IT'S ALL ABOUT THE CULTURE
"It's working harder than everybody else, wanting it more than everybody else, no excuses, no BS, it's just making something happen and surrounding yourself with amazing people that truly want you to succeed. When you finally find that, when you find people that really truly want you to be successful, it's amazing what a human being can accomplish."
- Heath Pedigo
Bear Trap American Jiu Jitsu is run by Drew & Niki, a husband-and-wife team who want to take jiu jitsu to the next level for West Michigan. We are a Pedigo Submission Fighting affiliate under Derek Featherstun, a black belt under Rodrigo Vaghi. He was born and raised in Mt. Vernon, Illinois alongside Heath Pedigo, founder of Pedigo Submission Fighting. He would later become the first PSF black belt world champion at the IBJJF 2021 No Gi World Championships. Derek now runs Pedigo Submission Fighting Los Angeles.
At Bear Trap AJJ, our goal is to build champions and elevate the sport in the Muskegon area. Team culture is everything: we strive to build a gym where everyone is supported, and where teammates show up for each other through thick and thin -- in training, in competition, and off the mats.
We know everyone is capable of learning with the right level of instruction. We focus on strong, high-level foundations with a forward-looking approach that mixes elements of wrestling and judo into jiu jitsu, or "wrestle-judo-jitsu", for an exciting style of grappling that gives you the edge over the competition.
We practice techniques with safety in mind and with a dedication to improving skills, as well as becoming better athletes, teammates, and community members day by day.
CO-OWNER, HEAD COACH, & LEG LOCK SPECIALIST:
DREW RICE
If you've had the benefit of crossing paths with Drew in the grappling space, you already know -- his patience and his level of detail in instruction is second to none, as is his ability to meet students where they are. An engineer by trade, he has an uncanny ability to deconstruct and understand grappling concepts with insightful problem-solving abilities. He grew up a multisport athlete, but his martial arts journey started by training Mixed Martial Arts while in college for Systems Engineering. Once he decided to focus on Jiu Jitsu, he began training under Bob Bass -- one of the 'Dirty Dozen', the first group of Americans to earn black belts in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. Training under Bob gave him a front-row seat to a style that blended wrestling into Jiu Jitsu that was ahead of its time.
He has spent the last decade as a student of the game, staying on top of the modern meta by training across the country and taking full advantage of getting to learn from world champions at Daisy Fresh. He has trained with and competed under coaches Derek Featherstun and Heath Pedigo. These experiences, combined with his athletic and technical background, have shaped his comprehensive approach to the sport.
To Drew, instructing and coaching are two distinct skill sets that must be combined to achieve competitive success. For him, being a coach is more than just a role: it is a long-standing passion. He has spent over five years teaching classes, building on his background as a coach and trainer for track, cross country, and weightlifting in the years prior.
Throughout his career, he has dedicated himself to helping teammates reach the top of the podium at every level, from local competitions to international tournaments. He is prepared to support his athletes’ goals regardless of how far they aim to take their journey.
Drew rejects the "one-size-fits-all" approach to instruction. Instead, he focuses on an athlete's specific game, providing the tailored details necessary for rapid growth and the development of genuine self-confidence. He believes that traditional Jiu Jitsu instruction has much to learn from other athletic disciplines, and at Bear Trap, he refuses to settle for the status quo.
CO-OWNER, ASSISTANT COACH, & ASPIRING LEG LOCK SPECIALIST:
NIKI RICE
Niki originally began her martial arts training in Muay Thai with the goal of training for fitness. When she decided to add grappling into the mix to complement a striking game, she picked up jiu jitsu. Alongside Drew, she's been fortunate to train at different gyms around the country, travel for major competitions. With a couple of local competitions under her belt and her eye on future competitions down the line, her goal is to continue her growth in the sport with a wrestle-judo-jitsu twist.
Niki’s professional background as a user experience designer involves solving problems from an array of perspectives to make information accessible to everyone, which aligns perfectly with her approach to inclusion in jiu jitsu. She believes that even complex information can be made accessible to anyone when communicated from various perspectives to meet people where they are, and brings this attitude to the mats.
She's a major advocate of participating in grappling & combat sports for mental & physical health - it's a big part of what has kept her going since a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis in 2021. Grappling helps her continue to stay healthy, grounded, & active, with longevity as the goal. In addition to time spent on the mat, she fully believes in the growth that comes from pushing past perceived mental and physical limits to live life to the fullest - which once meant training for endurance runs to raise money for MS research, or sometimes looked like day-hiking 14,000’ mountains in the West. These days, she meets most of her challenges on the mats head-on with an intentional and cerebral approach to training to become a better athlete, grappler, and future coach. At Bear Trap AJJ, Niki is excited to have the opportunity to cultivate a women's team at Bear Trap AJJ to bring greater visibility to women in the sport.
"They believe in each other, they want each other to win more than they want to win themselves. When you have that, it's an unstoppable force."
- Heath Pedigo