Year End Message from Professor Savarese

As I bid farewell to another year, I enter 2016 w/ absolutely no fear. 2015 was a personal battle for me w/ my recovery and for my family w/ my mom’s cancer. It was a battle that made us all stronger and closer for what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. It was also was a year of progress, growth and maturity. I stuck by my life mantras of “If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. if not, you’ll find an excuse.” and “No excuses”. I realized the value of life and health. I realized who is my friend and who isn’t, who deserves to be in my life and who doesn’t. My BJJ Academy has grown in size for the 5th straight year through hard work and a great staff and students. I feel even though I didn’t train as much as I would have liked because the healing process has been a little slower than I had hoped, I feel like I still got better through film study , drills and teaching and added many things to my toolbox. As a team, our Academy enjoyed a tremendous 2015, including many tournament victories, guys winning medals for the first time, 5 TEAM trophies, including our kids winning a TEAM title for the first time, belt promotions to prestigious belts like purple and brown and another BLACKBELT in Coach Sean!! We also had some of the best BJJ seminars I have ever been to by Royler Gracie, Rafael Lovato Jr, David Adiv and JT Torres. We were visited by rising stars and old school blackbelts. We added an all womens class which I am extremely proud of. We are lucky to have access to some of the top instruction in the USA, not only in our Academy, but through our extended BJJ family across the country. Most importantly was the personal growth of a lot of our students experienced on their personal journeys through BJJ in 2015. While everyone’s goals are different, improved technique, fitness, camaraderie, and mutual respect were common elements to everyone. I am excited about the growth of the Academy and the progress of our students. I look forward to the expanded schedule and class offerings to help each person achieve their personal goals while reaching our team goals. Although I yell sometimes in order to push you to your goals, please understand that I am very, very proud of our accomplishments as individuals and as a team and Academy. Like I said during speeches in class, our curriculum has proven to be good and if followed, you will reach your goals. With the right attitude I believe the sky is the limit for us as a school. I will grow more in 2016 (personally and professionally) and become better than ever in 2016. Stand w/ me or stand behind me, I will accomplish all my goals in this year. Bring it on 2016, I am going to kick your ass!