Courtney Block, Assistant Instructor

Courtney started training jiu jitsu in Chicago in 2014, and earned her brown belt from OGA head instructors Hannah Sharp and Eddie Jamrog in October of 2024. She began her teaching journey shortly after moving to Portland in 2019, when she became an assistant youth jiu jitsu instructor for the program that Hannah and Eddie were running at the time. She became an assistant youth instructor at OGA when it opened in early 2023, and has been an integral part of its coaching staff since. In addition to working with children and teenagers, Courtney also has experience running a successful women-only gi class, leading adult and kids’ gi and nogi classes, and coaching competitors. 

Coming from a ballet background, which included seventeen years of training and international study in Chile, Courtney is drawn to the technical aspects of jiu jitsu. Courtney appreciates the deeper understanding of jiu jitsu that she has attained through teaching, as well as the gratification she experiences from seeing her students learning, improving, and enjoying training. As an instructor, Courtney is known for prioritizing the needs of her students, whether that’s coming in for extra drilling sessions, training extra rounds to help competitors, or traveling to out-of-state tournaments to coach. She is committed to developing her technical knowledge, and enjoys watching jiu jitsu tournaments and instructionals when she’s not on the mats. She is particularly passionate about fostering and being a part of the strong community of women at OGA. 

Courtney works as an analytics manager for a Chicago-based health tech company. She holds a bachelor of science degree in math and economics from the University of Illinois at Chicago. In her free time, she enjoys embroidery and spending time with her dog and family.