All coaches and volunteers working directly with the children hold current Blue Cards.

Coach Eva

Head Kids Coach - Gracie Barra Surfers Paradise | BJJ Purple Belt

Coach Eva brings 8 years of martial arts training and more than 15 years' experience working with children.

Alongside Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, she has extensive additional training in self-defence and MMA and is passionate about using martial arts to empower children.

Her coaching combines technical skill, fitness, mindfulness and discipline while keeping the environment positive and enjoyable. Her focus is helping kids develop genuine confidence, resilience and capability both on and off the mats.

Coach Lizzy

Lizzy is a Certificate III & IV qualified fitness professional, qualified boxing coach and group fitness instructor with 4 years' boxing coaching experience and more than 10 years of strength and weight training.

Her coaching style is all about helping kids discover how fun it can be to feel strong, capable and confident. As a mum of two girls, Lizzy is passionate about building body confidence, positive self-talk and a healthy mindset around movement and strength. Expect plenty of encouragement, laughs between rounds and an enthusiastic reminder that kids should be proud of what their bodies can do.

Fun fact: Lizzy once voluntarily stepped into a charity boxing match against Australia's #1-ranked strongwoman and the world's #8-ranked strongwoman. To absolutely no one's surprise, she did not come out victorious, but she lived to tell the tale.

Coach Stas

Stas is a Certificate III & IV qualified fitness professional and kids Muay Thai coach with extensive experience using fitness, boxing and Muay Thai when working with children and teenagers. He's also a proud girl dad and coaches his 2 young daughters in both Muay Thai and BJJ (despite only being at the beginning of his BJJ journey himself).

For the past 3 years, much of his work in the disability sector has involved supporting young people through gym training, martial arts and activity-based mentoring, including significant experience supporting children and teenagers with ADHD, autism and other neurodivergent needs.

He holds a Bachelor of Secondary Education, is currently completing a Diploma of Counselling, and is involved in community youth mentoring and volunteer coaching.

He's also a former competitive esports player and an online-safety advocate - which is slightly less useful if someone is trying to double-leg you, but considerably more useful when talking to kids about life online.

Contact the host of First Strike Self Defence - Kids School Holiday Program | Southport