By Chris Conaway
Jeff Mitchell and I met on September 10th of 2013. He was standing proudly just inside the door of his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in Newark, Delaware. The gym is unique. Built in a big garage, but clean. The white and red paint on the walls is crisp, and the red and blue mat looks new. The smells of sweat and hard work clash with the cleaner that still clings to the mats. There is a single light that looms overhead in the middle of the celling. And there is always someone training. Always.
Jeff was in the middle of the mat, eager to shake my hand. As my hand gripped his, he smiled and I could see in his eye that he saw potential in me.
“I’m not surprised at your undefeated record and Amateur World Championship, Chris,” He says now. “I was as excited about you from the beginning.”
He likes to remind me of that.
Jeff stands six feet tall, 180lbs with a slender build. On the street you would never spot him as a bad ass martial artist. Every light reflects off of his bald head, he has a permanent five o’clock shadow seems to never leave his face. He is marked with many tattoos from his days as a Staff Sargent in the United States Army, but you will never see them unless he wants you to. Across his heart in faded green, reads: “PROPERTY OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY,” which, is ironic, because he is a free spirit. The black/gray chains that snake down his arms come to life when he grapples you. There is no hope for escape. His wardrobe is not typical for a 41 year old, t-shirts, sweats, hoodies, or gym-shorts, all proudly embroidered with the name of his Jiu-Jitsu school: “Elite.” He is an unfiltered jokester.
“Look! Someone get a camera, Chris is getting choked out!”
“But that only means he likes you” says Jamie Weaver. Jamie is a middle school guidance counselor (which is disturbing after the pain I have seen him cause his victims on the mat), who has trained under Jeff for eight years.
“Jeff dominates me on the mat” Jamie admits. “He beats me down physically and mentally, but I emerge that much stronger. And if he is consistently beating your ass, it means he cares and he’s working hard for you.”
Jeff is from Strasburg, Pennsylvania. It is a quiet town in Amish country, lined with quaint little shops and beautiful scenery. Jeff attended Lampeter High School in Strasburg, where he was a successful wrestler and football player. He had no idea what he wanted to do next, so he joined the Army, where he remained for the next six years.
“Best years of my life!” he shouts.
And then he will tell you ALL of his Army stories. The best one tells where he found Jiu-Jitsu.
He began training when he was 24, and still in the Army.
He walked into the martial arts training room at Fort Dix in New Jersey, and a scrawny man asked him to grapple.
“I told him, sure I’ll kick your ass” says Jeff. “I tackled the little guy no problem. As soon as we hit the ground he tied me into a fucking pretzel. From then on I was determined to learn the way this little guy kicked my ass.”
Seventeen years later, Jeff has earned his black belt. He never misses a day of training. The only difference, is that he is now the one teaching. As gym owner, Jeff collects monthly dues from a sizable number of students. He also gives private lessons at a reasonable price. Between the two, he makes a comfortable living just outside of the city of Wilmington with his wife and Kara and ten year old son Ryan.
On the mat, Jeff is unbeatable. No one ever comes close.
“Jiu-Jitsu is my life” he says. “Might as well be good at it.”
It explains his big membership. Jeff is relaxed but strictly attentive, and both qualities attract students. He is described as a fluid and highly technical instructor, and his class is fun. His gym is an easy place to be. Jeff’s friendliness sets the tone. Students line up on the matt as he talks about upcoming fights and tournaments. The class is taken through a vigorous but effective stretching and calisthenics routine. He then shows three techniques, just three. Students never feel overwhelmed. At the end of the class, it is time to live grapple. Before a new student is allowed to participate, he has them sign a liability waiver. “All this basically says is that we can rip your arm off and beat you with it” Jeff tells them.
Most nights he stays up late. He is better than his son at the Xbox game Call of Duty, and it’s no wonder. He plays at least two hours every day. He sleeps in when he is tired, and then drives to Elite to do what he loves. You will never catch him in a bad mood, because he has no reason to be in one, except maybe the rare occasion when his son beats him on the Xbox.
He gives me hope that being an adult can kick ass. Jeff Mitchell may be the best Jiu-Jitsu instructor in the gym, but even off the mat I am still his student.