Women's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Experience

October 17–18, 2026 | Bracebridge, Ontario

More Than a Seminar. A Weekend Designed for Women Who Train.

Whether you've been training for three months or ten years, She Rolls is a weekend dedicated to helping women improve their jiu-jitsu, recover well, connect with other women in the sport, and leave feeling inspired.

This isn't just another seminar—it's an experience that combines high-level instruction, meaningful conversations, wellness, and community in one unforgettable weekend.

Join women from across Ontario for two days of learning, rolling, laughing, relaxing, and building lasting friendships on and off the mats.

What's Included

Your registration includes:

✔ Two days of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instruction from three experienced female instructors

✔ Technique sessions designed for all experience levels

✔ Open rolling with women from multiple academies

✔ Women's Jiu-Jitsu roundtable discussion

✔ Guided mobility and recovery session

✔ Individual massage treatment

✔ Skincare education session

✔ Delicious meals and refreshments throughout the weekend

✔ Event swag and sponsor gifts

✔ Professional event photography

✔ Opportunities to meet and connect with an incredible community of women who love jiu-jitsu

Who Is This For?

She Rolls is perfect for women who:

• Train Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Gi or No-Gi)

• Want to improve their technique

• Enjoy learning from different instructors

• Love meeting training partners from other academies

• Are preparing for competition—or simply training for fun

• Value recovery, longevity, and taking care of their bodies

• Want a weekend focused entirely on themselves and their jiu-jitsu

All affiliations and experience levels are welcome.

Meet Your Instructors

Patricia Vandermeer

With nearly 30 years of grappling experience, Patricia brings a wealth of technical knowledge, competitive success, and a passion for helping others grow on the mats.

Her martial arts journey began in judo, where she earned her black belt, became an Under-19 National Champion, and represented her province multiple times as a provincial team member. She later earned her 1st Degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt and has built an impressive competitive résumé, including a World Masters gold medal as a purple belt, a Pan Adult silver medal, multiple World Masters podium finishes at both brown and black belt—including the absolute division—and a JJIF Masters World Championship title.

For Patricia, the greatest lessons in jiu-jitsu have come not only from competition, but from the community. Training camps around the world—from Australia to Portland and right here in Muskoka—have played a defining role in her journey. She believes there is something truly special about bringing together like-minded women to train, learn, and support one another.

She is passionate about sharing her experience, empowering others to reach their potential, and helping grow the next generation of confident, resilient women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Anna Shestak

Anna began her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu journey in 2016 at the age of 33 as a single mother of two. From her very first days on the mats, she embraced both the challenge and the community of the sport, competing extensively at local and U.S. tournaments from white through purple belt. As she progressed to brown belt, her focus shifted toward teaching and mentoring the next generation of grapplers.

Throughout her journey, she has been deeply involved in the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community. She has led a non-profit initiative, organized classes for local youth, managed a dojo, and taught children's and women's programs at multiple academies. Today, she coaches the women's program at Neo Brampton, where she has helped create a welcoming and supportive environment for female practitioners over the past two years.

Before discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, she earned a black belt in Taekwondo in 2016 and was both a dedicated practitioner and coach. She is also certified in Mobility for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has incorporated movement, injury prevention, and longevity into her coaching since 2019.

Her mission is to make Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu more accessible and sustainable for women across Ontario. She is passionate about breaking down barriers to entry, helping women build confidence on the mats, and creating an environment where practitioners of all ages and experience levels can thrive for years to come.

Cassandra Hendrycks

Cassandra Hendrycks began her martial arts journey in 2018, training in both Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai. What started as a personal pursuit quickly evolved into a passion for coaching, particularly working with youth athletes and helping them develop confidence, discipline, and resilience both on and off the mats.

As her involvement with the academy grew, Cassandra took on the role of managing—and eventually co-owning—Big Country Muskoka. She is dedicated to building a welcoming and supportive club culture where students of all ages and experience levels can thrive. Through the Big Country Muskoka Youth Sponsorship Fund, she is especially passionate about making martial arts more accessible to young people who could benefit from the confidence and life skills that training provides.

In 2025, Cassandra earned her Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Justin Bruckmann, marking an important milestone in her martial arts journey. She has also tested herself in competition, earning five gold medals, two silver medals, competing at the Las Vegas Fight Championships, and stepping into the boxing ring for two amateur bouts.

As both a coach and club owner, Cassandra is committed to helping students develop strong technical skills while fostering confidence, respect, and a lifelong love of training. She believes martial arts has the power to transform lives and is passionate about creating an environment where everyone feels welcome, supported, and challenged to become their best.

Weekend Highlights

Throughout the weekend you'll enjoy:

• Technical instruction

• Live Q&A sessions

• Women's BJJ discussion panel

• Mobility for grapplers

• Recovery treatments

• Great food

• Community activities

• Plenty of mat time

We've intentionally built the schedule to balance learning, movement, recovery, and connection.

Location

Big Country Muskoka
Bracebridge, Ontario

Nestled in beautiful Muskoka, the venue offers the perfect setting to disconnect from everyday life and immerse yourself in an incredible weekend with the women's jiu-jitsu community.

Registration

Price: $250

Spaces are intentionally limited to 25 women to create a high-quality experience and maximize instructor interaction.

Once registration is full, a waitlist will be opened.

Proceeds go to supporting the Big Country Youth Sponsorship fund.

Big Country Muskoka Youth Sponsorship Fund

The Big Country Muskoka Youth Sponsorship Fund was created after seeing a growing need in our community to make martial arts training accessible to local youth—regardless of their family’s financial circumstances.

Through donations from Big Country Muskoka members, local businesses, and community events like She Rolls, the fund helps provide young athletes with a uniform and any gear they will need and up to a year of training at no cost to their families.

More than learning martial arts, these opportunities give youth a place to build confidence, resilience, discipline, and practical self-defence skills while becoming part of a supportive community.

Since its inception in 2024,  the fund has helped over 20 local youth access martial arts training and the many benefits that come with it.

Every contribution helps us build up the next generation—one student, one class, and one belt at a time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to compete?

Not at all. Most attendees simply love training and learning.

What belt levels can attend?

Everyone is welcome—from brand new white belts to experienced black belts.

Can I attend alone?

Absolutely. Many women come on their own and leave with new training partners and friends.

Is food included?

Yes! Some meals and refreshments are included with your registration.

What should I bring?

• Gi

• No-Gi training clothes (if applicable)

• Belt

• Water bottle

• Sandals

• Notebook (optional)

• Comfortable clothes for recovery sessions

Where can I stay?

There are several options to stay closeby:

• Inn at the Falls 350m

• Comfort Inn 1.7km

• Tru by Hilton 1.9km

• Quality Inn 2.3km

• Air BnB or VRBO options available

Our Mission

She Rolls exists to grow and strengthen the women's jiu-jitsu community.

We believe women thrive when they have opportunities to learn from exceptional instructors, train with new partners, share experiences, and build supportive relationships that extend beyond the mats.

We can't wait to welcome you to Muskoka for an unforgettable weekend.

Come train. Recover. Connect. Roll.