Itasca BJJ for Kids Who Are Ready for Something New
Itasca has a small-town rhythm that a lot of families love. Kids ride bikes around Usher Park and downtown Walnut St, spend summer mornings on the trails at Spring Brook Nature Center, and know half the people they pass. The Itasca Park District keeps calendars full, and jiu-jitsu gives kids something different from the usual team sports. The village is small enough that when a kid finds a new activity, their friends usually hear about it within a week.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is a good fit for that kind of kid. It teaches them to stay calm, solve problems with their body and their head, and treat their training partners with respect. Brazil 021 offers BJJ Arlington Heights classes led by world champion black belts, north of Itasca up IL-53. See the full lineup of jiu-jitsu classes for kids and adults.
Co-founders Hannette Staack, a 7x World Champion, and Andre “Negão” Terencio, a 6th-degree black belt, built the Brazil 021 team, and kids classes here follow the same structure: a warm-up, a short lesson, partner drills and games.
Getting to Brazil 021 From Itasca
From most of Itasca, the route starts on Rohlwing Rd (IL-53) on the west side of the village. Head north into Elk Grove Village, where IL-53 joins I-290 at Biesterfield Rd. I-290 ends at I-90, and IL-53 continues north. Exit at Euclid Ave and turn onto Salt Creek Ln, which runs between Euclid Ave and Rohlwing Rd.
From the Hamilton Lakes business district on the east side, get on I-290 north near Hamilton Lakes Dr and follow the same route to the Euclid Ave exit and 3350 West Salt Creek Ln #117.
Itasca Kids Jiu-Jitsu, Plus Classes for Parents
Our kids jiu-jitsu program has two age groups. Kids 3 to 6 learn through games that build balance, coordination and listening. Kids 7 to 11 learn real positions and escapes and start controlled sparring. Coaches talk about respect, how to handle a bully without fighting, and how to keep going when something is hard. Parents usually notice the change in focus first.
Parents have their own classes in the evening, starting with Fundamentals on Monday and Wednesday. Plenty of moms and dads start by watching and end up on the mat themselves.
- Kids Class 1, Beginners (ages 3–6): Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri 4:15–5:00 PM
- Kids Class 2, All Levels (ages 7–11): Mon, Tue, Thu & Fri 5:15–6:15 PM; Sat 10:30–11:30 AM (No-Gi)
- Adults Fundamentals (Gi): Mon & Wed 6:30–7:30 PM
- Adults All Levels (Gi): Tue 6:30–7:30 PM
- Adults Advanced No-Gi: Thu 6:30–7:30 PM; Sat 11:30 AM–12:30 PM
Summer Camp 2027 Interest List
Our Kids BJJ summer camp ran for a week in July 2026 for kids 5 and up, with drop-off at 9:00 AM and pickup at 3:00 PM. Campers packed a lunch and spent the day training with our coaches. For Itasca kids, a week like that is a chance to try something new over the summer break with kids from other towns. We are planning Summer Camp 2027 now. Dates are still to be announced, and families on the interest list hear first.
Brazil 021 Arlington Heights holds a 4.9-star rating from 32 Google reviews. Until camp, the best way to see if your child will love jiu-jitsu is to book a free first class.
From our blog: The Benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Kids in Arlington Heights.
