Levi Parke began training with Jason Clarke at Iowa City BJJ in 2013 and is currently a brown belt under Jared Bahr. Besides his duties at the front desk, he also coaches in both adult and children's classes.
Finding jiu jitsu after his divorce helped him deal with the anxiety and depression that had begun to plague his life. It helped him find the confidence, fortitude and focus needed to move forward. More importantly he was introduced to a community of people focused on self-improvement and the betterment of others through hard work and dedication. Repaying that community through coaching, and facilitating a safe training environment, has become the primary focus of his career.
After 2 months I can now say, Professors Jared and Cliff are teeming with knowledge and information about their sport. They are more than willing to answer questions, even encouraging the asking most of the time. They, and the rest of the instruction team, also aren't afraid to point out mistakes and shortcomings (usually in a funny and witty manner). This make for an extremely productive environment to learn in. Constructive criticism along with the encouragement to be your best self seems to be at the core here. Joining No Coast BJJ has been on of the best decisions that I've made in a long time. Looking forward to learning and continuing the uphill battle! Thanks for your time Professor!
With my parents recently moving to Waukee and myself at their home visiting for winter break from school I wanted to find something to help me stay active over the holidays. From the first time I contacted No Coast BJJ to making me feel very welcome and taken care of during my first class, I realized No Coast is the place to learn jiu-jitsu. They worked with my short two-week time frame that I had in Waukee and made it possible for me to learn the basics of the sport. Having no previous martial arts experience, all the instructors took the time during each class to start from square one helping me build a solid foundation. In fact, I felt like I got a new instructor every time I went in for a work out; everyone there is extremely friendly and helpful! Every person I met asked me my name and made me feel respected even as a complete beginner. This quality and atmosphere is something unique to No Coast as it shows their focus on you as an individual to help you learn and be the best you can be. It’s too bad I have to go back to school and can no longer attend classes at No Coast, but thanks to them I now have a solid foundation of BJJ from which I can build upon.
Thank you for taking the time to make me feel so welcome, see you Saturday for my last class! I highly recommend this place for anyone interested!
I was very impressed with the instructors at No Coast during the kids jiujitsu class. They are great at attention to detail but also great at knowing when the kids just need to roll for a while and figure things out themselves. We live out of town but will be visiting No Coast every time we visit family in the Des Moines area!