Team Members
Professor Marcos Barros
2nd Degree Black Belt
Professor Marcos Barros is the Head Professor at Gracie Barra Springfield. He was born in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and trained under the instruction of Master Carlos Gracie Jr. and Professor Marcio Feitosa. He began his teaching career at the Headquarters in Rio de Janeiro under Master Carlos. In 2005, Professor Marcos began teaching in the United States and by 2006, he had opened Gracie Barra Springfield. 2013 brought new beginnings as Marcos was named the Regional Director of Illinois, and Gracie Barra Springfield named the Illinois Headquarters. With more than twelve years of experience teaching and training Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Professor Marcos is dedicated to his students, and the future of Gracie Barra. With great success in the world of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, he has obtained many titles from the Worlds, Pan-American, and Brazilian Nationals Championships. Accomplishing all that he has, Professor Marcos simply measures success through his students’ accomplishments. He believes kids are the future of Gracie Barra, and offers them the opportunity to learn technique, discipline, and become part of a something great. Professor Marcos encourages teamwork, family, and an all around healthy lifestyle for his students. On more than one occasion students have been quoted saying, “Gracie Barra Springfield is like a second home to me!”
Gerrad Zec
Brown Belt
Chief Instructor and Program Director
Coach Gerrad started training under the expert professional guidance of Professor Marcos Barros in 2006. He regularly competes around the country at some of the world’s most prestigious tournaments. Gerrad now continues his training of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu not only as a competitor, but as the Chief Instructor of Gracie Barra Springfield. His love for BJJ is expressed through his commitment to teaching and training. He is constantly working to help his students achieve their goals and dreams through the principles taught at Gracie Barra. Extending past self-defense or being just a sport, Gerrad believes that Jiu Jitsu is a tool to help change people’s lives on and off the mats. He seeks to be a role model, influencing the mindsets of youth toward a culture of respect for diversity, a positive attitude, and integrity.
Professor Bill Hunt
Black Belt
Professor Bill began training martial arts in 2000, with a mixture of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Jeet Kun Do concepts, Filipino martial arts, and Muay Thai. He came to the Gracie Barra team and narrowed his focus solely to Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in 2008. He received his blue belt from Damon Umholtz of Philadelphia Jiu-Jitsu, purple belt from Jack McVicker and Wellington “Megaton” Dias, and brown and black belts from Professor Marcos Barros at Gracie Barra Springfield in 2011. As a smaller grappler, his focus is on improving the efficiency and economy of his techniques and movements. His favorite aspect of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is the fact that it is a constant quest for improvement, and he strives to learn from every student he trains with.
Professor Bob Radmacher
Black Belt
Professor Bob Radmacher of Springfield, Illinois, began training under the tutelage of Professor Marcos Barros in 2005. He helped develop and taught at the newly formed Garcie Barra in Decatur, Illinois as well as taught at Gracie Barra The Loop, in Chicago. Bob traveled to California for competitions and seminars, furthering his knowledge in the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Professor Radmacher participates in various public demonstrations including Police and Military. One of the best lessons Bob has learned is to keep attending classes, even when you feel you are not making progress as quickly as wanted. He emphasizes that good technique can overcome size and strength! Bob believes that BJJ is the best way to maintain fitness, self-defense and to build confidence. Professor Radmacher teaches and trains regularly at Gracie Barra Springfield, Illinois.
Tim Morenz
Purple Belt 4 stripes
Tim has been studying Brazilian Jiujitsu at Gracie Barra for 5 years, all under the tutelage of Professor Marcos Barros. Prior to his study of Brazilian Jiujitsu, Tim studied Judo for 11 years. Tim appreciates the aspect of training for fitness and weight control, as Tim has lost over 60 pounds since beginning training. Tim has also learned to appreciate the aspects of training for self-defense, as while an employee at a Psychiatric Hospital for 3 years, the techniques that he learned at Gracie Barra helped to “save his life” and helped him survive serious physical assault on several occasions. Tim believes wholeheartedly in the mission of “Jiujitsu for everyone” and has experienced the benefits of training while in daily life, teaching classes at Gracie Barra, or while competing at the Missouri State Brazilian Jiujitsu Championships or at the IBJJF Chicago International Summer and Winter Open Championships. Tim truly believes that “there is no losing in jiujitsu, you either win or you learn” and is fully committed to living the jiujitsu lifestyle.
Professor Paul Taylor
Brown Belt 1 stripe
A lawyer and twenty plus year veteran of various martial arts, Paul started training jiu-jitsu in 2000 under Greg Giddings of GMAP. In 2006 when GMAP merged into Gracie Barra Springfield Paul continued to train simply because Gracie Barra provides the premier jiu-jitsu instruction and he recognized a phenomenal instructor in Professor Marcos Barros. In 2011, he was deeply honored when Professor Marcos awarded him his Coach patch and named him Instructor. Paul has attended several IBJJF sponsored referee courses. Paul has competed in the Chicago Open, the Pan Ams and hopes to continue to compete in order to satisfy his competitive nature. Additionally he would like to pass on the lessons he has learned and continues to learn while competing to the next generation of jiu-jitsu students.Paul, a Gracie Barra Certified Instructor, enjoys teaching children. Paul’s goal as a teacher is to provide the students with the self confidence, fun workouts, and mental discipline so they can take jiu-jitsu and themselves to heights that cannot be comprehend by current practitioners.
Professor Jason Matthew
Brown Belt 4 stripes
Coach Jason Matthew had been training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at Gracie Barra Springfield IL since 2007. A brown belt under Professor Marcos Barros, he has completed the instructors certification program. Jason has taken part in several competitions as well as IBJJF referee courses. Jason has been involved in the instructors program for close to three years. He enjoys teaching and helping out with classes. Jason feels there are few things physically that can benefit people more that Jiu-Jitsu, but the confidence and inner strength is even more rewarding.
Professor Adam Saathoff
Brown Belt 4 stripes
Since he was a kid martial arts has been a dream. Not to be a black belt, but to perform and continue a life passion practicing an art. He pursued Brazilian Jiu Jitsu in order to compete in MMA. Upon his first training session he quickly realized MMA was not what he wanted, becoming a martial artists was his main focus. For the past few years Adam has pursued this childhood dream of through competitions, mat hours and brotherhood. His wife become a part of the women’s program where she received her blue belt and gave birth to their daughter, which they have plans to enroll her in the gentle art. He truly emcompasses the life style and how BJJ has centered his life as a person. Adam’s goal is to continue to help others reach their goals no matter what they may be either fitness or mental through Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. I currently work as a personal trainer where I train mainly in the day time hours, which is family to me.
Professor Beto Barros
Black Belt
Professor Beto Barros started Brazilian Jiu Jitsu at Gracie Barra Sao Paulo, in his hometown. Upon moving to the United States, he continued his training under the direction of his brother Professor Marcos Barros. As a result of his dedication and persistent training he was able to obtain his next three belts resulting in his earning the elite ranking of Black Belt. Having mastered all the fundamental techniques and the ability to flow from technique to technique he opened his own school in 2008. At the Gracie Barra The Loop in Chicago, he is totally dedicating to teaching his students the same essence of Jiu Jitsu he was taught (i.e. attitude, yielding to an opponent’s attack, physical conditioning, and personal development) while at Gracie Barra Springfield. He continues his own personal training, competing and having fun with his team. He has received the following titles No-Gi World Champion, PanAms and some of the International Open circuit. He believes teaching improves one’s Jiu Jitsu even more, consequently he encourages his students to help each other, so they can learn more from themselves.
