Steven Pankratz - Assistant Kids Jiu Jitsu Coach

Steven Pankratz was born on Oscar night 1987 in Pomona, California, and grew up in sunny Los Angeles. He played water polo and soccer, but really liked the throwing and choking he learned one summer at Goltz Judo, so he followed up with joining the wrestling team in high school. He tried Aikido too, but it wasn't cool at all. He started training Jiu Jitsu in Costa Mesa, CA after coming home from teaching in China, trained some more in Nottingham, England, then got his blue belt and it made him go crazy and think he was a triathlete for a few years. When he came to his senses, he was living in Portland and it had been nine years since he had been on the mats. He joined Unicorn, loved the vibe, and now his wife and son are members too, by way of a shared love of Sumo.

Steven is technically a chemist, but he taught high school science all over the place, and is currently making his way as a woodworker, and occasional substitute teacher. As a teacher, of science or Jiu Jitsu, Steven loves to focus on the fundamentals, and tries to take the time to make sure his students can do something right before they work towards doing it fast.

As a jiujitsuka, Steven loves a good scramble, going back to his wrestling days. He thinks half guard is the best, as it balances the finesse and dynamism of open guard with the strength and rigidity of closed guard. Steven's goal is to invent a move sequence from half-guard that isn't kimura- or underhook-based, and to have it named after him - the Dirty Pankratz. If there's one move sequence that makes his day, it's cinching up a temple-to-temple arm triangle from mount. Goodbye, Americana!