Assistant Instructors
Benjamin
Halcewicz 3RD DAN
Assistant Instructor
He has 24 years of karate experience that started in Paris, France at
the age of 5. He has trained under his father, Sensei Thadee Halcewicz,
who is a direct student of Sensei Kase of JKA. Ben became a student of
Sensei Kanani since he relocated to San Diego in 1999, along with consistent
training under Sensei Nishiyama in Los Angeles with Sensei Kanani.
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Marcus
Hinschberger 3RD DAN
Assistant Instructor
He started in Germany at an early age with his father Bernd Hinschberger
which has been the JKA Germany president for such a long time, Marcus
and Bernd Hinschberger have been Sensei Hideo Ochi's (the chief instructor
of JKA Europe) students for many years and also training with other famous
JKA instructors such as Shirai, Kase… www.tokon.com
Farah
Wittmayer 2ND DAN
Assistant Instructor
She has 19 years of karate experience. Before joining JKA of San Diego
in 1991, she started at the National Karate Institute (Sensei Nishiyama's
Los Angeles Dojo) at the age of 8 with Sensei Toru Shimoji (5-time US
National Champion) and Sensei Kanani she received her shodan at the age
of 11 from Sensei Nishiyama with consistent training under him in Los
Angeles with Sensei Kanani.
John
Merkel 1ST DAN
Assistant Instructor
He started training at JKA of San Diego in 1992 under Sensei Kanani, with
some previous training in the shito-ryu karate style with Miki Minobu.
Wade
Cutler 1ST DAN
Assistant Instructor
Wade started training at JKA of San Diego in 1997 under Sensei Kanani
Richard
Wilson 1ST DAN
Assistant Instructor
Richard started training at JKA of San Diego in 2005 under Sensei Kanani
Darek
Spizewski 3rd DAN
Assistant Instructor
He has over 29 years of karate experience that started in Poland. Before
joining JKA of San Diego in 1994, he was a student of Sensei Akio Nagai
of Kanazawa Sensei and then Sensei Hideo Ochi of JKA Germany.
Frank
McCaroll 3RD DAN
Assistant Instructor
He began in 1991 in Detroit, Michigan in the style of Isshinryu. In 1995
he moved to Japan where he lived for 4 years and there he studied Judo
at the Kodokan and received a shodan he also studied Shorinji Kempo and
received a nidan, upon returning to the United States McCarroll relocated
to San Diego where he began training in Shotokan karate with Sensei Kanani
in 2004. Also, he consistently trained under Sensei Nishiyama in Los Angeles
with Sensei Kanani.
www.practicalkarate.com/bio.html
Fatin
Kanani 2ND DAN
Assistant Instructor
She has 19 years of karate experience. Before joining JKA of San Diego
in 1991, she started at the National Karate Institute (Sensei Nishiyama's
Los Angeles Dojo) at the age of 4 with Sensei Toru Shimoji (5-time US
National Champion) and Sensei Kanani. Fatin received her shodan at the
age of 10 and then nidan from Sensei Nishiyama With consistent training
under him in Los Angeles with Sensei Kanani.
Omar
Kanani
1ST DAN
Assistant Instructor
Omar has 14 years of training experience which started at JKA of San Diego
at the age of 2. He received his shodan at the age of 9 from Sensei Nishiyama
with consistent training under him in Los Angeles with Sensei Kanani.
Brett
Wells 1ST DAN
Assistant Instructor
Brett started training at JKA of San Diego in 1993 under Sensei Kanani
John
Gierach 1ST DAN
Assistant Instructor
John started training under sensei Kanani in 2004 and tested under Sensei
Nishiyama in 2008. Before moving to California, John trained under Sensei
Jay Nacu and Sensei Saul Notario at Enso karate in Chicago.
Michael Kline 2ND DAN
Assistant Instructor
He started training with Blair Sensei in Fontana, California in 1990.
In 2002 became a Certified Police Self Defense Instructor. 2003 to 2004,
teaching through Arizona Western College. Currently is a student at JKA
of San Diego under Sensei Kanani