OUR TEAM.

We have a great team to help you achieve your goals whether you’ve never tried martial arts or you have years of experience.

combined experience

Countless Achievements and Accolades

JOE HELLER

Founder, Over 20 Years Experience

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Certified Guro Instructor in Inosanto Kali and JKD
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Certified Associate Kru Instructor in The World Thai Boxing Assoc.
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Black Belt Instructor in Pedro Sauer Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Bio:

Founder and Owner of RCW, Joe has strived to create a community where exceptional curriculum and access to material is at the forefront of training. This is in stark contrast with growing up in the 80’s where information was secretive and withheld from students or just nonexistent. A closely guarded education, this required Coach Joe to travel and train with the best instructors on the planet like Ajarn Chai, Guro Dan Inosanto, and Masters Rickson Gracie and Pedro Sauer. RCW is dedicated to offering the culmination of decades of experience and research to ALL of our students.

ERIK SHILEY

Instructor, More than 15 years MMA experience

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Professor Instructor in Gracie Jiu Jitsu (Black Belt)
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Has trained personally with Rickson Gracie, Pedro Sauer, Royler Gracie, Royce Gracie and more.
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Certified level 2 Muay Thai instructor
Bio:

The first black belt ever graduated in Gracie Jiu Jitsu under Professor Anibal Lobo. Erik shares in that close relationship to the Gracie family and continues his training with mentors like Professor Lobo, Master Pedro Sauer and many more. An endless appetite for information he stands out as a rare expert who uses technical skill and finesse over muscle. Professor Erik is also an accomplished martial artist all around who has excelled in Boxing and Muay Thai among other disciplines. From your first class it’s easy to see that Erik cares about your development and will do his utmost to help you reach your goals.

Denise Steinman

Instructor, Jiu Jitsu Coach

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Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

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Women’s and Youth Programs Leader

Bio:

Inspired by her daughter’s journey in the kids class, Denise Steinman embarked on her own Brazilian Jiu Jitsu adventure. Through dedication and hard work, she has achieved the rank of Brown Belt, surpassing her own expectations. Denise now passionately shares her knowledge and expertise as a Jiu Jitsu Coach, leading both the women’s and youth programs at the academy. Her personal experience and empathetic approach make her a highly relatable and motivating instructor for students of all ages and skill levels.

ANTHONY RAMIREZ

Instructor, Over 10 years experience

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Gracie Jiu Jitsu Black Belt
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Multi-time Gold Medalist in BJJ
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Accomplished Striking & MMA Coach

Bio:

Sometimes as a coach you meet someone talented. Rarely do you meet someone talented with the desire to struggle and develop themselves beyond limits. Coach Anthony is that individual, as a competitive athlete on the world skateboard scene he transitioned that drive for success to martial arts. He’s won countless gold medals at every belt level for RCW and has grown into one of our favorite coaches. In short he’s a person who lives up to our motto, “actions speak louder than words.”

ALECA NAVARETTE

Instructor, Over 6 years of experience

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Brown Belt Instructor in Gracie Jiu Jitsu

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Community leader and activity coordinator at RCW
Bio:

Not only is she a force on the BJJ mats, Coach Aleca doubles up by helping run our social media presence and teaching our women’s only group of BJJ enthusiasts. She never backs down from a challenge and that’s present in her sparring, and almost equally matched is her never ending cheerful attitude that she brings to the training floor. You’ll have fun in her sessions and before you know it, you’re sweating your tail off.

SUPPORTING STAFF

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Michael Valadez – Youth Instructor
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Colin Smith – Youth Instructor
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Janet Mason – Kali & JKD instructor
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Cale Holt – Wrestling and MMA Coach

We’ve got a great team

All our staff is equally important to us, and we wouldn’t run an incredible academy without any one of them. Our core team listed above is all of our folks who teach more than one class per week, but there’s plenty of incredible people that support RCW week in and week out!

WANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM?

All our coaches were far from experts when they started. They were just like you, looking to take to reach their goals and do something new. In a short time you’ll start to see the results you’re looking for, all you’ve got to do is BEGIN.