LAKELAND, Fla. — Roger Alex opened Warrior Combat and Fitness Academy eight years ago with the goal of helping as many children as possible.

He's accomplishing that by helping kids learn martial arts and life lessons.

"We want to teach them how to grow, how to be better people, and that’s all done through jiu-jitsu embracing various challenges that we present them," said Coach Alex, as the kids call him.

Kids spend a lot of time at the jiu-jitsu studio. During the school year, Coach Alex picks some of them up from school and brings them to the academy. They work on their homework and hone in on their skills.

“It’s great to have a big facility and all this cool stuff, but if the people who need it can’t get to it, then you’re not doing anything good. So I want to reach them all," said Coach Alex.

He finds a way to get them there. Parent after parent reached out to Spectrum Bay News 9 nominating Coach Alex as an A+ Teacher. They said they're grateful their kids have a safe place to go that they love. Alex is happy to hear that because his goal is coming to life.

“To reach as many children as I possibly can. That is the entire point of having this place. That’s where all my resources are dedicated to. And really it’s to try to bring the village back to raising the child," said Alex. 

Coach Alex says this is his calling. He wants to make a difference, and his philosophy for how to do that is displayed all over the studio.

“Teach, coach, mentor, but never do it for them. You know, we don’t want to raise kids in a plastic bubble. We want them to be able to take care of themselves," said Alex. He went on to say, “My goal for the kids that I coach is to grow up to be positive contributors to society, to be leaders, to set the example for the way things are supposed to be."

Right now summer camps are underway at the academy. Click here for more information.