Who Are We?
Agogi Academy of Combatives is a part of the Pedro Sauer Association in Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Both owners, Kathy Ortiz and Chris Holmes, met and became training partners in the D.C. area in a Pedro Sauer school. They seek to provide the Citrus County area with the same high quality Gracie Jiu Jitsu and self-defense programs that they encountered in Pedro Sauer schools.
Master Pedro Sauer has been their direct teacher. He was a student under Helio Gracie, the founder of Gracie Jiu Jitsu and the only non-Gracie family member who has been granted the use of the name Gracie Jiu Jitsu for the type of Jiu Jitsu he teaches. Read more about the Pedro Sauer Association here!
Our mission is to provide systems of self defense where our members feel the confidence to walk through society knowing that they have the tools needed to avoid or conclude a confrontation.
FREE TRIALOur Programs
Gracie Jiu Jitsu is a form of Jiu Jitsu that is based on self defense. Since most fights end up on the ground, learning to defend yourself on the ground is essential. Agogi Academy of Combatives is an affiliate of Pedro Sauer.
WCA Self Defense classes, clinics and seminars provide self defense for women and is taught by women. WCA is a national program, founded by one of the school’s owners, Kathy Ortiz. Its mission is to provide support, training, and networking for women who want to learn to protect themselves.
Our Instructors
Chris was born in the Midwest but has settled into the Central Florida area permanently. He was on his high school wrestling team and continued on to coach and compete in wrestling in the late 1990s.
He discovered Gracie Jiu Jitsu by watching a video of Royce Gracie fighting in the UFC. He immediately sought out a Jiu Jitsu instructor and has continued to train since. Chris is a certified instructor in the Pedro Sauer Association. . When he lived in the Washington, DC area, Chris worked as an instructor and school manager for Pedro Sauer’s main academy.
Chris is dedicated both professionally and personally to the development of Self Defense.
Kathy was born in the South but now lives in the Washington, DC area where she works as a school librarian.
She discovered Gracie Jiu Jitsu after attending a fitness kickboxing class. Jiu Jitsu was offered afterwards so she stayed to watch. After observing the class, Kathy knew that the self-defense martial art was something she wanted to learn. Kathy also has achieved the level 5 degree in Krav Maga and is a brown belt in Judo under Master Maurice Allen.
Kathy is a certified instructor in the Pedro Sauer Association. Kathy founded the Women’s Combat Alliance (http://womenscombatalliance.com/) to promote and support female martial arts students. Kathy is passionate about teaching Gracie Jiu Jitsu as an effective self-defense system.
Coach Justin Nolen has been involved in wrestling since his childhood. His accomplishments include:
2008 Florida Freestyle State Champion at 125 lbs
2008 Florida National Qualifier
2008 Florida National Team Members
2010 FAWA Folkstyle State Champion at 140 lbs.
2013 55kg Greco-Roman All-Navy Team Member
2014 61kg Freestyle All-Navy Team Member
We as a household really appreciate the open schedule and friendly learning environment. My daughter has learned a bundle of lifelong self-defense tactics and says its like a extended family and I agree. She is more fitness aware since she started about a year ago now.”
“My son and I are very pleased with the training we receive at your Agogi Academy of Combatives. The school is a “no pressure” school allowing students time to master all of the techniques without criticism from the instructors.”
“The training at Agogi has given me confidence in my day to day life. I have lost weight due to training with Chris and Kathy. The environment there feels like home.”
“I’m very satisfied with your class and the way you prepare the children for real life, because it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Chris is amazing, his temperament, patience, and charisma is infectious.”