Hi my name is Vince and I have been training at Gracie Barra Sydney for around one and a half years. I can honestly say that Jiu Jitsu has transformed my way of life, on the mats and in every day society, for becoming the best I can be.
One of the things I love about this art is that it is always challenging; testing me and pushing me to my limits. Jiu Jitsu is NOT a matter of luck; it is the precise judgment of a technique that is only mastered by sheer practice and dedication.
Over my short time practicing Jiu Jitsu I have made some close friends that I will hold dear and I consider the Gracie Barra Sydney as my extended family. For me Jiu Jitsu is not a hobby or a pastime; for me Jiu Jitsu is like a religion, I live and breathe Jiu Jitsu. I look forward to rolling with you.
-Vincent Joseph Mollica.
I have enjoyed studying Jiu Jitsu with Marcelo for almost three years now and I’ve found it beneficial both on and off the mat. Jiu Jitsu is not about strength. You learn to think under pressure and apply techniques you have learned to different situations. One night Marcello commented that he could tell how a person lived their life by watching them do Jiu Jitsu. This somewhat embarrassed me at the time as I had been taking things a bit easy, both on the mat and in my business.
Because Jiu Jitsu is a thinking person’s sport, being thirty to forty years older than most of the other players is not as much a disadvantage as it can be in other sports. I believe Jiu Jitsu is an excellent sport for young and older players and I’m looking forward to many more years on the mat.
-Mike McCann
I started training Jiu Jitsu in 1998 with Professor Adriano Constantino in Brazil. When I came to Australia in 2001 as a blue belt, I met Professor Marcelo Rezende at English language school and have been training Jiu Jitsu with him since.
For over 7 years I have watched his development as a professional and all steps he’s taken to build Gracie Barra Family in Sydney. Now as a black belt myself, I appreciate his excellence in teaching and further developing Jiu Jitsu. If it wasn’t for Marcello’s initiative and effort Jiu Jitsu wouldn’t be what it is in Australia today.
When I first started training Jiu Jitsu was only a way to keep me fit and healthy but after I met Marcelo Rezende, I learned that Jiu Jitsu is a way of living. Marcelo’s passion for Jiu Jitsu was life changing for me.
-Marcelo Moyses
Hi my name is Cos. I am 8 years old and I have been doing Jiu Jitsu for a year. I have a yellow-white belt with 2 stripes. I practice Jiu Jitsu three times a week and I really like training because it teaches me how to be stronger. It teaches other kids how to be stronger and keep fit. I have made a lot of friends and Marcelo is a good teacher. He teach us to do take downs, self-defence and push ups. One day I want to be black belt like Marcelo.
-Cos Camponela
I like to surf, play soccer, play the guitar and swim but my favourite hobby is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I go twice a week to the classes and really love it. I enjoy it as we play lots of fun games, like Bullrush and we play soccer at the end. The two Marcelo’s are really fun. I really like the way Marcelo talks to us when telling us what to do, he is always nice.
-Daniel King
I like Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu because we get to play lots of games and the Marcelos are heaps of fun.
-Matthew King
One of my boys had an unfortunate incident with a child at a playground and it made me realise that they both needed to learn how to protect themselves. I chose BJJ as it is different from many other forms of martial arts in that it is very much about self defence rather than attack. After one year of lessons with Marcelo, I have boys who are now comfortable with boisterous play and have the basic skills to protect themselves. Marcelo presents his lessons in a fun manor but at the same time instils the importance of seriousness and respect when it comes to self-defence. If a child is accidently hurt he shows his fatherly manor, giving them a caring hug and kind words but quickly gets the child up and training again. I would recommend BJJ to any parent that wants their child to learn to protect themselves in a fun and friendly environment.
-Elizabeth King (Daniel and Matthew King’s mother)
