MEET YOUR INSTRUCTORS.

I’m glad you’re here. Choosing something new for your child can come with a lot of questions. Will they enjoy it? Will they feel comfortable? Will someone take the time to understand them? As a father of three, those things matter to me, too. I know how much trust it takes to put your child in someone else’s care. You want people who see their potential, understand that some days are harder than others, and care enough to help them through both.

One of the greatest gifts martial arts has given me is the belief that I can grow into the person I want to become. As a child, I thought I had the best instructor in the world. He made me feel capable, strong, brave, and excited about what I could accomplish. His encouragement helped me become more outgoing and trust myself. I wasn’t a naturally athletic child, but I had someone who understood how to challenge and motivate me. With his guidance and my own effort, skills that once felt far away became things I could do with confidence. That experience is why I teach: I know how much it matters to have someone believe in you while you are learning to believe in yourself.

My favorite part of teaching is the moment a student realizes, “I DID IT!” Sometimes they look almost surprised. Something they were not sure they could do has just become something they can, and you can see the change in their whole demeanor. Helping students reach that moment begins with paying attention. Your child might arrive full of energy one day and feeling a little uncertain the next. I want to understand where they are when they walk through the door, so I can give them the guidance and encouragement that help them move forward.

My parents first enrolled me in martial arts to help me build confidence and learn to protect myself. About 18 years later, I am a fourth-degree Black Belt, and training has become a part of my life that means more to me than I could have understood when I started. My passion grew along the way. I discovered how much fun training could be, how often its lessons helped me outside the Studio, and how much the people beside me mattered. The friendships and sense of family I found gave me so many reasons to keep coming back.

As a Fourth Degree Black Belt, I love both the physical challenge of martial arts and the lessons that stay with us after class. Teaching and training with weapons are two of my favorite parts, but what makes martial arts especially meaningful to me is how much it can help us in everyday life. The focus, patience, and discipline we practice on the mat have a place at work and in our personal lives, too. I continue to discover new ways to use those lessons as I take on responsibilities and work through challenges of my own.

As a Second Degree Senior Black Belt with a little over seven years of training and three years of teaching experience, I bring a love of martial arts and a commitment to improvement into every class. I enjoy challenging myself, and I love helping students discover the confidence that comes from working toward something and seeing their effort pay off. My instructors helped me experience that growth firsthand. I always loved martial arts, and taking on leadership responsibilities gave me a new way to connect with others. Teaching showed me how much an instructor’s encouragement can matter, both in learning a skill and in helping a student believe they have something to offer.