- Mikey Musumeci calls out coaches who tell young athletes to quit school to pursue BJJ, calling the advice “harmful and false”
- Jalen Fonacier joined Musumeci on the Overdogs BJJ podcast, revealing that his own coach, Cobrinha, initially asked him to step away from school before worlds
- Fonacier refused, won his title while staying in school, and changed Cobrinha’s perspective
- Musumeci argued that many athletes who quit school don’t even use the extra time to train — they play video games
- He urged parents to keep their kids in school because injuries can end any athletic career overnight
Mikey Musumeci Calls Out Coaches Who Tell Kids To Quit School
Mikey Musumeci has never been afraid to speak his mind, but his latest message is aimed squarely at a corner of the BJJ coaching community that he believes is doing real damage.
Speaking on an episode of the Overdogs podcast alongside two-time black belt world champion Jalen Fonacier, Musumeci called out instructors who tell young athletes to abandon their education in pursuit of Jiu-Jitsu glory.
“I’ve been around a lot of instructors, a lot of people in Jiu-Jitsu that literally have told people to quit school, telling kids to stop going to school.”
– Mikey Musumeci –
The message, Musumeci explained, is often framed as a necessary sacrifice for greatness. Coaches tell young athletes that if they want to be world champions, they must commit every waking hour to training. But Musumeci is not buying it.
“I want on this episode to really explain that to parents with kids that this is so false. That you have to stop your kids from going to school to be a world champion.”
– Mikey Musumeci –
Jalen Fonacier: “I Told Cobrinha No”
Fonacier then revealed that he had been put in exactly this position by his own coach, the legendary Rubens “Cobrinha” Charles. While preparing for major IBJJF tournaments, Cobrinha suggested that Fonacier step away from school temporarily to focus entirely on competition training.
“Cobrinha actually asked me to step away a little bit from school and focus on training. He asked me, ‘Maybe we take a little time away from school, focus on training.'”
– Jalen Fonacier –
Fonacier’s response was firm. He had built his identity around balancing both commitments and was not about to abandon one for the other.
“I told him like, ‘No, Cobrinha, this is what I’ve done all my life. This is what I want to do. I want to show people that it’s possible.'”
– Jalen Fonacier –
After Fonacier went on to achieve success while maintaining his education, Cobrinha’s perspective shifted. The legendary coach admitted that he came from a different generation and environment where combining elite competition with academics was rarely seen.
“He grew up in a much different culture. He’s never seen someone do school and win a World title other than Mikey.”
– Jalen Fonacier –
The exchange ultimately led to a mutual understanding between coach and athlete.
“After we talked, we realized that it is possible. And we’re so proud to be able to show the kids now that it is possible.”
– Jalen Fonacier –
The Video Game Reality Check
Musumeci also offered a practical observation that cuts through the romanticism of the “total sacrifice” narrative. As Mikey Musumeci calls out coaches, he claims that many young athletes who leave school don’t channel that extra time into training at all.
“A lot of the people I’ve noticed that quit school, they just play video games when they’re not training.”
– Mikey Musumeci –
The comment highlights a tension that exists throughout youth sports. The theory of “full commitment” sounds noble, but in practice, the structure that school provides — the schedule, the discipline, the alternative purpose — may actually help young athletes train more effectively than the unstructured freedom of having no other obligations.
Education As A Safety Net
Musumeci then broadened the argument beyond competition success to basic life planning. He emphasized that an athletic career, no matter how promising, can end in an instant.
“What happens if your kid breaks their knee? What happens if they’re in a car crash, God forbid?”
– Mikey Musumeci –
He stressed that no athlete can guarantee their long-term health, making education not just an alternative path but an essential safety net.
“There are so many variables in our bodies remaining healthy. So if you remove education from your kid now, what are they going to do when they can’t train, they can’t teach? Now what are they going to do?”
– Mikey Musumeci –
The message is particularly powerful coming from Musumeci, who has achieved everything in the sport while completing his education. If one of the most decorated competitors in modern BJJ can balance both, the argument that young athletes must choose one or the other collapses under its own weight.
