16 year old Head Instructor

[Judodad_karateson]

This is a BJJ school, but I wanted to get everyone opinion on this. 16 year old Blue Belt given his own certified school. Should Teenagers be given schools? What about Non-Dan ranks?

"After an unsuccessful search for a Shaolin Kempo school in Jackson, Cottrell saw a bumper sticker advertising Gracie South and trained there for two years.

After an almost two-year process, Cottrell became a Gracie Academy-certified instructor in July 2014 and opened his own training center, Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Madison in January."

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/news/453526/16-year-old-blue-belt-run-Mississippi-Gracie-Academy/

[JR 137]

I think a Gracie black belt takes something like 10 years to achieve. I've heard of purple belts opening their own schools. Those were all adults though.

The market will determine if a 16 year old should open their own school, I guess. I'm assuming it's actually owned and operated by an adult. Forget MA stuff for a second; how's a 16 year old supposed to sign legal contracts? If someone gets hurt and sues, is a 16 year old legally liable?

I'd have strong issues with it even if it wasn't an MA school. Adding MA to it makes it worse. Not my business, not my problem (no pun intended). I wouldn't train there, let alone send my kids. Wouldn't matter now good the instruction theoretically was.

[Wastelander]

Some 16 year olds can teach, and teach well--we have a (now 17) young man at our dojo who is an excellent instructor, and especially good with the younger kids. That said, he's been training since he was little, and tested for black belt along with me last year. This 16 year old blue belt doesn't have enough experience to teach much. He could certainly help out in a class led by a more experienced instructor, and teach basics to new students, but that's about it. Running a school is beyond his level of martial arts experience AND life experience.

[sensei8]

Imho....

This 16 year old Blue Belt isn't qualified to be the CI. Why? A fair question!!

Just the title alone requires one to be the HIGHEST ranked in that SCHOOL.

The CI...

1> Supervises all instructors.

2> Administrates every aspect of any/every testing cycles.

3> Manages the curriculum/syllabus.

4> Is the final authority in that school; both technical and administration, and anything that might not fall in either of the aforementioned areas.

5> Is the authorized mediator between that school and that styles Governing Body.

6> Often times, but not always, owns the school out right.

7> That schools official representative, and official spokesperson.

8> Bears the brunt of the responsibilities of the brand/banner.

Just because one can teach, and teach quite well, that's not a reason to be the CI; even if the parent(s)/guardian are the legal owners of said school.

Of course, my opinions mean absolutely nothing because that school can do whatever they wish to!!

[muttley]

Sorry, but no way should a 16 year old be a chief instructor regardless of grade!

I can only speak from my own background in karate but to have your own dojo you had to hold a shodan grade and be over 18.

I instructed some sessions in my 20's and didn't feel ready!

[IcemanSK]

As a Taekwondo guy, I know we are often given a bad rap for giving rank and titles too young. But 16 is not old enough to be able to understand a whole slew of things that running a school & teaching an Art (especially one as complex as BJJ). I wouldn't train there or recccommend it.

[Montana]

Good Lord..he looks more like 12 than 16!!! I'd give a big thumbs down to this.

[Bulltahr]

Just checked out the website, wow, somebody has thrown a lot of $$$ at setting it up. One would assume, not a bank..............

[Judodad_karateson]

Some 16 year olds can teach, and teach well--we have a (now 17) young man at our dojo who is an excellent instructor, and especially good with the younger kids. That said, he's been training since he was little, and tested for black belt along with me last year. This 16 year old blue belt doesn't have enough experience to teach much. He could certainly help out in a class led by a more experienced instructor, and teach basics to new students, but that's about it. Running a school is beyond his level of martial arts experience AND life experience.

Yeah, I have nothing against young people and lower ranks teaching, under a sensei. Often times, teaching something helps your own understanding. But I like you, I have a hard time believing he has the experience in MA and life to be giving them role.

[Luther unleashed]

16? I'd question an 18 yr old black belt being the head guy. After a lot of years studying martial arrs, I also studied to teaching for a year, putting in many days a week and sometimes weekends to really gain the know lage important to teach. Even if you have a natural ability there is a great deal of learning to do. I mean, even from a buisness side, a social side, and of course a martial arts side. I have seen a great deal of bjj schools ran by purple belts as well, but to be a low rank makes no sense at all. I taught as a yellow belt but I certainly didn't run the show, come on man let's get serious. Age is more then a number so forger that one, there's a level of maturity you just can't fake, and there's a level of know lage that takes longer then he could have put in at his age.

I'm with sensei8, just my opinion.