Pat Cooligan - Head Instructor, Team Renzo Gracie Ottawa

Pat is a black belt under Renzo Gracie – the first in Canada, and the fourth Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Black belt in Canadian history. For the past several years, he has been a professional martial artist and full-time instructor. Aside from his BJJ accolades, which include a silver medal at the Pan-American BJJ Championships, he holds the rank of 4th degree black belt in traditional Jiu-Jitsu.

While exceptionally strong in the technical aspects of Jiu-Jitsu, Pat’s real skill lies in teaching, in which his experience is rich and varied. In addition to developing countless championship grapplers, he has made several appearances in the media. He was featured in a 4-week BJJ demonstration on the A Channel's "News at Noon" program, and also appeared in "On The Mat" - one of North America’s premier grappling magazines. Pat has taught the Canadian Army and Special Forces on numerous occasions, and is the recipient of several commendations from the Department of National Defense and various other branches of the Canadian Army. He has also had the pleasure of training with some of the best BJJ has to offer - notably Helio, Royce, Rickson, Renzo, and Roger Gracie. Pat frequently travels to the world-famous Gracie Barra School in Brazil, honing his skills and teaching ability, and learning the latest techniques from BJJ's country of origin.

Pat oversees all of our programs at Sudbury BJJ & Muay Thai Academy, and frequently visits Sudbury to teach and evaluate our students.

Visit his website at: www.oama.ca

Steve Joncas - Head Instructor, Sudbury BJJ & Muay Thai Academy

Steve Joncas is a purple belt under Pat Cooligan, and is Sudbury BJJ and Muay Thai Academy’s Head Instructor. Steve started his first martial art, Goju-ryu karate, at the age of ten, and received his black belt in 1996. He went on to study Judo, traditional Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and Muay Thai. He also trained extensively in American Kick Boxing, under 23-time world champion Jean-Yves Theriault. Steve began working with Pat Cooligan - one of the few Canadian representatives of the world-famous Gracie family - while living in Ottawa back in 2002. Steve relocated to Sudbury to open his own school, and continues to train under Pat at the Ottawa Academy of Martial Arts (OAMA). Through his affiliation with OAMA, Steve has had the opportunity to train with several members of the Gracie family, including Renzo, Roger, Igor, Rolles, Kyra, Kayron, and Gregor, not to mention many other high-level black belts and world champions, like Marcio Feitosa, John Danaher, Shawn Williams, Braulio Estima, and Roberto “Gordo” Correa.  Steve also had the pleasure of attending a week-long training camp with several members of the Gracie family, including multiple-time Absolute World Champion Roger Gracie, in the Spring of 2011.

To enhance his skills and add to his knowledge of BJJ, Steve has travelled with his instructors to train at many notable schools, such as the Renzo Gracie academies in New York City and Los Angeles, plus Roger Gracie’s academy in London, England. Steve is also the only BJJ instructor in Northern Ontario who has had the privilege of training in Brazil at the world-famous Gracie Barra School, and Evolve Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Rio de Janeiro. His extensive travels have given Steve the opportunity to train with the likes of George St. Pierre, Frankie Edgar, Ricardo Almeida, and several other black belts. Pat holds Steve in such high regard that in October 2010, he invited him to UFC 120 in London, England to help corner OAMA's UFC fighter Mark Holst, making Steve the first person in Sudbury to ever corner a UFC fight.

Steve loves teaching martial arts, and thoroughly enjoys running the school, as well as training and coaching Sudbury BJJ and Muay Thai Academy's competitive athletes.

You can contact Steve via email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Jenn Ricker - BJJ Instructor

Jenn is the co-founder of Sudbury BJJ & Muay Thai Academy. She began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai under Steve Joncas and Pat Cooligan in 2008. Jenn was one of the first women promoted to blue belt at the Academy, and had the honour of receiving it from Renzo Gracie himself. Since 2008, Jenn has had the opportunity to train with many high level BJJ practitioners, including Shawn Williams, and Gracie family members Renzo, Roger, Kyra, Gregor, Rilion, Rolles, and Igor. She has trained and competed in New York, Los Angeles, Columbus, and even Costa Rica, where she participated in the inaugural Gracie Adventure Camp.

Jenn also trains in Muay Thai, and received her blue Pratchia in 2010. She has been fortunate enough to train with several Muay Thai legends, including Kru Jean-Charles Skarbowsky (Georges St. Pierre’s Muay Thai instructor), Ajahn Burklerk Pinsinchai, UFC fighter Kru Mark Holst, Ajahn Coban Lookchaomaesaitong, Kru Chris Kew, Kru Jeff Harrison, and Kru Mel Bellissimo. Jenn also proved her warrior spirit and team dedication by taking a professional MMA fight with only two days notice on a Wreck MMA card in 2010.

Jenn’s main focus at the Academy is the fitness program. She is the head strength and conditioning instructor, having received her Agastu Kettlebell Certification in November 2009, and her Crossfit Level 1 Certification in September 2011. With over five years of yoga training and a Teacher Training Certificate from the world renowned David Swenson, Jenn is also the head yoga instructor. Along with heading the fitness program and assisting Steve Joncas in the BJJ and Muay Thai programs, Jenn is heavily involved in the development and growth of the children’s programs offered at the Academy.

• NYC Open 2011 – Blue Belt Champion
• Ontario Open 2011 – Blue Belt Silver, No-Gi Silver
• Ontario Provincial BJJ Tournament 2010 – Blue Belt Champion
• Renzo Gracie Invitational 2010 – Blue Belt Silver
• Renzo Gracie Invitational 2009 – White Belt Champion, No-Gi Champion
• Arnold Classic 2009 – White Belt Silver, No-Gi Bronze
• NAGA Detroit 2008 – White Belt Champion, No-Gi Champion

You can contact Jenn via email at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Matthew Richer - BJJ Instructor

Matt started off as a wrestler in high school, where he gained much valuable experience. He earned the role of captain on his school's wrestling team, and ended up winning the City Championships. Following university, Matt's passion for grappling and martial arts brought him back to the mats, studying traditional Jiu-Jitsu for a short time before joining the team here at Sudbury BJJ & Muay Thai Academy. Matt immediately fell in love with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and has had the pleasure of training with the likes of Igor, Gregor, and Rolles Gracie. He enjoys the technical aspects of Jiu-Jitsu, using superior leverage, grips, and position to outmatch his opponents. In 2011, Matt captured the Ontario Open Blue Belt Masters Absolute Championship, and received a silver medal in his weight division. Matt was awarded his well-deserved purple belt by Pat Cooligan in 2012.

Paul Berthiaume - Wrestling Coach & BJJ Instructor

Paul started his wrestling career in high school, gaining four years of training and competition experience. He then competed at the post-secondary level at Laurentian University. Paul has been coaching the Chelmsford High School Wrestling Team and Rayside Wrestling Club for 18 years. He has his Level 2 certificate with the National Coaching Certification Program, and was one of the coaches for the 2006 Commonwealth Youth Wrestling Championships in Scotland. Paul is currently the representative for Northeastern Ontario Wrestling, and the Convener for Sudbury Wrestling. He has competed in several grappling tournaments, and brought home a gold medal from the Arnold Classic in Columbus, Ohio. Paul holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Renzo Gracie.