# 02 — Competitor & Best-Practice Website Analysis

**Project:** New jiu-jitsu + judo club, Clearwater, British Columbia (pop. ~2,300, gateway to Wells Gray Park), training at a resort venue
**Research date:** 2026-11-12
**Method:** Firecrawl search and scrape (markdown and branding extraction) of 18 club, academy and federation sites. Homepages were scraped for all of them, and selected inner pages (pricing, programs, FAQ, schedule, kids) for the top performers. No forms were submitted and nobody was contacted.

**How to read the data**
- Colours and fonts come from Firecrawl's automated branding extraction of the live CSS. These are reliable for the main brand colour and fonts. The "secondary/accent" slots sometimes pick up a link or widget colour.
- Mobile scores are **estimates**. They are based on the platform (Squarespace/Wix/modern WordPress builders are responsive by default), the viewport meta tags and the page structure. No sites were tested on a real device.
- Photography style is inferred from image filenames, alt text and page structure, not from viewing every image.

---

## 1. Sites reviewed and scores

Each criterion is scored 1–10. The total is out of 70.

| # | Site | Category | Visual | Mobile* | Content depth | Social proof | CTA clarity | Schedule/pricing | Beginner/kids | **Total** |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | **Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ** (San Diego) | Famous BJJ | 7 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 8 | **57** |
| 2 | **PEAK Judo Club** (Burnaby, BC) | Judo, BC | 7 | 8 | 8 | 5 | 8 | 8 | 10 | **54** |
| 3 | **Gracie Barra** (global/NA) | Famous BJJ | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 8 | **52** |
| 4 | **Lake Country Judo & Martial Arts** (Okanagan, BC) | Small-town judo + BJJ | 6 | 6 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 8 | **52** |
| 5 | **Mountain Jiu Jitsu** (Squamish, BC) | Small-town BJJ | 7 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 9 | **51** |
| 6 | **Unity Jiu Jitsu** (NYC) | Famous BJJ | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 9 | **48** |
| 7 | Renzo Gracie Academy (NYC) | Famous BJJ | 7 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 46 |
| 8 | Gracie Barra Clearwater (Florida — a local GB school) | Franchise local | 6 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 46 |
| 9 | Gracie University | Online/curriculum BJJ | 5 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 45 |
| 10 | Art of Jiu Jitsu (AOJ, Costa Mesa) | Famous BJJ | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 44 |
| 11 | The Budokwai (London, est. 1918) | Judo, UK | 4 | 5 | 9 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 44 |
| 12 | Valley Jiu-Jitsu (Kamloops) | Regional BJJ | 6 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 41 |
| 13 | Kamloops Judo Club (est. 1956) | Regional judo | 4 | 6 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 35 |
| 14 | Salmon Arm Jiu-Jitsu | Small-town BJJ | 6 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 34 |
| 15 | Judo Canada | Federation | 6 | 6 | 7 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 33 |
| 16 | 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu HQ | Famous BJJ | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 22 |
| 17 | RISE BJJ (Kamloops/Tobiano) | Regional BJJ | 3 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 18 | Grizzly Jiu Jitsu (Barriere — **nearest competitor**) | Small-town BJJ | site down (TLS/DNS error), active on Facebook/Instagram | – | – | – | – | – | – | n/a |

*Mobile is estimated (see method notes above).

**What the scores show.** Fame does not produce a good website. 10th Planet and RISE score lowest. AOJ's homepage is mainly a shop. Atos, PEAK Judo and Lake Country Judo win because they are **transparent and segmented**: they publish prices and schedules and clearly sort visitors into kids, adults and beginners.

---

## 2. Deep dives — top 6 (plus notes on Renzo, AOJ and GB Clearwater)

### 2.1 Atos Jiu-Jitsu HQ — atosjiujitsuhq.com (57/70)
- **Colours:** slate `#607382`, red `#D3434A` / `#C02B0A`, white background, white text on photography.
- **Fonts:** URW DIN Condensed (headings), URW DIN Semi-Condensed, Raleway (body). Square 0px buttons, outlined in white over images.
- **Photography:** bright, clean facility photos ("The Space") and kids' private lessons. Not gritty.
- **Hero formula:** *mission verb pair*. "INNOVATING JIU-JITSU, TRANSFORMING LIVES" plus a practical sub-line: "Unlimited classes… **Daycare available for parents**."
- **Primary CTA:** "Sign Up For A Free Class". The identical wording appears 4 times on the homepage.
- **Homepage blocks:** Classes that fit your schedule (live schedule) → Keep your kids active → Learn from champions (instructors) → **Accessible pricing** → 90-Day Fast Pass → On-demand app → The Space (amenity list) → Affiliates → testimonial carousel.
- **Schedule:** "View live schedule" (an embedded booking system).
- **Pricing (fully published):** adults and kids $250/mo (12-month), $300/mo (6-month), $350/mo month-to-month. Drop-ins $60 per session, $75 per day, $200 per week. Gi rental $20. Also a lifetime membership and paid-in-full discounts.
- **Free trial:** a 5-step qualifying form (about you → program interest: kids/beginners/women/adults → experience → goals → "what will most impact your decision": location, instructors, amenities, class times, events, price).
- **Kids:** dedicated section and page. Facility copy aimed at parents: viewing lounge, coffee, cleaning standards, heating and air conditioning.
- **Social proof:** about 14 named testimonials with locations ("Neil S. | San Diego"). Several are from parents and travelling visitors.
- **Takeaway for us:** copy the **amenity list for parents** and the **published price table**. Skip the long contract-tier pricing (wrong fit for a rural club).

### 2.2 PEAK Judo Club — peakjudo.ca (54/70) — the best kids/beginner model
- **Colours:** amber `#E09430` (primary/buttons), navy `#274C77` (text/secondary), white. This is **one of the very few non-red palettes**.
- **Fonts:** Anton (display), Inter (body). Pill buttons (300px radius).
- **Photography:** real club action photos at Simon Fraser University. A program image per element.
- **Hero:** "REGISTER TODAY! Try For Free" → "Try a Free 2 weeks Trial" (via DojoSpace).
- **Programs named after elements**, each with ages, days, session length, goals and **bulleted learning outcomes**:
  - WATER (5–10, Mon/Wed, 1 hr)
  - FIRE (11–14, Tue/Thu, 1.25 hr; introduces the moral code of judo and belt goal-setting)
  - AIR (15+ beginner adults, Mon/Wed/Fri, 1.5 hr)
  - PEAK (advanced, green belt+, 2 hr)
- **Schedule:** a clean HTML table (program, day, start month, end month, time). It runs as a season (Sept–June/July).
- **Coaches:** "All… NCCP certified and registered… taken courses on how to make our sport safe and inclusive."
- **"What is judo and is it for me?"** An explainer that says there is no ideal body type, mentions breakfalls and stresses safety.
- **"Removing Financial Barriers":** KidSport, Canadian Tire Jumpstart and Athletics 4 Kids, each with an apply link. This is possible because of Judo BC affiliation. **Highly relevant for rural BC families.**
- **Takeaway:** the **nature-named, age-banded program system with stated outcomes** suits a Wells Gray club very well. Funding links and coach certification build parent trust.

### 2.3 Gracie Barra — graciebarra.com (52/70)
- **Colours:** red `#E2211C` (primary and buttons), blue link `#0A84FF`, white background. The red shield is the brand.
- **Fonts:** AdihausDIN / AdihausDIN Condensed Bold (headings), Lato (body). **Pill buttons (100px)** with a red fill or red outline.
- **Photography:** black-and-white hero ("GB-BW") of two athletes in GB gear, plus a storefront.
- **Hero formula:** *trademark slogan*. "JIU-JITSU FOR EVERYONE®" / "Getting started at Gracie Barra is easy" / **"Book Your Free Class"** (opens a location picker).
- **Content:** What is Jiu-Jitsu (bullet benefits) → founder quote (Master Carlos Gracie Jr.) → values ticker (Integrity, Development, Brotherhood) → vision ("one GB school in every community") → news/blog (beginner articles such as "5 Habits of Highly Effective White Belts" and "How to Train Safely") → ecosystem (Wear, Institute, Online, Events, CompNet).
- **Pricing:** none published (franchise, decided locally).
- **Lineage:** strongly emphasised (founded 1986, Carlos Gracie Jr.).
- **Takeaway:** a **single, consistent free-class CTA**, values words and beginner/safety blog content. The black-and-white "gritty athlete" look is a pattern to avoid.

**GB Clearwater, Florida (gbclearwater.com)** is a local franchise school. It has a dark navy background `#1B252F`, deep red `#991B1E`, yellow CTA `#FFDE01` and a Racing Sans One display font. Its hero is the *superlative + place* formula ("Clearwater's Top-Rated Martial Arts Gym"). It shows a full monthly class calendar on the homepage and a strong owner bio with lineage ("trained under Eduardo De Lima… 3rd-degree black belt").
**Important SEO note:** searches for "Clearwater jiu jitsu" are dominated by **Clearwater, Florida** (GB Clearwater, Concept Jiu-Jitsu, Rising Tide, r/bjj threads). The new club must always say **"Clearwater, BC"** and "Wells Gray / North Thompson" in page titles, its Google Business Profile and its schema markup.

### 2.4 Lake Country Judo & Martial Arts — lakecountryjudo.com (52/70) — best small-town transparency
- **Colours:** red `#E51B23` / `#CA2227`, blue `#2EA3F2` (Divi default), grey text `#666666`.
- **Fonts:** Oswald (headings, all caps), Open Sans (body). Divi WordPress theme. The homepage was last modified in 2024, so it is a little dated.
- **Photography:** candid club, team and tournament photos.
- **Hero:** "LAKE.COUNTRY / JUDO & MARTIAL ARTS / COME JOIN US!" plus "Try a Free CLASS".
- **Nav:** Judo & Martial Arts · Martial Arts Classes · About Us · Gallery · **Membership & Pricing** · Info (News, **Kata**, **Benefits of Judo**, **Judo Resources**) · Contact.
- **Pricing (fully published):** Kids 4–7 $69/mo, Juniors 8–12 $79/mo, Seniors 12+ $89/mo. **The Judo BC annual fee is explained separately** ($105/yr under 65, $60/yr over 65, covering insurance and gradings). New gi $79+, with used gis available for a trial. "NO EXTRA FEES for belt gradings…". Pro-rated and auto-billed. Season runs Sept–May.
- **Free trial:** a **printable free-class coupon (PDF)** to "download, print, and bring". This links offline and online, which is useful for posters.
- **Schedule:** a short text block (Wed/Thu by age band, Sunday at a Kelowna venue).
- **Social proof:** 9 long, named testimonials, many from parents and returning adults. Press coverage (Castanet, Kelowna Capital News). Coaches' credentials (world champion Sensei Kathy Hubble, national-level competitors).
- **Values quote:** "We are not here just to create great martial artists but to create great human beings in society."
- **Takeaway:** this is the closest real analogue (a small BC town offering judo plus BJJ). Copy its **pricing honesty, affiliation-fee explainer, coupon and education pages**. Update the visual design.

### 2.5 Mountain Jiu Jitsu — mtnjjsq.com (51/70) — best "mountain town" positioning
- **Colours:** red `#C71212` / `#C30000`, blue-slate `#2B5672`, white. Wix site. Fonts are Avenir (headings) and Arial (body). Buttons have a 5px radius.
- **Hero:** wide banner, then "Welcome to Mountain Jiu Jitsu… Whether you're a beginner or an experienced practitioner, you are welcome here."
- **Homepage tile nav:** Get Started · **Dropping in?** · See Schedule · FAQ · Book a Private · **Code of Conduct** · member login.
- **Programs with place-based names:** **"Mini Mountains" (3–4, 5–7)**, Kids 8–12, Women in Jiu Jitsu, Adult Gi & No-Gi, Kickboxing.
- **"Social Community":** after-class dinners, a summer event, **mountain biking and skiing together** ("participation… always encouraged, you are not obligated"). This uses the local outdoors as part of the club culture.
- **Facility facts:** 2000 ft² of Mat Suru mats on a sprung floor, men's and women's change rooms with showers, parking.
- **FAQ (17 Qs):** experience, what to wear, women, ages, how often, privates, cost (not stated), free trial, gi vs no-gi, safety, competition optional, **"Can I watch a class before joining?"**, what to bring, and what makes them unique ("Located in the beautiful mountains of Squamish").
- **Social proof:** a Squamish Reporter article ("teaching kids character development and jiu-jitsu").
- **Weakness:** no published prices. The embedded Google Map was broken when scraped.
- **Takeaway:** the strongest proof that **nature/outdoor identity plus family plus a drop-in page** works for a mountain-town club. The design itself is generic red on white.

### 2.6 Unity Jiu Jitsu — unityjiujitsu.com (48/70) — best tone of voice
- **Colours:** near-black `#1D1D20` (buttons), sky blue `#3FA2EE` accent, white. Fonts are Roboto Condensed (headings) and Roboto (body). Square buttons.
- **Hero formula:** *inclusive welcome*. "Everyone is welcome" / "Come train with and learn from world class athletes and instructors" / **"Try For Free"**.
- **Schedule page:** an interactive Zen Planner calendar **plus a printable PDF schedule**. A long FAQ is on the same page.
- **FAQ voice:** warm, honest and blunt. Examples: "Can I come train? Yes… You don't need to ask." The first day is free. Drop-ins are $40 on weekdays, $25 on weekends and $100 for a week. A 40-minute "Introduction Lesson" is offered for beginners. Kids 4–14 are free on their first Saturday. Discounts for students, women, military, first responders, families and referrals.
- **Pricing:** membership prices are deliberately **not** published ("come in, sit down…"). Drop-ins are published.
- **Takeaway:** copy the **"just come train" anxiety-killing voice**, the intro lesson and the printable schedule. Avoid "come in to learn the price", which is a turn-off for rural families who drive 30+ minutes.

### 2.7 Short notes on the others
- **Renzo Gracie Academy:** blue `#3453FF`, pink-red accent `#EF3F56`, Urbane font, huge 105px H1. Hero is "Renzo Gracie Academy / BJJ, Muay Thai, and MMA in NYC / Established in 1996". The founder quote "We are not in the business of martial arts. We are in the business of building confidence" is repeated twice. Instructor grid with portraits. The FAQ publishes drop-in $45 and opening hours, and has a gi etiquette rule (no other academies' patches). Kids program is branded "KidJitsu" (6–13).
- **Art of Jiu Jitsu:** monochrome greys `#C1C9D1` / `#58686F`, accent `#34AADC`, Helvetica, square buttons. Very minimal and fashion-brand-like. The homepage is mostly a shop ("Maximize Your Potential" plus kimonos). The nav includes **"Visiting AOJ"** and **"Book Trial Class"**. The kids page is excellent long-form parent copy (emotional control, focus, resilience, anti-bullying without aggression, routine and nutrition).
- **Gracie University:** red `#E84C3D`, gold `#FAB303`, Open Sans. Big proof stat ("496,333 students in 196 countries"). Named, trademarked programs (Gracie Combatives®, Bullyproof®, Women Empowered®). **Free lessons** used as lead magnets. Belt testing pathway.
- **The Budokwai:** dated Bootstrap design (blue `#428BCA`, navy `#02027C`, Open Sans). Very strong heritage and education content: founded 1918 by Gunji Koizumi, term dates, a 10-week "ABC" absolute-beginner courses for judo and BJJ that include the gi, licence and first grading, monthly gradings, and digitised archives (the 1938 booklet "Twelve Judo Throws"). Discounts for health workers and the armed forces.
- **Judo Canada:** red `#FE0000` / `#D80000`, light blue `#00A2E8`, Alegreya Sans. Rotating values hero ("JUDO IS RESPECT / EXCELLENCE / HONESTY / FAIR PLAY / A SAFE SPORT / OLYMPIC"). Bilingual Instagram feed. Grading syllabus video. Values icons. A useful **source of official grading and safe-sport language**.
- **Kamloops Judo Club:** red `#D20000` on **cream `#F5EFE0`** (the only warm neutral in the set). Montserrat font. Great facts: non-profit founded 1956 by the Kamloops Japanese-Canadian community, a 2-week trial for **$25**, a simple schedule, and **an instructor list with Japanese dan titles (Godan, Sandan, Nidan, Shodan)**. **But the testimonials section is still lorem-ipsum placeholder text** ("Add Your Heading Text Here"). Embedded Facebook videos fail to play. A cautionary example.
- **Valley Jiu-Jitsu (Kamloops):** red `#E92429`, Anton display at 172px, Helvetica Neue. Squarespace. Hero "Martial Arts Lifestyle". Pacific Top Team affiliation. A clear **parents/minors info block** (contact before bringing a child, a parent must attend the first class, waiver, dress code "no buttons, rivets, zippers, or pockets"). Embedded Zen Planner trial booking, **which displayed a class at "02:00–03:30 AM"**, almost certainly a time-zone misconfiguration in the widget. The gallery uses **Unsplash stock images**.
- **Salmon Arm Jiu-Jitsu:** dark `#131313` with **neon cyan `#03E9F4`**, Nimbus Sans. Very minimal: "FALL SEASON SEP 7 – JAN 31 · REGISTRATION OPEN · Beginner friendly". A neat **two-door CTA: "Adult — Myself" / "Child — Parent/Guardian"**. Almost no other content.
- **RISE BJJ:** a Wix template with default Wix social links still in place (facebook.com/wix). The page content is just a quote ("There is no losing in jiu jitsu. You either win or you learn."). Its Instagram bio is better than its site ("Award-winning competition team… Kids • Adults • Beginners").
- **10th Planet HQ:** an old black (`#000000`) forum-era site, Arial at 12px, mainly a paywalled technique library and a locations list. Brand strength does not come from the website.

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## 3. Frequency maps

### 3.1 Colour frequency (primary/accent colours extracted from 17 live sites)

| Colour family | Count (of 17) | Sites (hex) |
|---|---|---|
| **Red / crimson** | **13** | Gracie Barra `#E2211C`, Valley `#E92429`, Kamloops Judo `#D20000`, Judo Canada `#FE0000`/`#D80000`, Lake Country `#E51B23`, Mountain JJ `#C71212`, GB Clearwater `#991B1E`, Atos `#D3434A`/`#C02B0A`, Renzo `#EF3F56`, Gracie Univ `#E84C3D`, RISE `#E03939`, 10th Planet `#FF0000`, Judo Canada button `#8B0000` |
| Blue (bright/sky) | 7 | Unity `#3FA2EE`, AOJ `#34AADC`, Renzo `#3453FF`, GB global link `#0A84FF`, Lake Country `#2EA3F2`, Judo Canada `#00A2E8`, 10th Planet `#4CA6FF` |
| Navy / slate blue | 6 | PEAK `#274C77`, Budokwai `#02027C`, Salmon Arm `#1F4F8B`, Mountain/RISE `#2B5672`, Atos `#607382`, GB Clearwater bg `#1B252F` |
| Black / near-black as dominant | 4 | Unity `#1D1D20`, 10th Planet `#000000`, Salmon Arm `#131313`, GB Clearwater `#1B252F` |
| Gold / amber / yellow | 3 | PEAK `#E09430`, Gracie Univ `#FAB303`, GB Clearwater `#FFDE01` |
| Cool grey / monochrome | 2 | AOJ `#C1C9D1` / `#58686F`, Atos slate |
| Warm neutral (cream/paper) | **1** | Kamloops Judo `#F5EFE0` |
| Neon cyan | 1 | Salmon Arm `#03E9F4` |
| **Green (any)** | **0 as brand colour** | (Budokwai has a Bootstrap default link green only) |
| **Earth tones (brown, rust, ochre, moss, stone)** | **0** | — |

**Takeaway:** **red + white (+ black) is the default for the category.** About 3 in 4 sites use red as primary or accent. Blue is a distant second. **Nobody owns forest green, glacier teal, river blue-green, cedar or basalt/earth tones**, and almost nobody uses warm paper neutrals. A Wells Gray-inspired palette (deep forest or spruce, glacial teal, warm off-white, with a single restrained accent such as the red of the Japanese *hinomaru* or a sunset ochre) would stand out immediately on screens and posters.

### 3.2 Font frequency

| Role | Font | Count | Sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display — condensed/heavy sans | Anton | 2 | Valley, PEAK |
| | Oswald | 2 | Lake Country, RISE |
| | DIN Condensed family (AdihausDIN Cn, URW DIN Cn) | 2 | Gracie Barra, Atos |
| | Roboto Condensed | 1 | Unity |
| | Racing Sans One (italic sporty) | 1 | GB Clearwater |
| Display — other sans | Avenir, Urbane, Helvetica, Arial, Futura, Nimbus Sans | 7 | Mountain, Renzo, AOJ, 10P, RISE, Salmon Arm, Judo Canada |
| Body | Open Sans | 3 | Gracie Univ, Budokwai, Lake Country |
| | Helvetica / Helvetica Neue / Arial | 5 | AOJ, 10P, Valley, Mountain, GB Clearwater |
| | Roboto, Lato, Inter, Montserrat, Raleway, Alegreya Sans, Urbane, Futura, Nimbus Sans | 1 each | Unity, GB, PEAK, Kamloops Judo, Atos, Judo Canada, Renzo, RISE, Salmon Arm |
| **Serif (any role)** | — | **0** | none |
| Japanese-inspired / brush / calligraphic | — | **0** | none |

**Takeaway:** **all-caps condensed sans headlines (Anton/Oswald/DIN Condensed) are the cliché.** Every site is sans-serif only. There is room for a **refined serif or humanist display face** (signalling heritage, education and calm), paired with a clean sans for UI. Possibly add a *very* sparing brush or kanji accent (for example 柔 *jū*, "gentle", the shared root of **jū**do and **jū**-jutsu). Treat that respectfully and keep it minimal.

### 3.3 Layout and pattern map (what's overused vs. rare)

| Pattern | Frequency | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Red-on-white or red-on-black colour scheme | ~13/17 | **Overused** |
| ALL-CAPS condensed headlines | ~8/17 | **Overused** |
| Square (0px) buttons | 7/17 (AOJ, Unity, Renzo, Atos, GU, Valley, RISE) | Common. Pill buttons (GB, PEAK) feel friendlier |
| Superlatives in hero ("World's Leading", "#1", "Top-Rated", "Most Prestigious") | Atos, GB Clearwater, The Sound (Squamish), Concept (FL), Budokwai | **Overused**, and not credible for a new club |
| "World champion instructors" claim | Atos, Unity, AOJ, Lake Country | Overused. A new club can't compete here, so compete on care instead |
| Black-and-white / dark high-contrast athlete hero photos | GB, AOJ (competition), 10P, GB Clearwater | Common, and reads as intimidating to parents |
| Stock photos (Unsplash) | Valley | Avoid, because it erodes trust |
| "Family" used in copy | Nearly all | Universal, so it needs *proof* (photos, family pricing) not just the word |
| Free trial CTA above the fold | 14/17 | **Table stakes** |
| Published membership prices | 3/17 (Atos, Lake Country, Kamloops trial) + drop-ins at Unity/Renzo | **Rare → opportunity** |
| Age-banded kids programs with stated learning outcomes | PEAK, AOJ (copy), Mountain | Rare, high value |
| Funding assistance (KidSport/Jumpstart) | PEAK only | **Rare → opportunity in BC** |
| Visitor/drop-in page | AOJ, Mountain, Unity, Renzo | Moderate. Very relevant for a resort venue |
| Education (terminology, kata, belts, history) | Budokwai, Lake Country, GU, Judo Canada | Rare among BJJ gyms. Judo clubs do it better |
| Adult/Child split CTA | Salmon Arm, Atos form | Rare, good UX |
| Printable assets (schedule PDF, free-class coupon) | Unity, Lake Country | Rare, and great for posters/fridges |
| Outdoor/social life beyond the mat | Mountain JJ | **Rare → strong fit for Wells Gray** |
| Nature/place-named programs | Mountain ("Mini Mountains"), PEAK (Water/Fire/Air) | Rare, memorable |

---

## 4. Patterns of the top 10%

What Atos, PEAK, Lake Country, Mountain JJ, Gracie Barra and Unity all do:

1. **One free-trial CTA, worded identically, repeated in the hero, mid-page and footer.** Atos repeats "Sign Up For A Free Class" four times. GB uses "Book Your Free Class" everywhere.
2. **They fork the visitor early by audience:** kids (by age band) / adults / beginners / women. Examples: Salmon Arm's two doors, Atos's form, PEAK's element programs, Mountain's program cards.
3. **They remove first-day anxiety in plain language:** what to wear, what to bring, the parent-must-attend rule, waivers, "you can watch first", an intro lesson, "you never have to spar".
4. **They show real people with credentials and lineage:** named instructors, ranks (dan/belt), certification (NCCP), and a founder or values quote.
5. **They show social proof with names:** testimonials (especially from parents), press clippings and visible community photos.
6. **They make the schedule scannable** (a table, live calendar or printable PDF). The best ones also make **pricing scannable**, including hidden extras such as federation fees.

---

## 5. Differentiation opportunities for a Clearwater, BC club

1. **Own the landscape visually.** Use a palette from Wells Gray: spruce/forest green, glacial teal (the Clearwater River), warm off-white or birch, basalt charcoal, with a single restrained accent (hinomaru red or sunset ochre). Use photography of real members in natural light, with large windows and mountain views at the resort venue, and some outdoor shots (warm-ups by the river, group hikes). **Zero competitors do this.**
2. **"Two arts, one mat."** Explain judo and BJJ together and simply: the shared Kodokan roots (Kano → Maeda → the Gracies), standing (judo throws and breakfalls) plus ground (BJJ control and submissions), and why learning both is a superpower. No regional club tells this story well. Lake Country does both but presents itself as judo-first.
3. **Radical pricing transparency.** Publish monthly rates, a family/sibling rate, a drop-in rate and any Judo BC/insurance fee, plus "what's included / no extra fees". Link KidSport, Jumpstart and Athletics 4 Kids. Big-city academies hide prices and rural families notice.
4. **Education as a brand pillar.** Include a Japanese terminology glossary (*rei, dojo, tatami, ukemi, randori, kuzushi, osaekomi, sensei, judoka*), a belt pathway for each art (kyu/dan for judo, the BJJ belts), a "safety first: we teach falling before throwing" message, and short technique-of-the-month posts. This also feeds posters and social media.
5. **The resort venue and visitors.** Add a "Training at Wells Gray" or visitor drop-in page for resort guests, summer staff, tree planters, wildfire crews and travelling grapplers, covering drop-in price, gi rental and what to bring. Similar to AOJ's "Visiting AOJ" and Mountain JJ's "Dropping in?".
6. **Rural logistics as care.** Clearly state the catchment (Clearwater, Birch Island, Vavenby, Little Fort, Blue River, Barriere). Mention a carpool or ride-share note, times that fit school buses and shift work, winter driving and cancellation policy, parking, and how to find the room inside the resort.
7. **Community beyond the mat.** Offer optional hikes, river days and potlucks (Mountain JJ shows this resonates). Use seasonal "terms" (Sept–Dec, Jan–Apr, summer camp) like PEAK, Salmon Arm and Budokwai.
8. **Honest small-club voice.** No superlatives and no "world champion" claims. Lead with warmth and proof: coach certification (NCCP, Judo BC, Safe Sport/Respect in Sport), first aid, a code of conduct, and "come watch first".
9. **Offline-to-online bridges.** Posters with a QR code, a tear-off or printable free-class coupon (Lake Country), and a printable fridge schedule (Unity).
10. **Local SEO ownership.** Always write "Clearwater, BC" and include Wells Gray / North Thompson in titles, an H1 or H2, a Google Business Profile, LocalBusiness/SportsActivityLocation schema, and an embedded map. This avoids being buried under Clearwater, Florida results.
11. **Inclusive programs that rural competitors only partly cover:** women's or ladies-only classes (Grizzly in Barriere offers them), parent-and-child classes, and a 40+/"gentle start" adult beginners class.
12. **Avoid the competitors' visible mistakes:** placeholder or lorem text (Kamloops Judo), default template links (RISE), stock photos (Valley), broken embeds and time-zone bugs (Valley's widget showing 2 AM classes, Mountain's broken map, Kamloops' broken Facebook videos).

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## 6. Must-have site sections (recommended sitemap)

1. **Home.** The hero states the place, both arts, who it's for and the free-trial CTA. Then a kids/adults fork, three trust points (certified coaches, safe-sport, family pricing), schedule preview, testimonials (once they exist; until then, founding-member or coach quotes), and location.
2. **Programs.** Kids by age band (consider nature names, e.g. Saplings/Cubs/Ridge), Teens, Adults Judo, Adults BJJ (gi/no-gi), Beginners/Fundamentals, Women's, Parent & Child. Each gets days, times, length, outcomes and what to bring.
3. **Schedule.** A simple table, a printable PDF and an optional booking embed (test the time zone!).
4. **Pricing.** All-in price, family/sibling rates, drop-in, federation fee explained, funding assistance links, refund/pause policy.
5. **Your First Class / Free Trial.** What to wear, what to expect, waiver, the minors' parent rule, "watch first", and an Adult/Child two-door CTA.
6. **Coaches & Lineage.** Photos, ranks, certifications, and a lineage line for each art (Kodokan / BJJ family tree).
7. **Learn.** Judo vs BJJ, terminology glossary, belt pathways, etiquette (bowing, hygiene, mat rules), safety.
8. **FAQ.** 12–17 questions modelled on the Mountain JJ and Unity FAQs.
9. **Location & Getting Here.** Resort venue, map, parking, entrance and room, winter driving, nearby communities.
10. **Visitors / Drop-in.** For resort guests and travellers.
11. **Community / Gallery / News.** Real photos only, events, hikes, gradings, tournaments.
12. **Contact.** Phone, email, socials, Code of Conduct and Safe Sport policy links. Footer shows affiliation logos (Judo BC/Judo Canada, BJJ affiliation if any).

**Hero headline formulas observed** (for reference):
- Trademark slogan: "Jiu-Jitsu for Everyone®" (GB)
- Mission verb pair: "Innovating Jiu-Jitsu, Transforming Lives" (Atos)
- Inclusive welcome: "Everyone is welcome" (Unity), "Welcome to Mountain Jiu Jitsu"
- Superlative + place: "Clearwater's Top-Rated Martial Arts Gym" (GB Clearwater FL), "The #1 Martial Arts Gym in Squamish"
- Heritage: "Europe's Oldest… Established 1918" (Budokwai), "non-profit founded in 1956" (Kamloops)
- Values rotator: "Judo is Respect / Excellence / Fair Play…" (Judo Canada)
- Seasonal offer: "Fall Season Sep 7 – Jan 31 · Registration Open" (Salmon Arm)

Suggested formula for us: **[Place] + [both arts] + [who it's for] + [free first class]**. For example: *"Judo & Jiu-Jitsu in Clearwater, BC — for kids, families and first-timers. Your first class is free."*

**Primary CTA wording seen:** "Book Your Free Class" (GB) · "Sign Up For A Free Class" (Atos) · "Try For Free" (Unity) · "Book Trial Class" (AOJ) · "Try a Free 2 weeks Trial" (PEAK) · "Register For a Free Class" (Valley) · "Book a free trial now" (Mountain) · "Get Your Free Pass" (Lake Country) · "2-week trial membership: $25" (Kamloops Judo) · "Start with a trial class: Adult / Child" (Salmon Arm). The clearest pattern is **verb + "free" + "class"**.

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## 7. Clearwater, BC / "52 Ridge" findings

- **No jiu-jitsu, judo or grappling club located in Clearwater, BC was found.** Searches for "Clearwater BC jiu jitsu" and "Clearwater BC judo" return Clearwater, **Florida** results almost entirely.
- A Facebook group post titled "New Brazilian jiu jitsu gym in Clearwater" (a parents' group, author says she and her husband are opening a gym) appeared in search. Facebook could not be scraped, so the **location is unverified**. The context suggests Florida, but confirm it if this matters.
- **Nearest competitor: Grizzly Jiu Jitsu, Barriere, BC** (about 60 km south on Hwy 5). The coach is listed on Instagram as Rod McLean. From 1 October it moved to the **Barriere Legion**, with classes Mondays and Fridays: kids 5–8, kids 9+, adult co-ed, ladies-only, and privates. It offers a free trial class. Smoothcomp lists 24 competition medals. Its website (grizzlyjiujitsu.com) was **unreachable** at scrape time (TLS/DNS error). It also posts birthday parties (Star Wars theme) on Facebook. Its online presence is social-only, which is an opening for a strong website.
- **Kamloops clubs (about 125 km):** Kamloops Judo Club (est. 1956, Tue/Thu/Sat, $25 two-week trial), Aberdeen Judo, Valley Jiu-Jitsu (Pacific Top Team), RISE BJJ (Kamloops + Tobiano), BOA BJJ MMA.
- **"52 Ridge":** searches return **52 Ridge Restaurant and Pub, 373 Clearwater Valley Road, Clearwater, BC**. Local and regional news (CFJC Today, 30 Jan 2025) and Reddit (r/britishcolumbia) report a dispute with the District of Clearwater over the restaurant operating **without licences and defying regulatory orders**. CFJC also reported that the operators include a self-described "freeman on the land". I did not verify the current status. **If "52 Ridge" is the club's venue, check its current licensing and insurance status, and weigh the brand-association risk before printing the venue name on posters.** No martial-arts listing was found at that address.
- "Ridge Resort" Clearwater searches returned only unrelated results (Barriere Ridge Resort campground; Dutch Lake Resort at 361 Ridge Road, Clearwater, listed for sale). "Fiftytwo Ridge" is also the official BC geographic name of a nearby mountain.

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## 8. Sources

**Famous BJJ academies**
- https://atosjiujitsuhq.com/ · https://atosjiujitsuhq.com/pricing/
- https://graciebarra.com/
- https://unityjiujitsu.com/ · https://unityjiujitsu.com/schedule/
- https://renzogracieacademy.com/
- https://artofjiujitsu.com/ · https://artofjiujitsu.com/pages/kids-program
- https://www.gracieuniversity.com/
- https://www.10thplanetjj.com/
- https://gbclearwater.com/ (Gracie Barra Clearwater, Florida, local franchise example)

**Judo**
- https://www.peakjudo.ca/ · https://www.peakjudo.ca/programs
- https://budokwai.co.uk/
- https://judocanada.org/
- https://kamloopsjudoclub.com/
- https://lakecountryjudo.com/ · https://lakecountryjudo.com/membership-pricing/
- https://www.judobc.ca/news/kamloops-judo-club-60th-anniversary/

**Regional / small-town BC**
- https://www.valleybjj.ca/
- https://www.risebjj.ca/ · https://www.instagram.com/rise_bjj/
- https://salmonarmjiujitsu.ca/
- https://www.mtnjjsq.com/ · https://www.mtnjjsq.com/faq
- https://www.squamishreporter.com/2024/08/28/mountain-jiujitsu-squamish-new-martial-arts-gym-opens-in-squamish/
- https://www.thesoundmartialarts.com/
- https://grizzlyjiujitsu.com/ (unreachable) · https://www.facebook.com/grizzlyjiujitsubc/ · https://www.instagram.com/grizzly_jiu_jitsubc/ · https://smoothcomp.com/en/club/50410

**Clearwater / 52 Ridge searches**
- https://52ridgerestaurantandpub.com/
- https://cfjctoday.com/2025/01/30/clearwater-council-to-meet-friday-on-local-restaurant-defying-regulatory-orders/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/britishcolumbia/comments/1iwsr86/clearwater_demands_action_on_unlicenced_52_ridge/
- https://www.facebook.com/52ridgerestaurant/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiftytwo_Ridge
- https://www.facebook.com/groups/1559216501008189/posts/3972032563059892/ (not scrapable; location unverified)

**Industry context**
- https://www.zarla.com/inspiration/martial-arts