YOSHUKAI INT'L. KARATE SCHOOL

 

MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS

Sensei Mark Hepburn, godan shihan

The Chief Instructor at the Yoshukai International Karate School in British Columbia, Sensei Mark Hepburn is a godan (fifth degree or 5th Dan black belt) and shihan in Yoshukai International Karate.  He has been training in martial arts since 1975.  Sensei Hepburn is the only certified Yoshukai International shihan in Canada.  Sensei Hepburn retired from the RCMP in January of 2002 after serving over twenty years with our national police force.  All of his RCMP service was in Surrey, North Vancouver and Vancouver RCMP Headquarters.  He is now dedicating his full efforts towards our karate school.   He has been involved with instructing both security personnel and police officers in self defence techniques since 1979.   He has also spent numerous years teaching karate to children and adults at karate schools in Surrey, Langley, North Vancouver, Montreal and Burnaby, as well as lecturing to students throughout the Surrey School District on personal safety, peer pressure, drug awareness and other safety related topics.  Sensei Hepburn meets all of the Karate BC criteria for instructing a  school that is a member club of Karate BC.  Sensei Hepburn is NCCP (National Coaching Certified Program) certified to Level II.  Sensei is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kata and Provincial Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program. 

Sensei Hepburn was the Karate BC Tournament Director (1996-99), a Director on the Karate BC Executive Committee from 2003-2005, the BC Winter Games Zone Representative for karate in Zone 3 (Fraser Valley) for over ten years, a coach for the Zone 3 Karate team for the BC Winter Games for over ten years and was a Director (secretary) on the Executive Committee for the NKA (National Karate Association of Canada) (2006-2008).

Shelley Hepburn, sandan

Shelley Hepburn, an Instructor at the school and the school's Sempai (senior student after Sensei), is a third degree (3rd Dan) black belt in Yoshukai International Karate and has been involved in martial arts and women’s self defense since 1983.  Shelley has spent numerous years teaching karate to adults and children in North Vancouver, Burnaby, Langley and Surrey.  Although Karate BC only requires a school’s Chief Instructor to meet their criteria, Shelley also meets Karate BC’s member school instructor criteria.  Shelley is NCCP (National Coaching Certified Program) certified to Level II.  Shelley is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kata and Provincial Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.  Mark and Shelley hold periodic seminars on Women’s Personal Safety to various groups throughout British Columbia.   

Ron Casey, nidan

Ron Casey, an Instructor at the school is a second degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  He has been training in karate for over twenty years and reached brown belt in two other traditional styles of karate before settling in with our Yoshukai school in 1995.  Ron has been an RCMP officer for more than twenty-five years and still works for the Force.  Ron is an NCCP certified level I coach in karate.

John Snow, nidan

John Snow, an Instructor at the school, is a second degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  John started his karate training at our school in 1997 and is an active Instructor in our school.  John is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.  

Bob Hodak, nidan

Bob Hodak, an Instructor at the school, is a second degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Bob started his karate training at our school in 1999 and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes.  Bob is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.

Mike Hull, nidan

Mike Hull, an Instructor at the school, is a second degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Mike started his karate training at our school in 1997.  Mike has competed provincially and nationally, winning several provincial championships.  Mike is a former BC Team member and runs our Queensborough school.

Bill Shirley, shodan

Bill Shirley is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Bill has been training in karate for over twenty years.  Bill started with our school in 1996.  Bill helps out periodically with classes.

Nadia Graham, shodan

Nadia Graham, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Nadia started her karate training at our school in 1995.  Nadia competed in a number of tournaments, winning several provincial championships.

Erin Clelland, shodan

Erin Clelland, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Erin started her karate training at our school in 1995.  Erin has competed provincially and nationally, winning several provincial championships in kumite and weapons and a National Championship in kumite.  Erin is a former BC Team member.

Jessica Snow, shodan

Jessica Snow, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Jessica started her karate training at our school in 1996 and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes, including our Mini Mights Class.  Jessica is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.

Kevin Hodak, shodan

Kevin Hodak, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.   Kevin started his karate training at our school 1999 and very actively helps out with our kumite league and numerous classes.  Kevin has competed in numerous tournaments including the 2006 BC Winter Games in which he won gold in boys heavy weight kumite (fighting).   Kevin is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.

Andy Vogt, shodan

Andy Vogt, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.   Andy started his karate training at our school in 2003 and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes.  Andy is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.  Andy runs our Aldergrove school.

Jeff London, shodan

Jeff London, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.   Jeff started his karate training at our school in 2003 and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes.  Jeff is a certified Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program. 

Erik Teitz, shodan

ErikTeitz, an Instructor at the school, is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Erik started his karate training at our school in 1999.  Erik is a certified Junior Official (Regional Judge - Kumite) in the Karate BC Officials Program.  He has competed in numerous tournaments and won numerous provincial championships.  He actively helps out with kumite league, the After School class and other classes. 

Jody Fleming, 1st Kyu

Jody is a brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining his black belt.  Jody started his karate training at our school in 1999.  He actively helps out with kumite league and other classes.

Katrina Teitz, 1st Kyu

Katrina is a junior brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining her full brown belt.  Katrina started her karate training at our school in 2002.  Katrina has competed in numerous tournaments and won several provincial championships.  She actively helps out with kumite league, the After School class and other classes.

Nathan Vogt, 1st Kyu

Nathan is a junior brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining his full brown belt.  Nathan started his karate training at our school in 2002.  Nathan has competed in numerous tournaments and medaled numerous times.  He actively helps out with kumite league, the After School class and other classes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BACK TO Home Page

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hit Counter