BJJ PROFESSOR, MMA/KICKBOXING COACH
Matt relocated his family to Red Beach in 2014, bringing with him his passion for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and MMA. Matt has been involved in some form of training from the age of 14 after a back injury left him unable to play traditional kiwi sports. His earlier years were spent learning Tae Kwon Do in order to gain some movement and flexibility, then progressed to weight training and competitive bodybuilding.
Matt then set his sights on boxing and began training under national coach Dr John McKay. He had his first amateur boxing fight in 1997. Later Matt teamed up with Monty Bhana (a well known New Zealand kickboxer and boxer) at the Glenfield Recreation Centre. This attracted a group of local lads and eventuated in the creation of The Zone boxing gym.
In 2015 Matt started Coast Academy Silverdale. It all began with a passion for Jiu Jitsu and a desire to create something meaningful within the community. Coast Academy started with a handful of dedicated students and a few willing parents who saw the valuable benefits of Jiu Jitsu for their children both on and off the mats.
Over time, Coast Academy has grown from one humble Silverdale gym to three additional academies in Albany, Warkworth and Wellsford. Coast Academy has quickly become one of the most reputable Martial Arts acadamies in New Zealand.
