About Us

Andrew Kochel

Co- owner of Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Professor Kochel earned his Black Belt through the S.A.S team under Daniel Tavares. Andrew is sponsored by Roll Bliss. He is the Sirius grappling world light weight champion, fury pro grappling champion, F2W super fight Winner, combat Jiu jitsu Battle mountain 155 champion and 38X naga expert champion

Jason Palmer

Professor Palmer is co- owner of Valley
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Black Belt in Bjj, instructor and coach. Emotional Support Teacher, Jason has his clearances to work with children. Jason started his martial arts career at the age of 7. He earned his Black Belt in Ryku Kepmpo under John Debuski in 1996. He began his Jiu JItsu career in 2007. Jason earned his blue belt from GraciePhilla under Joe Guido. Jason earned his Purple, Brown, and Black Belts under Patrick McElderry and Andrew Kochel of team S.A.S

Michael Villeneuve

Instructor at Valley, Micheal is a brown belt under Patrick Mcelderry and Andrew Kochel. Michael is a highly decorated competitor. Michael has consistently defeated black belt level competitors.

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is a martial art designed to allow a person to defend themselves in real situations. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is designed to allow a smaller person to defend, control, or incapacitate a larger stronger attacker. By using leverage and technique, the practitioner learns to use the opponents weight and strength against them. From the feet, students learn how to block attacks, escape situations, control an attacker, or take the attacker to the ground. On the ground students learn to gain dominant positions, escape and defend from vulnerable positions, and use submissions to end an engagement.

The biggest advantage Brazilian Jiu Jitsu has over other martial arts is that it can be practiced at full speed against an active opponent. This creates muscle memory and a development of technique that can be applied to any situation.

In addition, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is also a fast growing sport. Competitors match up with people their age, weight, and skill level. Competitions allow practitioners the ability to test their skills in a live, competitive, and safe environment

No matter what your goals, self defense, exercise, competition, or just for fun, Valley tailors its experience to each student's needs. We offer both kids and adult classes. We pride ourselves on creating a family atmosphere that is challenging and safe. Our ultimate goal is to spread the art of Jiu Jitsu in an environment conducive to creating a lifestyle .

What is team S.A.S and Brazilian Jiu JItsu

TeamS.A.S history

FRANCISCO SÁ WAS BORN DECEMBER 17TH, 1935 IN THE REMOTE TOWN OF SENADOR POMPEU, ABOUT 125 MILES FROM THE MAIN CITY OF FORTALEZA. HIS FIRST EXPOSURE TO JIU-JITSU CAME THROUGH A WEEKLY ILLUSTRATED PUBLICATION CALLED “CRUZEIRO.” THE MAGAZINE CONTAINED PICTURES OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU TECHNIQUES DEMONSTRATED BY THE HELIO GRACIE. HE ALSO SPENT SOME TIME TRAINING WITH ONE OF GEORGE GRACIE’S STUDENTS, MR NILO VELOSO. IN HIS LATE TEENS, MASTER FRANCISCO SÁ DECIDED TO MOVE TO RECIFE IN THE STATE OF PERNAMBUCO, BRAZIL TO FOLLOW A CAREER IN THE BRAZILIAN AIR FORCE. WHILE IN RECIFE, FRANCISCO SÁ DISCOVERED THAT A JIU JITSU MASTER NAMED TAKEO IANO WAS TEACHING IN THE AREA. HE IMMEDIATELY SOUGHT OUT THE JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTIST, AND STARTED LEARNING FROM THE FORMER KODOKAN ACADEMY STANDOUT. IN RECIFE, FRANCISCO SÁ DEDICATED ALL HIS TIME AND EFFORT TO JIU JITSU, AND IN 6 YEARS HE MADE IT FROM WHITE BELT TO THE RANK OF INSTRUCTOR UNDER TAKEO IANO. AFTER YEARS OF TRAINING IN RECIFE, MASTER SÁ DECIDED TO RETURN TO HIS HOME STATE TO BE CLOSER TO HIS FAMILY. THERE HE OPENED HIS FIRST ACADEMY, WHICH WAS CALLED “CENTRAL RINGUE CLUB” LATER TO BE RENAMED AS “ACADEMIA PROFESSOR SÁ” (PROFESSOR SÁ ACADEMY). FROM THIS ACADEMY HE DEVELOPED SEVERAL IMPORTANT FIGHTERS, INCLUDING HIS OWN SON “SAZINHO”, WHO BECAME ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR COACHES IN THE REGION. THE FAMILY OF FIGHTERS CONTINUES TO DELIVER HIGH CLASS FIGHTERS SUCH AS GUYBSON SÁ & ROBSON SÁ, ALSO HIS SONS AND DANIEL BELEZA, JORGE GURGEL, MARCUS AURELIO AND DANIEL TAVARES. MASTER SA WAS ONE OF THE FEW BJJ PRACTITIONERS TO ACQUIRE THE HIGHLY ESTEEMED RANK OF RED BELT. THIS IS THE HIGHEST RANK ACHIEVABLE IN THE GENTLE ART. TO REACH RED BELT (GRAND MASTER) TAKES ABOUT 40 YEARS AFTER ATTAINING THE RANK OF BLACK BELT. MASTER SÁ RECEIVED HIS BLACK BELT IN 1959 FROM NILO VELOSO. AS OF 2013, MASTER SÁ HAD BEEN A BLACK BELT FOR 54 YEARS. THE SÁ FAMILY IS CONSIDERED TO BE LIKE THE GRACIES IN NORTHEAST OF BRAZIL FOR BEING PIONEERS IN THE MARTIAL ART. THE SA’S ARE HIGHLY ESTEEMED TO HAVE A LEADER THAT ATTAINED THE RANK OF RED BELT.