FOUNDERS
Sensei Kim Marshall
Sensei Kim Marshall began his training in the martial arts in 1973. As well as traditional Gojyu karate, his studies included Judo, pressure point tactics, unarmed combat (combined non-classical Aikido and Jujitsu) tactical police baton, police officer safety tactics and weapons retention and disarming.
Sensei Kim was a retired police officer, having served in the Canadian Forces for twenty-one years. He was a former member of the Service’s elite Close Personal Protection Team (CPPT).
April 4, 1956 - October 2, 2016
Sensei Marshall trained with and was taught by some of the very best karate-ka such as Master Yagi Meitatsu Sensei, 10th Dan
Hanshi, President and Chief Instructor of the International Meibukan Gojyu-ryu Karate Association; Sensei Morio Higaonna, 9th dan, Head of the International Okinawa Gojyu Karate Federation (IOGKF); the late Master Richard Kim, 9th dan, Shorinji-Ryu and Head of the North American Dai Nippon Butokukai; Tamayose Hidemi Sensei, 8th Dan Kyoshi, President and Chief Instructor of Ryukyu Kobudo Tesshinkan; Sensei William (Bill) Hind, 8th dan, Kyoshi, President and Chief Instructor of the Canada Gojyu Karate Association and Sensei Stephen Peter Picotte. Kim lived the code of Bushido. In every sense a true warrior, Kim was the embodiment of bushido values: loyalty, courage, honesty, compassion, honour and a profound respect for life. His karate spirit remains eternal. Sensei Kim lives on through the dojo and all who love him.
Sensei Sharon Alward
Sensei Sharon Alward, a retired professor of Fine Arts at the University of Manitoba, is a nationally recognized Canadian video/performance artist. Sharon's spiritually based performances and films and videos have been exhibited in museums and site specific locations around the world. Her video/film works have been exhibited by the American Film Institute, the Canadian National Screen Institute, and the Independent film Channel.
She was cited as one of the 100 most influential and innovative Canadians in MacLean's Magazine for her work as a Canadian Artist.
Sharon has a previous martial arts background in Tae Kwon Do. She currently holds a ranking of Yondan, 4th degree black belt. She also holds a Shodan, 1st degree black belt, in Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu Iaido.