NEWSLETTER

2026 APRIL

NEWS & UPDATES

Web Site Updates

A page has been added to the web site honoring those who are no longer with us that have made significant contributions to Small Circle Jujitsu, most recently Bernice Jay. Please take a moment to visit the page: Memorial. It can also be accessed from the navigation bar at the top of the home page.

You can also check out all published newsletters by clicking the web link at the bottom of this newsletter or by visiting the NewsLetters course module in SCJ University.

Black Belt Promotion Guidelines

• Dan rank testing and promotions may only occur when Professor Jay is present.
• All rank promotions require an active membership
• 1st and 2nd Dan require a formal physical test.
• 3rd through 9th Dan are awarded as nominated promotions based on
  • Active membership
  • Time in rank
  • Teaching skills
  • Efforts to promote the art

Eligibility Requirements:

• 1st Dan (Shodan):
  • Completion of all Kyu ranks
  • Attendance of at least two camps before eligible to test
  • Must be a minimum of 18 years of age
  • Successful completion of the physical rank test
• 2nd Dan – 2 years at 1st Dan
  • Plus physical rank test
• 3rd Dan – 3 years at 2nd Dan
• 4th Dan – 4 years at 3rd Dan
• 5th Dan – 5 years at 4th Dan
• 6th Dan – 6 years at 5th Dan
• 7th Dan – 7 years at 6th Dan
• 8th Dan – 8 years at 7th Dan
• 9th Dan – 9 years at 8th Dan

(The above info is in SCJ University Dojo Owners Roles & Responsabillities course in the Active Student Management section)

Member Audits

Instructors/Dojo Owners: We conduct rank and membership validation twice a year, in January and July. The process is simple: we send you a spreadsheet with your student list, you review it, and then return any updates. This helps ensure that your students:

1. Are current on their membership
2. Are not charged dues if they have quit
3. Have the correct rank to access the appropriate syllabus on SCJ University
4. Have accurate information on file when black belt promotion recommendations are reviewed

It is very important to participate and ensure we have the correct information for every member. If any questions, email kevin.balmer@smallcirclejujitsu.com.

WE WANT YOU!

When you enter Professor Jay’s Small Circle Jujitsu University you will find about twenty different training modules covering a variety of topics.                       

Do you have an idea for training that you think other members of SCJ might be interested in?

If so, please contact Professor David Rhodes and let him know: 

• The topic
• If you would like to write it yourself
• Have someone else write it
• Or collaborate

By doing this the training will be:

• Peer driven
• Relevant to member needs
• Dynamic
• Constantly Updated

Contributing to SCJ training will make you:

• Feel empowered
• Inspired
• Motivated
• Engaged in developing SCJ

We want you to help Small Circle Jujitsu!

Bring A Friend

You hear it at the end of every camp or seminar…”Next time bring a friend, let’s make this event even bigger!” 

For Small Circle Jujitsu this creates an informal system for getting information to people who aren’t part of SCJ about what we do, how we do it, and where they can come to learn how to do it. And that’s a good thing.

But there are benefits for YOU also!

• You both know it’s all about the martial arts journey
• You strengthen your friendship through shared experiences
• It makes traveling to a new place, or learning new techniques and concepts, less intimidating
• Which allows for better engagement and participation
• You have fewer distractions
• Makes learning fun and memorable
• You can push each other to excel
• Mutual support
• You both remember what was taught
• You learn faster than by training alone
• Different instructors, styles, techniques, keep things interesting
• Improved skills
• And don’t forget…Room Discounts!!

So, as you plan for your next training seminar or camp, talk to some friends and get a group to attend with you.

Tell a friend. You WILL be glad you did…and so will they!

SPOTLIGHT

Heather Bess Brings Home Two Tournament Medals

Small Circle Jujitsu practitioner Heather Bess recently delivered outstanding performances at two major tournaments. Congratulations Heather!

Heather credits her success to the consistent application of Small Circle Jujitsu principles throughout her training and competition. “I encourage all SCJ students to practice these principles dynamically and with resistance across all ranges of engagement to fully understand them and be prepared for real performance.“

THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW

When you join Small Circle Jujitsu and purchase a membership, you enter your name and email address. This email becomes your unique identifier in the Spark membership system and is the same email you use to log in to Small Circle Jujitsu University.

If you later purchase a video, seminar, or camp registration, it’s important to use the same email and name you used when you joined. This ensures the system recognizes you, uses your saved payment information, and correctly links the purchase to your existing account.

If you use a different email, Spark will create a separate “prospect” record that is not connected to your membership. You’ll be asked to re‑enter payment information, and your existing details will not appear—this is how you can tell the system didn’t match your account. This can make it look like you haven’t paid when checking in for an event, even though the purchase went through.

When this happens, we need to manually merge the prospect record with your membership record so everything shows correctly in the system. If any questions, let us know.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• Prof. Leon Jay – 8th Annual SCJ Seminar St. Louis
• Professor David Rhodes SCJ Camp Houston
• Professor Leon Jay – La Chapelle-la-Reine, France
• 2026 The Wally Jay – Bernice Jay – Will Higginbotham SCJ Midwest Camp

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