Instructors • Gracie Barra Riverton
Coach Pedro Santos
Assistant Coach • Purple Belt • Kids Program
He stepped onto a mat at five years old and won a Rio de Janeiro state title at six. After moving to Utah he started coaching, and now works with the youngest students in the academy. He is also Prof. Seidler Rodrigo's son.
In his own words
An interview with Coach Pedro.
On growing up on the mats in Rio, on moving to Utah, and on why the shy kids are the ones he thinks about most.
Can you introduce yourself?
My name is Pedro Santos, and I have been training BJJ for over 10 years. I moved to Utah with my family in January 2020.
What were your first impressions of Utah?
Utah is beautiful, and the mountains are unbelievably pretty. It's really different from Rio, which is a huge city. It's quieter here and really nice to live in. No traffic jams. I love living here. The safety compared to Rio is what I liked the most, but on the other hand, I miss going to the beach.
You're Prof. Seidler Rodrigo's son. How did Jiu-Jitsu start for you?
I started when I was 5 years old, and I remember playing on the mats and having a lot of fun. When I turned 6, I had my first tournament and won the Rio de Janeiro State Championship.
I loved training, but I was not a student under my dad. I mostly trained at Gracie Barra Jacarepaguá, under Professor Villem Coelho and his team of coaches.
What do you do at Gracie Barra?
I train and work as an assistant coach. I teach the Tiny Champs and Little Champs 1, the three to six-year-olds, and I assist with the Little Champs 2 and Juniors classes.
What are the biggest challenges in working with kids?
For sure, self-control, discipline, and communication. We have noticed that little kids have been really shy recently, not even greeting others, due to a lack of confidence.
We also see kids who can't manage anger properly and need to understand that there is a time for everything. And of course, the discipline to build skills over time. All this makes kids more confident and helps them everywhere.
We need to put effort into what we want to develop. I do the same at school to get good grades, and it has been working.
Coach Pedro SantosIs there a special moment from class you could share?
I remember when my dad was teaching me a specific sweep for a tournament, and how much I repeated and practiced it. It is still one of my favorite moves.
It reminds me that we need to put effort into what we want to develop. I do the same at school to get good grades, and it has been working.
What do you like to do off the mats?
I like to stay with my family and friends. Hiking in Utah is great, and I love it. I listen to music almost 24 hours a day, and I also like to play video games.
If your child trains here
These are his classes.
He works with the youngest students in the academy, which is the hardest group to teach and the one where getting it right matters most.
3–6
Years old • he leads these
Tiny Champs & Little Champs 1
Tiny Champs is 3 to 4 years old and Little Champs 1 is 5 to 6. The very first classes a child takes: movement, listening, taking turns, and the beginning of real technique, taught through games.
7–15
Years old • he assists
Little Champs 2 & Juniors
Little Champs 2 is 7 to 9 years old and Juniors and Teens is 10 to 15. Where technique gets serious and children start genuinely handling themselves. He supports the lead instructor across these groups.
Why it matters that he's young: he is closer in age to his students than to their parents, and he was five on a mat in Rio not that long ago. When he says the shy kids are the ones he thinks about, he isn't repeating something from a coaching manual. He remembers being one. Read about the kids program.
Bring your child in
He was five years old on a mat once, too.
Five years old, playing on a mat, having fun. Book a free class, sit on the side, and watch how our coaches work with the youngest students. Your child’s first class is free, and we’ll provide a loaner Gi. No purchase is required before you start.