Jiu Jitsu Coaches

*All coaches who lead kids practices are SafeSport certified and background checked every year through IBJJF, USA Wrestling, or USA Judo. Safety is the top priority at Vien Jiujitsu.

Gee Vien

Gee Vien is a jiu-jitsu black belt (CMJJA), former head coach of Anaconda BJJ Syracuse, and the head coach at Vien Jiujitsu. His passion in life is grappling and is fully committed to refining and sharing the highest quality of technique possible.

Gee is a black belt Pan placer, but has truly settled into his role as head coach. A certified Black Belt through IBJJF, and Bronze & Teal Certified through USA Wrestling, he’s developed and coached multiple athletes to countless gold medals at Worlds, World Masters, Pans, Pan Kids, ADCC Opens, and has won multiple team trophies for both kids and adults.

Gee is hyper focused on skill acquisition and helping people chase daily improvement. In the training room, he strives to create a healthy gym culture where everyone can flourish while utilizing a no-nonsense, high energy, cerebral approach.

When not coaching or practicing, Gee is usually found spending time with loved ones and hiking with his dog Lola.

April Parks

April Parks, a Carlos Machado Jiu Jitsu black belt and the founder of Grappling Getaways, is a proud Syracuse native with a multi-sport background. April is a passionate advocate for women, children, fitness and self-defense. For 20 years she has worked with children and families in the Syracuse City School District from teaching to social work. Teaching, empowering, and competing is April’s true calling.

Her resume includes ESM Hall of Fame inductee, Division 1 Track & Field Athlete at Syracuse University, and 7x IBJJF World Champion.

In teaching BJJ, it is April’s intention to spread love for the art that brought health, wellness, self-defense, opportunity, passion, friends and fulfillment to her life. Coaching brings April tremendous pride and happiness, nothing is more rewarding than helping someone to both reach their potential and simultaneously learn to defend themselves.

When April is not on the mats she can be found spending time with family and friends, traveling the world competing, and running women’s jiu-jitsu camps. April enjoys traveling, hiking and spending time with her dog, Lola.

Christian Diaz

With nearly two decades of experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Christian began his journey in 2006 in Virginia Beach. After a decade of dedication, he earned his black belt under the renowned Luiz Palhares in 2016.

A proud Marine Corps veteran, Christian also served as a Martial Arts Instructor Trainer for the Marine Corps Security Forces. As a military contractor, he trained multiple military commands in combatives, incorporating his knowledge of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu into practical, real-world self-defense techniques taught to fellow service members. This unique blend of military training and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expertise has shaped a well-rounded approach that combines the principles of sport jiu-jitsu with the practicalities of self-defense.

Today, Christian continues to train, teach, and inspire others, fostering a passion for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu that extends beyond the mats.

Jeff Standish

Originally from the Rochester, NY area, Jeff has been training bjj since 2014, but has been on the mats for over 25 years. He started with wrestling in middle school and continued all the way into college. After years without competitive wrestling, Jeff found bjj and has been training ever since.

Here are some Jeff’s competitive highlights:

- Section V champion

- 6th NYS Tournament

- Multiple IBJJF, Grappling Industries, and AGF division gold medals

- 2023 IBJJF World Masters Championship Bronze Medalist

Outside of the gym, Jeff owns a chiropractic practice called Chiropractic First in East Syracuse. He is also a devoted father to his 2 daughters Addie and Emme, and devoted husband to his wife Julia. During his competitions, you will often find them cheering him on.

Wrestling Coaches

Paul LeBlanc

Coach Paul LeBlanc is currently a Physical Education teacher at Jamesville-DeWitt CSD and the Varsity Wrestling Coach. He has taught and coached in the public school system for the past 11 years. He also coached at SUNY Cortland for two seasons. He has helped guide numerous state placers and college All-Americans. He truly enjoys helping wrestlers reach their highest level.

Prior to coaching he competed for SUNY Cortland where he was a 4-time conference champion and 3-time All-American with a runner-up finish his final year. He was also voted SUNY Cortland Male Athlete of the Year. Prior to Cortland, he was a 2-time NYS place finisher in high school and finished his senior year with an undefeated state title run.

“I am extremely passionate and I look forward to working with any wrestler that wants to improve.”

- Paul LeBlanc

Matt Fisher

Matt has nearly 20 years wrestling experience all the way through four years of Division I. Currently working as an Physician Assistant in Oneida, he is excited to work and build skill and technique with athletes of every level. A lifelong student of the sport, he is enthusiastic about sharing and giving back to the sport that has given so much to him.

Prior to coaching he amassed 150 wins in high school with a 3rd place finish at the state tournament before attending Sacred Heart University where he was a team captain for three years.

Matt is very passionate and excited to get a good sweat in, don't be afraid to grab him for a go.

Joey Massay-Donato

Joey is a seasoned wrestler with a deep passion for the sport. He was a 3-time state qualifier and state finalist at Poquoson High School and a 2-time Team Virginia representative at Junior Nationals in Fargo. His collegiate career included wrestling at Labette Community College and York University, where he was a 2-year starter. Joey is well-versed in the three styles of wrestling: folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman.

Joey’s coaching experience includes 1 year as an assistant coach at Poquoson High School, 1 year at McCool Junction High School—where he took a first-year wrestler to the state tournament—1 year as head coach at Chaparral High School, where he guided two wrestlers to the state tournament, and 1 year as an assistant coach at Port Byron High School, where he helped three wrestlers qualify for sectionals and one for the state tournament. He is skilled in scrambling and the Gramby system, focusing on strong fundamentals, technical precision, and mental resilience in his coaching approach. Joey is also USA Wrestling certified and SafeSport trained.

In addition to wrestling, Joey began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Coach Gee and April in February 2021. Outside of his grappling pursuits, Joey works for OnTrackNY, supporting young people with mental health needs. He also enjoys spending quality time with his wife and daughter.

Judo Coach

Christian Voelk

Christian Voelk, a Judo black belt, serves as the head coach of CNY Judo, a Judo association in Central New York dedicated to popularizing the sport by instilling the principles of the Kodokan, emphasizing "Seiyoku zenyo" (maximum efficiency) and "Jita kyoei" (mutual benefit) to the wider community. With a Judo journey that began in 1988 in Germany, Christian made a name for himself by excelling at both regional and national levels as a competitor and by guiding junior male and female championship teams as a coach.

Over the course of the last 35 years, Christian has amassed numerous state titles and had the unique opportunity to train alongside the Japanese national team. Additionally, he benefited from the guidance of the renowned Korean Judo coach Han Ho San, who formerly held the position of national coach with the German Judo Association. Christian's coaching style is characterized by boundless energy and unwavering passion, emphasizing the pursuit of perfection, all while maintaining a humble and approachable demeanor.

When he's not on the mats, Christian dedicates his time to his family, supporting his children's activities and his wife's business ventures. Beyond his involvement in Judo, he also holds the role of Director of Operations at Marquardt Switches in Cazenovia.

Youth Coaches

Jack

Jack Popper is a Physical Education teacher and multiple sports coach. His love for grappling comes from years dedicated to Wrestling and coaching JV and Varsity programs (Mahopac, Rome, and Fulton).

Prior to teaching, he attended Cortland State University where he played Lacrosse, and Swimming/Diving. While in High School, he played Football, Wrestling, and Lacrosse, earning multiple year All-Section honors.

Jack is currently a BJJ purple belt under Gee and April and a 2024 IBJJF Pan champion. He enjoys competing, coaching, and training with his three daughters. When he is not on the mats, Jack and his wife are often found in the fields or gyms coaching FM sports.

Kasha

Kasha started training jiu-jitsu at the age of 5 and is a blue belt under Gee Vien and April Parks. She was a varsity wrestler at Jamesville-Dewitt, a two time girl‘s State Placer, and has committed to Life University where she will be wrestling on the women’s team while majoring in exercise science in fall of 2024.

Her grappling style is graceful, powerful, diverse, and absolutely captivating. As tough as she is, kids still naturally gravitate towards Kasha. Her incredibly generous heart and patient demeanor truly shines through when coaching girls in the 4-7 age group.

Kai

Kai started training jiu-jitsu at the age of 5 and is an orange belt under Gee Vien and April Parks. Rounding out his athletic profile at Jamesville-Dewitt, he was an 8th grade varsity wrestler and also participates in track and football. He has the goal of competing in athletics in college.

Kai is well-rounded, energetic, and kind. On top of being an A student in his academics, he consistently tries to lead by example with his politeness and trademark hard work ethic.

Jie

Jie has been training jiujitsu since 2021 and is a blue belt under Gee Vien and April Parks. In addition to helping teach grappling at the kids program at Vien, he is also a karate black belt and teaches to children at a local karate academy.

His goal is to be sufficient with all areas of self-defense. He’s also an active jiujitsu competitor with a record of 17-2 from 2023-2024.

Jie is detail oriented, energetic, and a valued community member. He plans to continue training hard, testing himself in competitions, and ultimately pass on his skills to his future family.

Brielle

Brielle started training jiu-jitsu at the age of 6 and is an orange belt under Gee Vien and April Parks. She is a four sport athlete competing in jiujitsu, wrestling, track, and soccer.

A Pan Kids gold medalist, she hopes to pursue athletics at the next level to pay for college and eventually make it to the Olympics.

Brielle is an extremely technical grappler who constantly strives to improve her craft. Even more importantly, she is a kind, friendly, genuine person, supportive teammate, and always brings amazingly positive vibes and a beautiful smile to our training room.