2021 Update - North Side Kids take home 8 Medals at 2021 IBJJF Kids Pans. Kids Pans is the largest kids tournament in the world today taking place in Orlando. Some of our kids had as many as five matches in a single elimination tournament. We took 11 kids to PANs and won a Gold, 5 Silvers, and 2 Bronze medals. Grey Belt Niko Levine has also won US Nationals and PANs Gold in 2021. North Side Kids Place 3rd as a team, taking home 6 Gold Medals and Placing 3rd of 268 at the largest tournament in AZ history JJWL Phx 2021. in 2022 NSBJJ Kids placed 2nd in the AZBJJL AZ State Championship taking home 6 Gold medals in the process!

About one in every three American children are overweight or obese. The American Medical Association recommends children get 60 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity per day.

We offer a highly structured fun and safe environment for kids ages 4-15 to stay healthy while learning a skill they will use for the rest of their lives.

In addition to improving children’s physical health, we teach kids how to handle bullying and other dangers. Confident and empathetic children are less likely to be bullied or bully others.

We help your children build confidence. Winning a match against a friend you couldn’t beat last week builds confidence. Being able to move a little faster and get a little stronger builds confidence. Competing in a competition builds confidence.

Classes begin with a warm-up. When Professor Sean Huff teaches, the warm-up usually includes jogging, forward and backward rolls, wheelbarrows, army crawls, bear crawls, and shrimping. Professor Dusty Alexander teaches a little differently. He likes to warm up with games. Kids don’t realize it, but by the end of the games, their faces are bright red and their hearts are pumping! Both warm-up styles not only provide cardiovascular exercise, but they teach some of the physical skills required to perform BJJ techniques.

All instruction is done in an age-appropriate way. Students watch the demonstration and then try the technique with their partner.

After the Professors show technique, the kids get to roll with each other in timed matches. This is usually their favorite part of class. Often children of equal size and ability are paired with each other during matches, but not always. When a beginner goes against a seasoned kid, they really challenge themselves by working as hard as they can to submit their more experienced peer. The older kids are very aware of their strength and take care not hurt the younger kids.

Children are always welcome to watch a class before they decide to participate. You have a free week trial period to see how your child does. We have loaner kimonos to borrow for the trial period.

You can click the House Rules link for more information.