Instructors
Andrew
Andrew is the President of Third Ward Jiu-Jitsu. He has been active in the jiu-jitsu community for over 10 years, training and teaching in gyms all across the country. Since moving to Houston, Andrew has been working as a scientific director in a startup company within Baylor College of Medicine. Andrew’s scientific work had a large global impact, but a limited local impact. He wanted to give back to his local community. After thorough deliberation, Andrew left Baylor College of Medicine to fully dedicate his time to Third Ward Jiu-Jitsu.
Sarah
Since starting in 2012, Sarah has found jiu-jitsu to be a second home in each city, from Savannah, GA, to her hometown of Dallas, and finally landing in Houston. As an architect, Sarah is dedicated to designing spaces that best serve the community. At Third Ward Jiu-Jitsu, she channels her creativity, communal-driven spirit, and her enthusiasm for women’s and LGBTQ causes to make self-defense more accessible to everyone.
Joel
Joel began his journey in jiu-jitsu in the summer of 1998, when he first met Relson Gracie. He trained and competed with the Gracie team until he relocated to Houston in 2005, where he continued his training. He has also trained at different schools across the US, and in Central and South America. Joel has taught at several local and federal law enforcement agencies, in addition to teaching women's self-defense classes. He is very passionate about jiu-jitsu and giving back to the community.
