Meet the Coaches
Joel Costello - 2nd Degree Black Belt & Head Coach
Some kids find their thing early. For Joel, it started with play wrestling with his Dad, WWF-inspired backyard wrestling with his mates, and then getting his hands on early UFC VHS tapes. When a mate tracked down a local Gracie Jiu-Jitsu class, Joel was hooked from day one.
Twenty-four years later, Joel is one of Sydney’s most experienced Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu coaches - but the journey to get here was earned on the mat. Competing at the highest levels of the sport, he won the Australasian Open Weight Abu Dhabi Pro Trials at purple belt in 2013, a result that announced him as one of the country’s most dangerous grapplers regardless of division. He’s a multiple Pan Pacific and Australian Champion, and his results on the mat saw him become one of Hyperfly Australia’s first sponsored athletes. In 2019 he headlined the inaugural Subversion - one of Australia’s premier grappling events - defeating the reigning Asian Championships winner in the main event on a stacked card of the country’s best grapplers.
On March 7, 2018, Joel was awarded his black belt by Bruno Panno and Royler Gracie - one of the most respected lineages in the sport.
Joel opened Gracie Balmain in July 2016 - in the suburb he grew up in, for the community that shaped him. The academy now serves kids, juniors, and adults across gi and no-gi programs, and that same spark from the backyard - curiosity, competition, and genuine love of the game - is what he tries to pass on every day.
Lachlan King - Black Belt
Lachy found BJJ when looking for a new physical challenge after finishing his Rugby playing days, in his late 20s.
He says, “Although I was initially drawn to the sport’s physicality, I’ve grown to appreciate the mental intricacies the sport brings, and I think this is one of the main reasons BJJ is so addictive. I’ve been lucky enough to train at many different gyms around the world and by far the best aspect of BJJ for me has been the unique camaraderie you share with the guys/girls that you train with. Nothing beats the post-session chats with friends and strangers you’ve just tried to strangle. What a crazy, beautiful sport.”
What he loves most about coaching is seeing students take concepts he’s taught and making it their own by moulding it to their own style.
Jayden Lawrence - Wrestling Coach
Jayden Lawrence is a freestyle wrestler with over 20 years of experience and represented Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
A 3x Commonwealth Games representative and 2022 bronze medallist, Jayden is also a multiple-time National and Oceania Champion.
Jayden brings world-class takedown skill, intensity, and precision to every session - and he’s passionate about helping our kids and adults build real wrestling that transfers straight into Jiu-Jitsu.
Leighlan Martin - Brown Belt
Joel Costello - 2nd Degree Black Belt & Head Coach of the 9-5 Leighlan is a brown belt focusing mainly on no-gi. Leighlan's teaching style prioritises understanding positional concepts through sparring, and is suitable for beginners through to advanced practitioners.
Rod O. - Brown Belt
Rod has been a dedicated practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) since 2019 and is currently a Purple Belt under Gracie Humaita Balmain. Rod is the number one ranked masters Brown belts and has competed in over 40 BJJ tournaments and Super fight events. Placing 1st in both Weight Classes and Absolute divisions, both locally and internationally. Rod brings a wealth of competition experience to the mats. He teaches the Morning No-Gi classes, offering members an opportunity to dive into the world of submission grappling. Rod is known for his passion in competition-focused training, emphasizing the importance of developing strong fundamentals for all members.
Gabe Bitti - Purple Belt
