Meet Team NBJJA

NBJJA was established in March 2019 by Northern Beaches locals and husband/wife team, Jack and Gill Cox in Cromer on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. We are a proud affiliate of the the Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association, the premier global association for teaching authentic Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Through this affiliation, we offer a structured and proven curriculum and are part of a global family of Jiu-Jitsu Academy owners with similar core values:

• We have fun

• We are open-minded and free from politics or bias

• We support, trust and respect one another 

• We are committed to improving our physical and mental health

• We honour the heritage of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu community

Our dream is to see our students grow not only as martial artists but more importantly as individuals - having a strong sense of belonging in our community, respecting themselves and others, and building both physical and mental resilience.

With two active kids, we’re very much entrenched in the local Collaroy Plateau/Cromer community and love the life we’ve built here on the Northern Beaches!

We are proud to be named as a 2 x Finalist in the Local Business Awards - Outstanding Fitness Services category.

Jack Cox, Owner and Head Coach

What classes do you coach? I coach most of the kids and adults classes, except for the Kids upstairs and Adults No Gi class on Friday evening.

Why did you start Jiu-Jitsu? I started jiu-jitsu because when I trained in karate, my sparring partners and I always ended up going to the ground, and I wanted to know what to do once the fight hit the floor.

What do you love about it? The endless learning and refinement of technique.

Do you have a secret talent? Not sure if it is ’s a talent, but I have a great memory for random facts.

What are your favourite hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu? Family and golf.

Jack is the Head Coach for our Kids and Adults Program and the source of all Jiu-Jitsu knowledge at NBJJA. Email: info@northernbeachesjiujitsu.com.au

Conor Fagan

What classes do you coach? I coach the kids from Nippers through to the Titans classes, as well as the Adults No Gi class on Friday.

Why did you start Jiu-Jitsu? I started jiu jitsu because my brother begged me to attend a class with him and I ended up loving it.

What do you love about it? I love the constant challenges you can present yourself and the mental confidence that conquering those challenges translates to in other aspects of life.

Do you have a secret talent? My secret talent is making bird noises.

What are your favourite hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu? Golf and surfing.

Gus Mercer

What classes do you coach? I coach Kids Jiu-Jitsu classes on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.

Why did you start Jiu-Jitsu? I started jiu jitsu after watching my brother train and compete.

What do you love about it? I love both the physical challenge as well as the mental puzzle.

Do you have a secret talent? Unfortunately none I have discovered as a result of my jiu jitsu addiction.

Hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu? Outside of jiu jitsu I enjoy boxing, cooking and travelling.

Justin Harper

What classes do you coach? I teach Boxing classes and Kids Jiu-Jitsu classes, often the ones upstairs.

Why did you start Jiu-Jitsu? A new challenge and to chase a new goal.

What do you love about it? I love the freedom of movement, using your body and skills in a way like no other sport.

Do you have a secret talent? Nothing good.

Hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu? I fish, surf, spend time at the beach, and travel up and down the coast in my van.

Neven Korac

What classes do you coach? Monday and Wednesday Kids

Why did you start Jiu-Jitsu? Was bouncing of the walls as a kid and Mum wanted me out of the house.

What do you love about it? The friendships and sharing the mats with legends.

Do you have a secret talent? I can draw almost anything without a reference.

Hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu? Cars, motorbikes, art and tattooing.

Thomas Serrano

What classes do you teach? I coach kids classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.

Why did you start BJJ? I started Jiu Jitsu when I was 8. I was pretty small back then and wanted to build the confidence to defend myself.

What do you love about BJJ? I love Jiu Jitsu because theres always something new to learn and the challenge of problem solving on the go!

Do you have a secret talent? I've been learning the violin since I was 5.

Hobbies outside of BJJ? Violin, Fishing.

Ben Thatcher

What classes do you teach? Kids Nippers classes (4-6 years) and the occasional Adults open mat

Why did you start BJJ? I started Jiu-Jitsu an embarrassingly long time ago because my friend Dave (also now an NBJJA member) asked me to tag along because he was nervous attending his first class alone.

What do you love about BJJ? I love that Jiu-Jitsu keeps my ego in check and motivates me to stay fit and healthy. I also have to mention that it's very hard not to make friends with people who let you squash them for fun.

Do you have a secret talent? Most of my talents are pretty public, I guess the one I don't talk about much is that I am pretty good with horses.

Hobbies outside of BJJ? Outside of Jitz, I like to hang out with my family, enduro/downhill mountain bike & surf.

Phoenix Davis

What classes do you teach? I help coach the Nippers class and the Grommets class on Mondays and Saturdays.

Why did you start BJJ? I started jiu-jitsu to help with my coordination and confidence, and to grow as a person.

What do you love about BJJ? I love jiu-jitsu because it gives me self-confidence and tools to defend myself. I also love jiu-jitsu as I can make new friends. The Academy has a team mentality; everyone welcomes and treats you with respect and dignity.

Do you have a secret talent? Playing the guitar!

Hobbies outside of BJJ? Outside of jiu jitsu I love to play the guitar as I love music.

Gillian Cox (Marketing)

What classes do you coach? Occasionally I’ll jump on the mats and help out with the Nippers and Grommets classes, but these days I’m mostly behind the scenes doing admin and marketing.

Why did you start Jiu-Jitsu? I started Jiu-Jitsu as part of a training program to do an MMA fight a few years ago. These days I’m more into running, as I need to multitask while I exercise and catch up with friends at the same time! Jack wouldn’t let me talk throughout a Jiu-Jitsu class ;)

What do you love about it? I don’t currently train Jiu-Jitsu, but my favourite part of all is attending the grading evenings and celebrating those who have earned their next coloured belt. It’s a sport that takes time, skill and persistence so getting to a grading night is a huge achievement.

Do you have a secret talent? I can still do a pretty good headstand and hold it for a while!

What are you favourite hobbies outside of Jiu-Jitsu? Having a running event to train for (usually also a good excuse for a holiday), being a mum to Molly and Xander and working on my own businesses and new ideas.

Master Pedro Sauer, 8th Degree Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Coral Belt

NBJJA is affiliated with The Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association (PSBJJA), one of the oldest, largest, and most respected associations in the world today. Master Pedro Sauer founded the PSBJJA in order to maintain and pass on the art developed by Helio and Carlos Gracie.

Pedro Sauer was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. At age five, he began boxing and later took up judo and taekwondo. At 15, however, his friend Rickson Gracie, invited him to train jiu-jitsu with his younger brother, Royler, who at the time was only nine years old. The outcome of this experience convinced him that jiu-jitsu was the most effective of all the martial arts, and he began training the very next day.

His training under Helio and Rickson took place when jiu jitsu was making its crucial transition as an obscure Brazilian art to a worldwide martial arts phenomenon. Pedro worked towards a double major (Economics and Business Administration) in college, and took post graduation courses at Fundacao Getulio Vargas. He worked in Brazil as a stockbroker for eleven years before moving to the United States and pursuing a career teaching jiu-jitsu.

With Rorion Gracie leading the exodus in 1990, Pedro was part of the first generation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructors and fighters that moved to the United States to reveal the art of BJJ to the world. He lived in California with Rickson Gracie and trained with the Gracie brothers (Rickson, Rorion, and Royce), their father, Helio Gracie, their cousin, Renzo Gracie, the Machado Brothers and many others. In December that year, he moved to Utah where he began pioneering Gracie jiu-jitsu and started the Pedro Sauer Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Association, which is now one of the largest and most respected Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Associations in the world today with 130+ academies under his guidance.

In 2006 Master Sauer relocated to Northern Virginia to set up the world headquarters for the PSBJJA in Herndon, Virginia.