“I believe Jiu Jitsu is for everyone and should be an essential part of your life, like food and water.” – Junior Fidelis
If you follow us on social media and get our emails, you’ve definitely heard, but for those who haven’t…we signed a lease!
Since 1998, Easton Training Center has helped bring Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Muay Thai to Colorado’s Front Range. Through the commitment of our students and dedication of our coaches and staff, 25 years later Easton has grown into a sprawling community made up of eight different schools.
This October, we’re excited to be opening our eight academy in Lowry – a lush, green neighborhood within Denver, Colorado.
With black belts Amy Fidelis and Antonio (Junior) Fidelis as its Head Coaches, and run by Daniel Groom as its General Manager, Easton Lowry will make Brazilian Jiu Jitsu even more accessible to the eastern side of Denver and to those living in Aurora.
Many of you have expressed interest in an academy in this area for a while, and we’re stoked to deliver! The 4,000-square-foot facility will offer Adult and Kids BJJ, shower facilities, locker rooms and a pro shop.
Want to stay current with Easton Lowry’s grand opening? Sign up for Lowry emails here!
[Easton All-Staff: From Martial Arts Passion To Career, Find A Space And Fill It]
The cast
Daniel Groom, who holds a purple belt in BJJ, has been with Easton for about eight years, joining as a member a couple of months after he turned 19.
“At first, it started out as just a hobby,” recalls Daniel, who is homegrown from Easton Centennial, “but once I started assisting some classes, I knew that I didn’t want to work in the food industry anymore.
Luckily for us, he realized he wanted to dive deeper into the martial arts industry professionally.
“I’m really excited to open a school and give opportunities for people to work at Easton, just like I was given,” says Daniel. “My colleagues, Professors, and teammates here at Easton inspire me to work hard everyday, continue to strive to be the best version of myself I can be, and to continue to grow this incredible community they have built.”
When it came to naming the next General Manager of a school, Easton’s President and CEO, Mike Tousignant, tells us Daniel was an obvious choice.
“He teaches kids, adult gi, no gi – he’s got it all,” Mike says. “He’s very bright and sees the clear picture of what’s going on.”
Coming from a front desk and Academy Operations Director position, Daniel understands all about sales and the admin side and can work with anyone – from coaches and staff to students and parents.
“He’s such a team player,” Mike adds. “He’s going to be an excellent general manager!”
In addition to the martial arts industry, Daniel also has over ten years of experience in the restaurant industry. He’s worked in the kitchen of the same Italian restaurant, Romano’s, since he was 16 years old, going from hosting and bussing tables to helping run the kitchen, learning Spanish along the way.
Head Coaches, Professors Amy and Junior, bring to the table a combined total of 41 years of experience on the mats. However, in addition to the massive skillset, the choices Easton makes in who plants a new community comes down to character.
There are lots of ways we offer growth at Easton. When looking for people to build up the base of a new academy, we look for a strong moral compass and a heart that walks the walk. Both Junior and Amy are not only badass competitors, but true believers in working hard, doing the right thing and not looking for recognition.
Junior started training Jiu Jitsu in 1996, in his hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He came out to Colorado when Amal invited Junior to teach kids at his then-second location, Denver and has been working with Easton Training Center since 2007.
Over nearly twenty years, Junior has garnered a reputation as one of the most selfless individuals in our community, leading with empathy and compassion.
Learning Jiu Jitsu in Brazil, Junior tells us his biggest challenge was his size. As one of the smallest people in the group, he knew that if he wanted to beat the bigger guys, he’d need to have better technique. This motivated him to keep training and learning, and that has never stopped.
Junior loves taking on new challenges. He also tries to travel as much as possible so he can keep learning about the world and other people. Inspired by people who work hard and do good things, Junior tells us he’s been lucky to have lots of friends and mentors who do both.
“I love helping students improve,” says Junior, “especially new students; it’s gratifying to introduce them to Jiu Jitsu. I’m excited to open a new school because it’s always been a dream of mine to have a partnership with Easton and expand our community.”
Fun fact, Junior can break it down on the dance floor, and the husband-and-wife duo actually had their first date at a salsa club!
Amy Fidelis, Easton Denver’s first home-grown female black belt, started training Muay Thai at Easton in 2008, adding on Jiu Jitsu in 2009 after Junior encouraged her to try it. Growing up with two martial arts practitioners as parents, Amy’s entire life has found itself sporadically set to the background of all kinds of martial arts techniques. It wasn’t until Jiu Jitsu that martial arts hooked her, though.
“I love training because it forces you to be honest about yourself,” says Amy. “I’m excited about the new location because it’s a team effort that gives us an opportunity to teach more Jiu Jitsu to more people.”
Her favorite part about training and teaching comes down to helping people accomplish their goals. Amy ran a flow roll class at Easton Denver before the pandemic, and for the last few years has focused on her own training and competing.
Most inspired by language and people – how we communicate, behave, learn, and grow – Amy learns much about herself and others through competing, studying, teaching, and traveling.
“Amy is one of the best female leaders we have in all of the schools,” says Mike Tousignant, Easton’s CEO and President. “She’s a powerful advocate for Jiu Jitsu and all martial arts.”
We can’t wait to see how we all grow and what we learn from each other and the Lowry community with the newest academy and its team!
Above all, we’re thrilled to be sharing the joy of martial arts with even more of our teammates along the Rocky Mountains. Martial arts can spread in unpredictable and unexpected ways. You never know who’s on the mat next to you, and that’s the beauty of what we do: connection through protection.
We’re hoping for an October 1st opening, but make sure to stay tuned for the most up-to-date information.
Sign up for Lowry-related emails here!
