, continuing to show his love and knowledge of this sport runs deep.
Wrestling Coach Larry Carara
Larry Carara is currently a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and has been training for 6 years. Prior to starting Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Larry had a very successful high school wrestling career finishing with 128 wins and 24 losses over a four year varsity career. After high school he went on to wrestle for 3 years at Johnson & Wales University.
Larry’s philosophy for success on the mat is centered around technical proficiency brought about by rigorous drilling and instinct based movement obtained by focused, live rolling.
Assistant Kids Coach Misty Verschoor
Misty is an E-RYT 500 yoga instructor and all around fitness junkie.
A little over 6 years ago Misty traded her yoga mat for the Jiujitsu mat and has never looked back. Misty is a purple belt under Professor Leonardo Machado and an avid competitor.
Misty loves sharing her knowledge of the sport with the younger generation of jiujitsu practitioners. She is always working to keep the balance of a fun and energetic yet organized and disciplined class.
Muay Thai Coach Joe Rossi
Joe has 5 years of experience in the art of Muay Thai. In that time he has studied 2 different unique styles, traditional and Dutch, and has aimed to mix them congruently in a way that brings out the best in both styles. Joe also has experience in the amateur kickboxing circuit, holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and has competed and medaled at various Jiu-Jitsu tournaments.
in Joe's classes he strives for a fun, fast-paced environment focused not only on working up a sweat, but also on technical proficiency through dynamic drills, combos, and light sparring. This is what Joe believes to be the best way to learn Muay Thai, and is catering to both the casual practitioner looking to have fun, lose weight, and get a good workout, as well as those who are serious about improving their game both mentally and physically.