Coach Catherine Swehla
Catherine is one of our WE instructors. She works alongside Professor Tony, Coach Tanya, and Coach Lucy to empower women and help ladies achieve mastery of the Gracie Jiu Jitsu principles of self-defense. Although Women Empowered is her specialty, she has continued to progress in her Jiu-Jitsu journey and is now a Gracie Jiu Jitsu Blue Belt Stripe 2.
Her Story
Catherine began her Jiu Jitsu journey as a WE student in 2019. She was looking for a comprehensive self-defense class for women for herself and her teen daughters, and quickly became intrigued by this martial art. In Catherine’s words, “I joined to learn self-defense and then stayed because of the safe and friendly environment.” She then joined the Combatives class and earned her Combatives belt before progressing to the Master Cycle and earning her blue belt.
Catherine has spent the last 15 years teaching in one capacity or another. She began by teaching her own children, then tutoring and teaching for a classical education community, and most recently as a severe-needs paraeducator for middle school students. She recently completed the Gracie University Women Empowered Instructor Certification Program in January of 2022. She is dedicated to helping women by teaching them life-saving and empowering techniques and principles.
Lineage
Helio Gracie : Rorion Gracie : Ryron and Rener Gracie : Tony Debelak : Catherine Swehla