YOSHUKAI INT'L. KARATE SCHOOL

MEET OUR INSTRUCTORS

Sensei Mark Hepburn, yondan shihan

The Chief Instructor at the Yoshukai International Karate School in British Columbia, Sensei Mark Hepburn is a yondan (fourth degree or 4^th Dan black belt) and shihan in Yoshukai International Karate and has been training in martial arts since 1975.  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 Hepburn was the Karate BC Tournament Director (1996-99), was a Director on the Karate BC Executive Committee from 2003-2005 and the BC Winter Games Zone Representative for karate in Zone 3 (Fraser Valley) for over ten years.

Shelley Hepburn, sandan

Shelley Hepburn, an Instructor at the school and the school's Sempai (senior student after Sensei), is a third degree (3^rd 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.  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.

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.

John Snow, shodan

John Snow, an Instructor at the school is a first 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. 

Mike Hull, shodan

Mike Hull, an Instructor at the school is a first 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.

Bill Cochlin, shodan

Bill Cochlin, an Instructor at the school is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Bill started his karate training at our school in 1997 and is a very active Instructor in our school.  Bill trained up to brown belt in one other traditional style of karate before starting with our Yoshukai school. 

Bob Hodak, shodan

Bob Hodak, an Instructor at the school is a first degree black belt in Yoshukai International Karate.  Bob started his karate training at our school over 6 years ago and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes.

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 over 10 years ago and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes, including our Mini Mights Class.

Cara Cochlin, 1st Kyu

Cara Cochlin is a brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining her black belt.  Cara started her karate training at our school over 8 years ago and in karate over 10 years ago.  Cara very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes, including our After School Karate Class.

Kevin Hodak, 1st Kyu

Kevin Hodak is a brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining his black belt.  Kevin started his karate training at our school over 8 years ago and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes.

Andy Vogt, 1st Kyu

Andy is a brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining his black belt.  Andy started his karate training at our school about 4 years ago and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous classes.

Jeff London, 1st Kyu

Jeff is a brown belt in Yoshukai Karate and is working very hard towards obtaining his black belt.  Jeff started his karate training at our school about 4 years ago and very actively helps out with kumite league and numerous 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 about seven years ago.  He actively helps out with kumite league and other classes.

BACK TO Home Page