Gracie Humaita West Craig

Quality and top notch teaching from Miss Professor Ronda Andrews. The vibes and atmosphere makes training and learning the art enjoyable. Always learning new ways of improving techniques and methods. I highly recommend anyone from beginners to advanced practitioners to come and be a part of the GH family! Kids and even itty bitty’s as old as 4 can start learning their fundamentals from the best. Classes are well organized, Mats are well taken care of, and the school itself is VERY CLEAN. Gracie Humaita is were you feel welcomed, safe, and happy to be at.

I have been training here for 2 years and have had such an amazing experience. The amount of confidence I’ve gained since starting, has helped me so much in my personal life. I feel stronger, and comfortable pushing myself outside my comfort zone. I have also met and made some pretty amazing friends who challenge me to improve. I highly recommend Professor Ronda’s gym. She’s incredibly knowledgeable, and her technique is impeccable. The way she breaks things down makes even complex movements make sense, she really understands the details of jiujitsu. She doesn’t just show you the moves but explains “why” behind them, which makes a huge difference.

Absolutely wonderful school! Great instructors with clear instructions and a wealth of knowledge. Morning and afternoon classes are very accommodating. From beginner to advanced, from casual learning to competition training, this school is where you want to go to learn quality jiu jitsu.

I’ve been coming to Professor Ronda’s classes for about a year now and my only regret is I didn’t start sooner. Her teaching style is structured, with a clear and concise sense of direction and focus. She is very passionate about jiu jitsu and will guide her students to greatness, as long as they allow her to do so. I recommend this school to anyone who is ready to get uncomfortable and push themselves to a new level. FIVE STARS.

I’m sharing this feedback as a parent in the hope that it encourages reflection and helps other families make informed decisions. During a children’s jiu-jitsu class, my 5-year-old son began crying. Of course, as a parent, that immediately concerned me. However, what concerned me even more was how the situation was handled. Instead of checking on him or asking what happened, the instructor dismissed his feelings, told him “it was nothing,” and asked him to sit in the corner. There was no effort to comfort him or make sure he was physically or emotionally okay. When I tried to speak to my child out of concern, I was interrupted and told to let him focus on class. As a parent, this felt dismissive and unwelcoming. Teaching young children requires much more than technical skill — it requires patience, empathy, and an understanding of child development. Professionals who are trained to work with kids know that when a child is upset, support should come first, not silence or discipline. This experience made me reflect and question something important. The instructor, who is also the owner of the academy, clearly has experience and knowledge in martial arts. However, working with very young children is a completely different skill set. It made me wonder whether there is any formal education or training in pedagogy or early childhood development, because the behavior I witnessed did not reflect the approach typically taught to those prepared to teach children. Sometimes being highly skilled does not automatically mean being well-suited to teach kids. The overall attitude felt impatient, overly authoritative, and at times arrogant rather than supportive or child-centered. When we decided to leave and briefly explained our concerns, the response I received was a sarcastic “have a nice day,” delivered in a dismissive tone. That interaction reinforced my impression that parents’ concerns are not taken seriously. Because of this, we chose to withdraw immediately. A children’s program should feel safe, respectful, and compassionate. Unfortunately, that was not our experience. I hope this feedback encourages a more empathetic and professional approach for the families who trust this academy with their children.