Rank & Credentials
- Godan — 5th degree, Okinawan Shorin-ryu
- Nidan — 2nd degree, Hakutsuru (White Crane)
- Renshi — teaching grade, ShidokanUSA
35 years on the path
I have 35 years of experience in the martial arts, beginning with Okinawan Shorin-ryu at the age of 13. Today I hold the rank of Godan (5th degree black belt) in Okinawan Shorin-ryu through Hanshi Richie Bernard, Nidan (2nd degree black belt) in Hakutsuru (White Crane) through Hanshi Larry Vellucci, and the teaching grade of Renshi through the ShidokanUSA Federation.
Relocating several times for work gave me the chance to broaden my study — four years of Chinese Kenpo in Albuquerque, New Mexico under Sifu Jacob Stuyvesant, three years of Okinawan Kempo with Shihan Rich Pelletier, and four years of American Kenpo under Sensei Elain Chauvin. Through it all, traditional Matsumura Seito Shōrin-ryū has remained my home.
In the dojo
My focus, in order, is kata, self-defense, fitness, mindfulness, and competition — and that order matters. Kata is the heart of everything I teach: each form is a living catalog of our system, training self-discipline, breathing, body alignment, and the real applications hidden inside every movement.
From kata flows practical self-defense — joint locks, strikes, and throws, but just as much the awareness and de-escalation that keep you safe in the first place. Ours is a defensive art; as the saying goes, "there is no first attack in karate." That training rests on fitness — the conditioning, stretching, and basics that make the body strong and keep the art sustainable over a lifetime, not just a season.
Underpinning all of it is mindfulness: the breathing, focus, and humility that turn karate from mere exercise into a way of carrying yourself, on the mat and off it.
Competition
Competition has been part of my path since I was a teen, and I still compete today — most recently earning Grand Champion in fighting at the 2025 Shidokan Traditional Invitational. For me it has never been about trophies. It's a way to support the wider martial-arts community, to pressure-test my own skills against other martial artists, and a proving ground for the humility, courage, and sportsmanship I hope to pass on to my students.
Why Crane Karate Academy
I founded Crane Karate Academy to build a stronger community by sharing the physical, mental, and spiritual benefits of traditional Okinawan karate. Classes are flexible, require no yearly contract, and are offered on a sliding scale so that anyone who wants to learn can.
We teach using traditional methods and ask a lot of our students, with the goal of helping each person become the best they can be. We offer modifications wherever they're needed — we all have different bodies and abilities — and we train adults and children together, treating children as full humans and holding them to the same standards as adults.
Train With Us