NICHOLAS’ STORY

Nick’s foray into martial arts started at a rec center Tae Kwon Do club in 1991, and he followed that path for several years in his youth. 

As an adult, Nick started training seriously at a Karate school in Laramie, Wyoming, where he learned a true love for martial arts and a passion to share that love with others. 

After receiving his black belt in Karate, Nick started cross-training in grappling arts, leading to a black belt in Judo, and ultimately to the beginning of a jiu jitsu journey. 

With over 20 years of martial arts experience as a student, competitor, and teacher, Nick holds a third-degree black belt in Kodokan Judo, a second-degree black belt in Okinawan Kempo Karate, and a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Professor Rick Ellis. He is certified as a National Coach by USA Judo, and founded Platte Valley Martial Arts in 2018:

Platte Valley Martial Arts is a non-profit dedicated to using martial arts as a vehicle for building better people. Our program is about sharing a way of life centered on respect for self and others—guiding students on a path to discovering their full potential. We offer tools to develop grit, determination, self-discipline, and strong work ethic. We are proud to watch our students turn skills from the dojo into everyday life skills.

Nick practices law in Saratoga, Wyoming, where he lives with his wife and three kids. He leads Platte Valley Martial Arts as a labor of love, teaching jiu jitsu, judo, and karate to kids and adults of all ages:

“The study of martial arts has had a profoundly positive impact on my life. I wouldn’t be a shadow of who I am today without the influence of my many teachers, training partners, and students. Many of my successes have come from applying lessons learned on the mat to everyday situations. The journey is just beginning for me, and I suspect it will keep getting better and better.”