Instructors
Our Reading, PA BJJ academy is led by a team of highly skilled black and brown belts. With years of grappling experience, our instructors are dedicated to sharing their knowledge and passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Every adult class is taught by a seasoned practitioner, ensuring you receive top-tier instruction from day one.
Jose Ortiz
Owner/Head Instructor
Jose began his grappling journey as a member of his middle and high school wrestling teams. Upon graduation, he discovered Jiu-Jitsu from watching a UFC fight. Since then, Jose has been completely obsessed with the “gentle art”.
Like many, he’s become addicted to the chess game that is Jiu-Jitsu. He’s trained under Erik Faust & the late Shane Mock since 2010, and also spent two years training under IBJJF world champion Abraham Martes.
Jose has medaled in many competitions and began teaching and coaching as a brown belt in 2019. He recieved his black belt in 2022. The sport of Jiu-Jitsu is dynamic and ever-evolving, therefore Jose is always learning and keeping up with the latest developments in the game. His students adore him as an extremely dedicated coach who is freely giving of his time, attention, and knowledge.
Tomas Canseco - Instructor
Tomas is our early-morning Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Instructor. He has been a BJJ practitioner since 2009 and received his black belt in 2024. Tomas is also a licensed Chiropractor and owner of Fit Vida Chiropractic.
He feels doing both has helped him understand the body’s biomechanics at a different level. It has helped him formulate treatments to help athletes recover faster, as well as improve his own jiu-jitsu game.
Erik Faust - Instructor
Erik is a second-degree black belt under Shane Mock and Phil Migilarese. He started training in 2008 and received his black belt in 2015. He also has boxed professionally and trained in a variety of other martial arts before discovering grappling.
Erik has always been recognized by his students and teammates as a practitioner with a deeply intuitive understanding of jiu-jitsu and a high body intelligence. However, in addition to his natural athleticism, he is also highly gifted at the analytical side of jiu-jitsu as well.
He is able to break down complex movements and explain them in a very clear, easy-to-digest manner for students. He is also a huge proponent of conceptual jiu-jitsu, and likes to teach big picture concepts.
You’re guaranteed to have a fun and instructive roll wtih Coach Erik, as his movements are always creative, flowy, and unpredictable.
Dylan Delay - Kids Instructor
Dylan is a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt who began his training in 2013. He has extensive experience teaching kids, and is highly skilled at getting our youngest members to successfully execute complicated maneuvers. Dylan’s passion for jiu-jitsu shines in every lesson he teaches, and he finds nothing more rewarding than to watch his students grow both in the sport and as people.
Shaye Witman - Kids Instructor
Shaye is a brown belt Instructor for the kids’ program. She started training in 2010 for self-defense purposes, but quickly came to love jiu-jitsu for all its other benefits: community and friendship, fitness, anxiety reduction and improved mental health, discipline, and problem-solving skills.
Shaye loves how jiu-jitsu is like a puzzle, and how it’s never boring. You could live to be a 1,000 and still there would be discoveries to be made. She is highly invested in the progress of her young students, as well as their development as human beings. She believes that her position as a kids’ coach is a privilege, and takes seriously the modeling of good character, kindness, and hard work.
Erik Spring - Head Striking Coach
Erik Spring is the immensely talented director of our striking program here at BCBJJ.
He has trained in martial arts since a child, earning a Karate black belt as a teenager from Errol and Noel Washington. He is a three-time USKA national kickboxing champion and holds a 13-4 record in professional boxing.
He is an extremely dedicated coach with decades of knowledge and experience to impart on his students. He also offers a customized personal training class to students who wish to sign up for it under his entity Unconquered Fitness, hosted here at BCBJJ.