About
A Delavan jiu-jitsu academy for beginners, families, and competitors.
Built Around What Matters
Cornerstone BJJ is owned and led by Thomas Schmitzer and Rachel Llanas, Wisconsin natives and lifelong athletes who each began training jiu-jitsu in 2018. In 2023 they stepped forward to keep their Delavan academy and its community together, and they chose the name Cornerstone because jiu-jitsu had become a foundational part of their lives.
Thomas & Rachel
Thomas is a brown belt under Rafael Lovato Jr. and Rachel is a purple belt who leads the kids and women's programs. Together they coach every day and run the academy with the goal of giving Delavan a place where students of any age can learn, train, and grow.
Timeless Jiu-Jitsu
Cornerstone is part of the Rafael Lovato Jr. Jiu-Jitsu Association, and instruction follows the Timeless Jiu-Jitsu approach: technique built on grips, leverage, position, and control so it keeps working as students change and grow.
A Place To Belong
Kids ages 3–15, adults in Gi and No-Gi classes, a women's only class, Judo, a competition team, and strength and mobility support all share the same mats — and the same culture of encouragement and respect.
Our Vision
Cornerstone teaches jiu-jitsu as a foundation rather than a trend. Classes focus on the techniques and principles that hold up over time, taught in a way that works for beginners, developing students, and competitors alike. Alongside the mats, the academy supports complete athlete development through strength training, mobility, and nutrition coaching.
Our Mission
To give Delavan an academy where anyone can step onto the mats and be supported — kids learning focus and self-discipline, adults building skill and confidence, and competitors preparing for the next event. Everything at Cornerstone is built around community, confidence, compassion, competency, and consistency.
- Welcome beginners of every age and experience level.
- Teach technique that keeps working over the long term.
- Support the whole athlete, on and off the mats.
Train with the Best
The Cornerstone coaching team brings real experience in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo, and athlete development — helping every member train smarter, improve faster, and reach their goals.
Compassion
Training partners look after each other. Instruction is patient, encouraging, and mindful of where each student is starting from.
Competency
Timeless Jiu-Jitsu means technique that holds up — grips, leverage, position, and control taught so they work against real resistance.
Community
Cornerstone is more than a place to train — it's a community of people who genuinely want to see each other improve.
Ready to Start Training?
Your First Class Is Just the Beginning
Cornerstone BJJ teaches Timeless Jiu-Jitsu and complete athlete development in a welcoming Delavan community built around skill, confidence, and helping every student grow.