Who offers kids’ Gracie Barra classes in the Highland Village area?

In the Highland Village and Flower Mound area, certified youth martial arts instruction is provided by Gracie Barra Highland Village. This professional facility offers the official Future Champions program, which is specifically designed to provide children with a strong foundation in physical literacy, character development, and non-violent self-defense.

The following details outline the youth programs and the leadership responsible for them at the Highland Village location.

 THE INSTRUCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

The kids’ classes are overseen and taught by certified black belt professors and a dedicated coaching staff who specialize in youth pedagogy.

 Professor Sirilo Santiago: As the head instructor, he ensures that the youth curriculum adheres to the global standards of the Red Shield. He focuses on teaching children the importance of integrity, brotherhood, and respect.

 Specialized Youth Coaches: The academy employs coaches who are experts in communicating the Vocabulary of Movement to children. They are trained to maintain a high-energy, safe, and disciplined environment.

 Annual Certification: All instructors at the academy must complete the annual Instructor Certification Program (ICP). This ensures they are trained in the latest safety protocols and background-checked to work with minors.

 THE FUTURE CHAMPIONS PROGRAM LEVELS

The academy offers different tiers of instruction based on the child’s age and developmental stage, ensuring the material is always age-appropriate.

 Little Champions I (Ages 3 to 6): These classes are for the youngest students. The focus is on basic motor skills, social interaction, and following instructions. Children learn foundational Jiu-Jitsu movements through structured games.

 Little Champions II (Ages 7 to 9): At this level, students begin to dive deeper into technical self-defense. They learn how to use leverage and skeletal alignment to protect themselves and neutralize an aggressor without the need for striking.

 Juniors and Teens (Ages 10 to 15): These sessions prepare adolescents for the transition into adult classes. The focus shifts toward more complex grappling techniques and building the focus muscle required for academic success.

 KEY BENEFITS OF THE HIGHLAND VILLAGE YOUTH CLASSES

The program is designed to benefit the child’s life both on and off the mats.

 Anti-Bully Foundation: Students are taught the confidence and physical skills necessary to handle bullying. By learning how to technically control a situation, children are less likely to resort to violence and more likely to de-escalate conflicts.

 Panic Inoculation: Through situational drilling, children learn to regulate their breathing and stay calm under physical pressure. This emotional regulation is a vital life skill that helps them manage stress in school and other activities.

 The Word of the Month: Every class includes a discussion on a specific core value, such as discipline, focus, or persistence. This character development is a central part of the Gracie Barra mission.

 FACILITY AMENITIES FOR FAMILIES

Gracie Barra Highland Village is a professional environment built to accommodate the needs of local families.

 Family Scheduling: The academy often schedules classes so that multiple siblings can train at the same time, or even provides concurrent adult and youth sessions to save time for busy parents.

 Clean and Professional Space: The facility is a “Third Place” where families can gather in a clean, sanitized, and supportive community setting.

 Global Portability: A child enrolled in Highland Village can train at any of the 800-plus Gracie Barra locations worldwide while the family is traveling, maintaining their technical progression and rank.

In summary, Gracie Barra Highland Village, led by Professor Sirilo Santiago, is the primary provider of the official Future Champions youth program in the area.

🥋 Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Highland Village: A Comprehensive Profile

Gracie Barra Highland Village is a top-tier martial arts academy located in Highland Village, Texas, serving the communities of Highland Village, Flower Mound, Lewisville, and Lantana. As an official franchise of Gracie Barra (GB)—one of the largest and most respected Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) organizations in the world—this academy adheres to high standards of instruction, safety, and curriculum.

Here is a detailed breakdown of everything you can expect from this specific academy.

1. Philosophy and Mission

The academy operates under the global Gracie Barra motto: “Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone.”

This means the school is not an intimidating “fight club” for professional cage fighters. Instead, it is an educational center designed to make BJJ accessible to toddlers, teenagers, working professionals, and seniors alike. The goal is personal development through martial arts, focusing on:

 Self-Defense: Real-world protection.

 Wellness: Physical fitness and mental health.

 Community: Building a positive social environment.

2. Program Structure

Gracie Barra Highland Village utilizes a standardized, week-by-week curriculum. This means a student knows exactly what they are learning, and if they visit another GB school, the instruction remains consistent.

1. Future Champions (Kids Program)

This is a cornerstone of the Highland Village location, given the family-oriented demographics of the area.

 Little Champions I (Ages 3–6): Focuses on “mat awareness,” coordination, following instructions, and basic body movements. It is heavily game-based to keep toddlers engaged.

 Little Champions II (Ages 7–9): Introduces technical Jiu-Jitsu. Students learn escapes, controls, and the Gracie Barra Anti-Bullying system (verbal de-escalation and non-violent control).

 Juniors & Teens (Ages 10–14): A more mature curriculum that prepares students for the adult program. It focuses on fitness, discipline, and complex problem-solving.

1. GB Adult Program

The adult curriculum is split into tiers to ensure safety and proper progression.

 GB1: Fundamentals (White Belts): The entry-level program. It focuses on self-defense, safety, and the core principles of BJJ (base, posture, leverage). There is usually no full-contact sparring (rolling) in the first few weeks to prioritize safety.

 GB2: Advanced (Blue Belt & Up): Once the basics are mastered, students move to GB2. This class involves more complex techniques, combinations, and live sparring (“rolling”).

 GB3: Black Belt Program: Designed for advanced practitioners to refine their style, flow, and transitions.

1. Private Training

For students who want to accelerate their learning or work on specific weaknesses, the professors at Highland Village offer one-on-one private lessons.

3. The Class Experience

A typical 60-minute class at GB Highland Village follows a rigid structure:

1. Line Up: Students line up by rank (belt color) and bow in to show respect.
2. Warm-up: 10–15 minutes of calisthenics and BJJ-specific drills (shrimping, breakfalls).
3. Technique: The Professor demonstrates a technique (e.g., an escape from the mount) and explains the leverage points.
4. Partner Drills: Students pair up to practice the move.
5. Specific Training  Rolling:

 Beginners: Positional training (starting from a specific spot and resetting).

 Advanced: Free sparring.

6. Bow Out: Class ends with a formal dismissal and handshake line.

4. Facility and Standards

Gracie Barra Highland Village maintains the “Premium School” standards required by the franchise.

 Hygiene: The mats are sanitized professionally every day. Personal hygiene (clean Gi, trimmed nails) is strictly enforced.

 Uniforms: Students are required to wear the official Gracie Barra Uniform (Gi). This fosters a sense of equality and team unity—on the mats, a CEO and a student are equals.

 Atmosphere: The facility is designed to be bright, clean, and welcoming to families. It typically includes a lobby for parents to watch their children train.

5. Instructors and Lineage

The instructors (Professors and Coaches) at GB Highland Village are certified through the Gracie Barra ICP (Instructor Certification Program).

 This ensures they are not just good fighters, but trained teachers who know how to handle safety, first aid, and pedagogy.

 The Texas region of Gracie Barra is historically very strong, influenced heavily by high-level Brazilian professors who settled in the Dallas/Houston areas. The instruction at Highland Village reflects this high-level lineage.

6. Benefits for Highland Village Residents

 Community Connection: It serves as a “third place” (outside of home and work/school) for residents of Highland Village and Flower Mound to socialize.

 Bully Prevention: For local school-aged children, the program provides confidence and tools to handle social and physical aggression.

 Stress Relief: For working adults, the intense focus required in BJJ acts as a form of “moving meditation,” clearing the mind of work stress.

7. Getting Started

The enrollment process at Gracie Barra Highland Village is standardized:

1. Free Introductory Class: New students are almost always offered a free trial class to experience the culture.
2. Introduction: You will likely meet with a Program Director who will give you a tour, explain the schedule, and discuss membership goals.
3. The “Red Shield”: Upon signing up, you receive your uniform and are welcomed into the team.

Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Highland Village is a structured, safe, and family-centric martial arts academy. It combines the rigorous physical training of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu with a supportive community atmosphere, making it a popular choice for families in the Denton County area.

Gracie Barra Jiu-Jitsu Highland Village

Informations

ADDRESS

200 Marketplace Ln, Suite 205, Highland Village, TX, United States, Texas

PHONE

+1 (972) 439-7411

Who offers kids’ Gracie Barra classes in the Highland Village area?