Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Boise · Student Guide

Kids Belt Path

The Alliance Jiu-Jitsu junior graduation system — programs for ages 3–15, the 12-stripe system, belt tiers, and what parents can expect at Alliance Eagle and Alliance East Boise.

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The Programs

Age-Based Programs & Class Requirements

The Alliance Jiu-Jitsu kids program at Alliance Eagle and Alliance East Boise is organized into four age-based tracks, each with its own class count per stripe. The belt path is the same across all programs — what changes is the pace, calibrated to what is developmentally appropriate at each age.

Baby Eagles

Ages 3 – 5

12 classes per stripe

Little Eagles

Ages 5 – 7

15 classes per stripe (gray) ·
  20 classes stripe (yellow/orange)

Eagles Warriors

Ages 8 – 12

15 classes per stripe (gray) ·
20 classes per stripe (yellow/orange)

Eagles Youth

12+

20 classes per stripe (gray) · 22 classes per stripe (yellow/orange) · 25 classes per stripe (yellow/orange)

Minimum 6 months required for any belt change, regardless of class count.

How Stripes Work

12 Stripes Per Belt - Two Categories

The Alliance kids system uses 12 stripes per belt level , split into two distinct categories. This is a key difference from the adult system — and completely intentional. Jiu-Jitsu for children at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Boise is designed to develop the whole person, not just the athlete on the mat.

Stripe System at a Glance

Attendance Stripes — 4 White + 4 Red (Awarded by class count)

  • White
  • White
  • White
  • White
  • Red
  • Red
  • Red
  • Red

Awarded based on class attendance per program interval. These reward the single most important habit in Jiu-Jitsu: showing up.

Behavior Stripes — 4 Colored (Awarded by instructor Evaluation)

  • Yellow Relationship
  • Red Behavior
  • Blue Discipline
  • Green Commitment

Yellow — How the student interacts with teammates, coaches, and the academy community. Red — Conduct and performance at school and at home, not just on the mat. Blue — Discipline and attitude during training. Green — Dedication, consistency, and personal responsibility.

The behavior stripes are not decoration. They are the academy's way of recognizing that what happens off the mat matters just as much as what happens on it.

— Alliance Kids Methodology · Eagle & East Boise

The Belt System

The Alliance Junior Belt Path

The junior belt path follows IBJJF standardized rankings. Each belt tier has multiple variants representing incremental levels within the same rank. As your child progresses through the program at Alliance Eagle or Alliance East Boise , they move through each tier with clearly visible milestones every step of the way.

Gray Belt Tier

Ages 3–15 · Entry Phase

The starting point for every junior student. This tier introduces fundamental movement, mat etiquette, respect for partners, and basic body awareness. Baby Eagles (3–5) and Little Eagles (5–7) typically spend the most time here, building the attention, habits, and confidence that make all future learning possible.

White
Grey / White
Grey
Grey / Black

Yellow Belt Tier

Available From Age 7 · Growing Competence

Yellow belt marks the end of the beginner phase. Students demonstrate basic positional understanding, guard concepts, and a consistently positive attitude. They are beginning to think — not just react — during supervised sparring. Eagle Warriors (8–12) progress through this tier at 20 classes per stripe.

Yellow / White
Yellow
Yellow / Black

Orange Belt Tier

AVAILABLE FROM AGE 10 • DEVELOPING DEPTH

At orange belt, students develop a more complete game — combination techniques, submission awareness, and deliberate guard work. Leadership begins to emerge naturally. Eagle Youth students (12+) require 22 classes per stripe at this level, reflecting the higher standard expected of older junior athletes.

Orange / White

Orange

Orange / Black

Green Belt Tier

Age 12+ only · Highest Junior Rank

The highest rank available to junior students. Green belt represents near-adult technical maturity — the result of years of consistent, dedicated training. Eagle Youth students require 25 classes per stripe. At 16, students transition seamlessly into the adult system at the level their development warrants.

Green / White

Green

Green / Black

The Promotion Process

Belt Exam & What We Look For

Every belt promotion at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Boise goes through a formal evaluation. Earning the required 12 stripes makes a student eligible — it does not guarantee promotion.

What The Kids Exam Evaluates

Technique Demonstration — Age-appropriate positions and movements from the Alliance curriculum. We look for genuine understanding and coordination, not memorized sequences.

Cooperative Sparring — Light, supervised rolling to observe how the student applies what they have learned under gentle, controlled resistance.

Conduct & Character — How the student treats partners, listens to instructors, and handles both wins and setbacks is part of every evaluation. This is central to everything Master Gigi Paiva and Prof. Victor Genovesi have built here.

A Note For Parents

The stripe system makes progress visible throughout the year — you will regularly see your child earn recognition for showing up and growing. Belt promotions are less frequent and require the full exam. When your child is ready, the instructor will act.

A student who trains consistently through the junior path at Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Boise arrives at age 16 with verified technique, real mat experience, and the character and confidence the belt system was always designed to develop.

— Alliance Jiu-Jitsu Boise · Eagle & East Boise