Cornerstone Jiu Jitsu’s Commitment to Safety, Integrity, and Trust

Recently, many in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community have been following troubling discussions circulating online involving a prominent academy and leadership figures in the sport. The conversation has surfaced something important and necessary for all academies to address:

How do we ensure that our dojos are safe places for children, women, and men?

As a dojo, we believe this is not a topic to avoid. It is a responsibility to speak clearly about it.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is built on trust. We train in close physical proximity. Parents trust instructors with their children. Students trust coaches with their development. Teammates trust each other daily on the mats. That trust must be actively protected — not assumed.

In addition to what we already do, we will strengthen our stance in this aspect with clear standards and codes of conduct for our mat volunteers, coaches, and anyone entrusted with the care and safety of our most vulnerable members. Those policies have been updated and posted on our website for transparency (https://cornerstonejiujitsu.com/aboutus#policies). Effective immediately, no volunteers on the mat until they have been reassessed and invited sign the volunteer code of conduct. Additionally, those authorized to instruct and lead on the mats will be clearly displayed on our website while a permanent bulletin board is established on site. Finally, policies on belligerent behavior, harassment, and assault will be promulgated and posted on our website.

This is a moment for gyms everywhere to reaffirm their safety standards.

In addition to the actions above, here is how we do that in our dojo.

1. Clear Professional Boundaries Between Coaches, Mat Volunteers and Students

We maintain strict professional conduct between instructors and students at all times.

• No private, closed-door training sessions with minors

• No direct messaging with children outside of parents/guardians

• No favoritism, secrecy, or “special access” relationships

• All coaching interactions occur in observable, open training environments

Coaches should be seen as mat mentors rather than friends, and never authority figures beyond the mat.

2. Transparency Policy

Our dojo operates with visibility by design.

• Parents are always welcome to observe classes

• Classes are conducted in open view

• Cameras are positioned throughout all public spaces

• Communication with families is encouraged and welcome

Nothing about our training environment is hidden.

3. Parent Communication and Involvement

For all youth students:

• All communications are sent to parents to pass to their child

• Parents are encouraged to ask questions at any time

• We maintain clear records of attendance, progress, and interaction

• We invite parental presence and engagement in the academy culture

Parents are actively engaged in the safety of their child’s training — they are not just spectators.

4. Women’s Safety and Respect on the Mats

We actively cultivate a culture where women feel safe, respected, and empowered to train.

• Zero tolerance for inappropriate comments or behavior

• Training partner choice is always respected

• Immediate response to any report of discomfort

• A culture where speaking up is encouraged and supported

• Detailed policies on acceptable and unacceptable behaviors are in place, to include bystander intervention expectations.

Respect and safety are not options here — they are primary responsibilities for anyone inside the dojo.

5. Reporting Without Fear

Students and parents must feel safe raising concerns.

If something feels wrong, it will be taken seriously.

Reports can be made directly to the head instructor or via private communication. Every concern is handled with discretion, professionalism, and urgency.

No one is ever dismissed for “misunderstanding” or made to feel like they are overreacting.

6. Code of Conduct for All Members

Every student, coach, and parent is expected to uphold a code of conduct and etiquette that prioritizes:

• Respect

• Professionalism

• Appropriate behavior

• Accountability

We do not tolerate behavior that compromises the safety or trust of our dojo members.

7. Why This Matters Now

The broader conversation happening in the BJJ world is a reminder that academies are not only defined by competition success, but by how safely it serves its community.

We want every parent dropping off their child, every woman stepping onto the mat, and every student training here to know:

This is a place where your safety and dignity come before anything else.

Our Promise to Our Community

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is transformative. It builds confidence, discipline, resilience, and community. That transformation only happens in an environment built on trust.

We do not take that trust lightly.

We will continue to operate with transparency, professionalism, and an unwavering commitment to protecting every member of our dojo family.

If you ever have questions about our policies, our standards, or how we operate — our door is always open.