Today we’d like to introduce you to Colleen Sorey.
Hi Colleen, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It all started with my father Alan Merullo. He began his journey with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1993 and later opened his own academy called Bushido Mixed Martial Arts in 2004. It was there that my grandfather (Carl Merullo), my brother (Sage Saunders), and myself fell in love with Jiu-Jitsu as well. After 20 incredible years operating Bushido MMA, we decided to switch gears and open a location together. My father and I opened Generation Jiu-Jitsu in 2024! We decided on the name Generation because our family now has 3 generations of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belts! The logo being a torch as a symbol of passing knowledge on to others.
Jiu-Jitsu is a grappling form of Martial Arts that focuses on things like takedowns, controlling a fight on the ground, submissions, and self defense. We have really enjoyed sharing this powerful art with our community, friends, and family!
In 2024 we started with just 75 students from my father’s former academy, Bushido MMA. Today, we have over 300 students from all different backgrounds, ages, and skill levels. Many of our members are families as well! Alongside myself and my father, my big brother is one of our other incredible Black Belt instructors who strive to create a training environment that is welcoming and challenging for anyone who comes in the door ready to learn! Our kids programs are structured and fun! Our goal for our young students is to help them grow into confident, strong, and kind young adults! They learn this along with the high level technique that also helps them become excellent Jiu-Jitsu practitioners. Our adults program is not just for our top competitors, but also for people who want to try something new, make lifelong friends, get into shape, and get out of their comfort zone. Adults can learn how to defend themselves, how to work as a team, and how to feel more empowered in a world that often wants us to feel small!
Together, my father and I have built an extended family. We love sharing jiu-jitsu with as many people as possible. We also love to showcase our skills! We have both travelled all across the country winning many International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation competitions! A number of our kids members have won gold at the pinnacle of kids jiu-jitsu competition, the IBJJF Kids Pans Championships! We have also coached a few of our adult students to victory at the Masters World Championships!
Today, we continue to teach and train. Our team is growing, and we are thankful everyday that we get to do this together! Jiu-Jitsu has changed our lives for the better! We are excited to see what the future holds for Generation and our students!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Since opening Generation Jiu-Jitsu it has been a pretty smooth road! My father and I work very well together and have developed a team of other high level instructors and hard working staff members! We are so incredibly thankful for the growth and support we have had within our team and our community over the last two years!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Generation Jiu-Jitsu ?
We are a family owned and operated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Academy! At Generation, we teach people of all ages and backgrounds the skills they need to be successful on and off of the mat! We take great pride in our community and family friendly environment. We have a strong kids team of young athletes! We have an empowering women’s jiu-jitsu program run by high level female instructors, including myself! We have a dedicated and hardworking team of adults who come in and help to make each other better every day! Together we continue to share our love of martial arts with our community!
I think the thing that sets us apart from other martial arts academies is our ability to help all of our students succeed. We are not just a competition team, and we are not just a fun family activity. We are successful at creating an environment that caters to both! I come from an education background which helps us with creating meaningful class plans and programs to meet the needs of all of our students. Our instructors are well trained in coaching beginners as well as high level competitors!
One thing is for sure! We want people to feel welcome and feel like they are a part of our family. We teach our students the importance of respect, team work, and courtesy along with the Jiu-Jitsu technique!
Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
One of the most rewarding parts of owning a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu academy is seeing the growth and success of our students. We have a great team of young athletes who are learning how to become instructors. We have competitors with big goals and dreams to win competitions across the globe! I know that in the next few years we will see our students and our team of instructors continue to grow, learn, and succeed!
In a facility that is better suited for 2 separate mat spaces, we would love to one day hold classes for kids and adults at the same time! We look forward to seeing what our future holds if we continue on this incredible path that we are on!
Pricing:
- $20 trial program
- Monthly memberships ranging from $120-$180
- Multi Family Member discounts
- Discounts for Military and First Responders
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.generationjiujitsu.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/generation.jiujitsu?cplk=M21vczFhcHFqMDgy
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1HpG1YgZSH/?mibextid=wwXIfr
