10 Questions With My Coach's First Female Black Belt
Interview with Jen Z.
It’s our first interview in a while!
Now that ADCC is over I’m trying to get back to doing these interviews at least monthly.
Today, I have an interview with my friend, fellow Serafin black belt, and long-time training partner, Jen Zanotti. Jen is an IBJJF Pans and Master’s World medalist, the founder of the Serafin BJJ women’s program, and is currently the head instructor at Capital MMA - Team Takoma in Takoma Park, Maryland.
I hope you all enjoy this interview :)
Can you tell my readers a little bit about you and your background in Jiu-Jitsu?
I’m a native of Highland Park, Illinois just north of Chicago. I come from a close-knit community and loving Italian family (which is redundant, I know). Right now, I live in Takoma Park, Maryland, and run a Jiu-Jitsu school, Capital MMA - Team Takoma, with my husband Jay Ferrari.
Just like you, I got my black belt from Jeff Serafin, back in December of 2021. I started training Jiu-Jitsu when I was around 30 years old and instantly fell in love with it. You know what that’s like! I loved to compete for a long time, and now teaching has really become my passion and my career.
When I first started training at Jeff's, you were one of the only women training there. You were definitely the only blue belt. Can you talk a little bit about your early days of BJJ and what made it special for you?
It gave me a lot of confidence. I was the only woman, that’s true, but I had a very supportive group of training partners and friends. Anyone who trains knows that you become part of that kind of close-knit team when you are training at a school with good leadership and a healthy training environment.
The men I was around were always very supportive of my training, and I know that’s not always the case in the Jiu-Jitsu world. Jeff deserves a ton of credit for creating that kind of community. Before Jiu-Jitsu, I had never really done any sports. I liked to work out, and I was boxing at the time, which is what brought me to Jiu-Jitsu.
Of course, I got hooked! I started competing at white belt when I was going through a tough time in my life. Being able to compete really fueled my confidence and self-worth. To be honest, my immediate love for Jiu-Jitsu and competing really took me and everyone around me by surprise.
Eventually, you started the women's program at Jeff's that's still active today. What inspired you to start a women's only Jiu-Jitsu program and what was that like for you?
Because I was one of the only consistent female students at the gym, I saw an opportunity to build something. It can be intimidating for anyone to start training in Jiu-Jitsu, and I think this is especially true for women.
I wanted to really amplify the environment Jeff had created, and start something at blue belt that offered safe, supportive, encouraging training for women. Initially, I started teaching at one of Jeff’s affiliate schools, run by one of his black belts, Ilya Bodnya, and then at Jeff’s school itself. Jeff and Ilya were both incredibly supportive, believed in my skill, and let me take the lead in shaping and sustaining that program.
Do you think that women's only classes are going to have a place in the future of Jiu-Jitsu, or will there be a day when all classes are co-ed? Why?
That's an interesting question. I think women now feel more comfortable in co-ed classes because there are more women participating overall, but I think there’s always a place for women’s only classes because that can be the point of entry for a woman who might at first be hesitant to try Jiu-Jitsu, which can be seen as such a male-dominated environment.
I believe having classes for women exclusively creates an inviting environment, which is a valuable stepping stone into the larger world of Jiu-Jitsu. I think women also need to train with other women if they are competing against women. We have a different feel and energy compared to men.
Of course, it’s best to get all different looks and train with all kinds of people, male and female, but it's pretty magical when you have a group of women empowering and supporting each other. It just makes you all better!
I think "Jiu-Jitsu instructor" is one of the most male-dominated professions in the world. Do you face any unique challenges being a female head instructor now?
I'll confess that at the beginning I did suffer from a bit of imposter syndrome. I wondered, are all these dudes going to listen to a female? What if I can’t tap all the new guys who are bigger, stronger, and less technical? What if I can't earn the respect of the higher belts?
But I know now that it’s extremely powerful -- a testament to the power of Jiu-Jitsu, really -- when a school has a female owner and head instructor. I am the main Jiu-Jitsu instructor at our school alongside my husband, and we have other great coaches as well and I am in charge of all the scheduling, the curriculum, and keeping everyone organized. I love it! The community we have built is awesome and I have felt nothing but respect and support from all our students. I also think (and Jay will confirm) that men definitely appreciate the "woman's touch" at the gym. I'm obsessed with keeping things clean, organized, and welcoming! A female black belt coach also helps women feel more comfortable attending co-ed classes. I’m basically the mama bear, super protective over all our students and always repeating the mantra of "good people, good training, good vibes!"
If there's anything you would want to change about the Jiu-Jitsu world today, what would it be and why?
To be honest, despite all the progress women have made and are making in the sport, it still seems like some schools can have a "boy's club" mentality. It's one thing to be not necessarily welcoming, meaning a female has to earn her way in just like anyone. But it's another thing to be hostile towards women.
We've all seen those gym bros who come in to try a class and can't believe they got beat by a woman. Or the guys who train and seek out women to roll with because they think they can bully them around, or worse, the creepy guys. I'd ask all the good men in Jiu-Jitsu to help create a more supportive environment for women. If you see a bigger guy getting his jollies by working over a white-belt girl, straighten him out!
And if you are an instructor or owner and a woman comes to you saying a guy is being a creep, believe her! You have to look into it and get the whole story. And if you get tapped by a woman, realize that that's not an attack on your masculinity. It's proof of how awesome Jiu-Jitsu is!
You have a lot of competition experience. What tips do you give students when getting ready for students both on the local and international stage?
Have fun! I remind myself of this often when I still compete. I used to compete a ton and still try to do 1-2 tournaments a year even as I juggle my teaching and gym owner responsibilities. We can put so much pressure on ourselves.
A good coach and team is going to be proud of you for getting out there no matter what. You are going to get better no matter what. Don't forget why we are doing all of this in the first place!
Put in the work, balance your training with learning techniques, positional drilling, micro-drilling, rolling, etc. Get rest, eat well, enjoy the process, and love the lifestyle!
Another thing: If you need to cut weight, do it intelligently, over time, not last minute. In Jiu-Jitsu you don’t get to refuel after weigh-ins and you need to take that into account especially if you are traveling. You want to feel good, strong, and confident when you compete, so your nutrition and hydration need to be on point.
What's the most important lesson that you learned from our coach, Jeff?
Jeff is one of the most humble, down-to-earth people I know.
He knows everything there is to know about Jiu-Jitsu and, of course, is an amazing grappler. He taught me how to be a great instructor and how to lead by example to create a drama-free environment where you can train and have fun.
He is always there for his students on and off the mats, which is so important.
Sometimes people just need someone to talk to, and as a coach, believe me, you will find yourself in that position a lot. Jeff showed me how to stay present and accessible to your students. He also exemplifies being a coach who consistently studies and learns, but he taught me that it’s ok to not have all the answers. You and I both know that if a coach says they know everything, that’s a huge red flag.
Another great thing about Jeff is that he always encourages his people to cross-train with other people and schools. What he cares about the most is everyone's Jiu-Jitsu journey, not some limited notion of loyalty. And that's what's funny because that attitude is what made me more loyal! He also taught me to believe in myself, even though I still have a hard time with that. I'm especially grateful for that!
Was there ever a point when you wanted to quit Jiu-Jitsu? If not, what strategies did you use to stay disciplined with training for so many years?
I honestly don’t recall a point I wanted to quit. I cried many times on the mats with my training partners/coaches, out of frustration of course. But as soon as I started training I fell in love.
Jiu-Jitsu has been part of my daily life ever since I started and has made me a better, stronger, more confident person. It has made me live a happier, healthier life for sure. I am a person who is self-motivated/disciplined. I like to achieve goals and organize my schedule to get shit done. But for people who are not like that, I think it all circles back to why are you doing it? We need to detach sometimes and take a look at the bigger picture. If you're feeling ground down or overwhelmed, sometimes you just need to take a break. Jiu-Jitsu is hard! There's nothing wrong with the occasional rest day!
And as you get higher up in rank and spend more time on the mats, I think you just know to expect the ebbs and flows as part of your journey. We can’t be 100% every day, and I think when you accept that and embrace it all over the long term, you work through those hard days easier.
What are you working on going forward and how can people learn more about you?
The past year I've been putting out more Jiu-Jitsu instructionals with my own unique flare on and details on moves. I will also always love supporting the women’s community in BJJ and hosting events. I am hoping to do some more no-gi tournaments because I’ve been having a lot of fun training and working more on my wrestling.
People can go to my website www.allthingsjenz.com and follow me on my IG @allthingsjenz and YouTube channel All Things Jen Z. I hope your readers check it out!
Thank you for reading another edition of The Grappler’s Diary!
If you enjoyed reading this article, share it with friends! Or, click on the ❤️ button on this post so more people can discover it on Substack!