Our Instructors
Our professors are certified by Gracie Barra International, and every kids and adult class at our Longwood martial arts school is led by an instructor who has put in the mat time to earn that certification. Meet the black belts and brown belts who teach Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu — the grappling art the Gracie family helped bring to the U.S. and popularize worldwide as Gracie Jiu-Jitsu — at Gracie Barra Seminole.
Professor Rodrigo Costa is a 4th degree black belt who has been practicing jiu-jitsu for over 25 years — 15 of those as an instructor. He began his training in 1997 in São Paulo, Brazil under Cia Paulista de Jiu-Jitsu. At the age of 20, Rodrigo moved to the United States where he continued his training under Master Márcio Simas. His passion for teaching and building community brings world-class instruction and the Gracie Barra philosophy to Longwood and all of Seminole County.
Professor John Montaldo started Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1995, training under Professor Marcio Simas and later Professor Rodrigo Costa. He competed extensively in Jiu-Jitsu from 1996 to 2010 and earned his black belt in 2021. He also has a strong competitive background in Wrestling and Judo, including a Judo black belt awarded by USJI in 1991.
Professor Sammy has been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since 2008 and earned the rank of black belt in 2018, with a focus on creating a welcoming space that makes learning fun and accessible for everyone. Outside the gym, Sammy works as a physical therapist assistant — a background that shapes a teaching philosophy built around longevity and injury prevention.
Coach Heidi Cogburn has trained in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu since October 2014 and holds the rank of brown belt. Since 2017 she has served as a defensive-tactics instructor for the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), training local law-enforcement officers and Academy recruits, and has assisted Professor Dave Ogden and Gracie Barra Clermont with first-responder training and women's self-defense community classes. She has also taught women's ground-combatives courses for both FWC and the Altamonte Springs Police Department.
Coach Keith Gumbs began his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 2016 at Gracie Barra Oviedo, training under Professors Todd Broadway and Steven Silva. During his time there, from white belt through blue belt, he helped coach the kids classes. In 2023, he moved to Gracie Barra Seminole, where he now trains under Professor Rodrigo Costa and earned his brown belt.
See our full class schedule or check areas we serve across Seminole County and the greater Orlando area.
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