Kevin didn't just find karate — he helped build a home for it. As co-founder of Three Elements Karate Club and a Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt) in Wado Kai, he brings nearly three decades of training time and a competitive résumé that very few instructors anywhere can match. He trained for 4½ years in Shotokan Karate, switching to Wado Kai in 1997. By 1998 he was teaching — one year in, and already giving back. His background runs deep: Shotokan Karate, Muay Thai Kickboxing, Tai Chi — and since October 2023, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, where he has earned his blue belt and continues to train actively. That last detail matters. The hip mechanics that drive a powerful karate strike, the body positioning, the timing and distance management — BJJ sharpens all of it, and training in a new discipline as a beginner keeps his teaching grounded in exactly what it feels like to learn. It's the Keep It Real philosophy in action: no shortcuts, no ego, just an instructor who is still doing the work right alongside you. That breadth of experience shows up in how he teaches — adaptable, precise, and always focused on what actually works. On the competition floor, Kevin was the real deal. He represented Canada on the SWKKF National Team from 2008 to 2012, serving as team captain in his final two years. He competed internationally in Italy in 2009 and 2011, and in 2012 capped his competitive career by winning an international Kumite event in Scotland. Not a bad way to finish. Since retiring from competition, he has stayed fully active in the SWKKF and sits on multiple national karate committees — still pushing the sport forward, just from a different seat. When he's off the dojo floor or BJJ mat, you'll find Kevin working on his golf game. Same mindset, different fairway. "Don't be last on the floor."

John has been part of Three Elements since the fall of 2000 — which makes him one of the longest-standing members the club has ever had. He started exactly where many students do: in the Family class, learning alongside his own family. Once he earned his Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt), he gravitated naturally toward teaching, stepping in more and more until it became clear this was his calling. By the summer of 2008 he was appointed head of the Family Organization, a role that helped shape the club's foundation for years. Today, as a Yodan (4th Degree Black Belt), John has evolved into his current role — overseeing the Family class instructors while spending the bulk of his time co-teaching the Adult program alongside Sensei Kevin. He has received his Level 3 Instructors certification from the SWKKF and serves as the regional represenatative. If you train with John, expect to have your technique put under a microscope in the best possible way. His real strength is the technical dissection of movement — breaking down the mechanics of every technique until you truly understand not just what to do, but why. Away from the dojo, John keeps life full — exploring the biomechanical principles of movement, baking sourdough bread and French pastries , or cruising the open road on his sidecar motorcycle with his wife riding alongside him.

Some instructors teach karate. Blaine has lived it — for over 50 years. His journey began in February 1974, and since then he has trained and taught across Canada, carrying the art with him wherever life has taken him. He has called Calgary and Three Elements home since 2003, and the club is better for it every single day. A Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt), Blaine is one of a rare few in the entire SWKKF who trained directly under Hanshi Masaru Shintani — the 10th Dan Supreme Instructor of Wado Kai Karate in Canada and founder of the Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation. That lineage is something you simply cannot manufacture. When Blaine teaches, you are connected to the very roots of our style. Don't let his compact frame fool you — Blaine is an explosive powerhouse on the floor, and carries a wealth of knowledge that most martial artists only dream of accessing. He routinely travels throughout western Canada, visiting clubs to provide leadership and teaching to students of every rank, from new white belts to 5th and 6th degree black belts. He is, in every sense of the word, the Sensei to our Senseis. Walk into any room with Blaine and he'll either already know someone there, or he'll have made a new friend or two before the evening is over. That warmth and generosity of spirit is exactly what makes him such a natural teacher. When he's not in the dojo or on the road, you'll find him travelling, cooking up something in the kitchen, out on the golf course, or hitting the trails on a hike.

Marjorie knows firsthand what it means to be a karate family. She started her journey alongside her husband in 2007, and at one point all five members of their family — including their three kids — were training together. That experience gives her a perspective on the Family class that very few instructors can match. Now a Yodan (4th Degree Black Belt), Marjorie co-leads the Family and Intermediate classes alongside Sensei Dany, sharing the responsibility of making sure every student is engaged, challenged, and having a great time. She also holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt through the World Traditional Karate Association and her SWKKF Level 3 Instructor certification — credentials that reflect both her depth of knowledge and her commitment to the craft of teaching. And beyond the technique and the drills, Marjorie is the heart of the room. She has a natural instinct for looking out for every student on the floor — the quiet ones, the struggling ones, the ones who just need a little extra encouragement. Think of her as the dojo's resident mum, in the very best sense of the word. [JE1.1] Outside the dojo, Marjorie is all in on family life — hiking, cheering from the sidelines, and showing up for whatever her active crew has on the go. It's the same energy she brings to every class.

Dany's karate journey started the way the best ones often do — with family. Back in 2011, he stepped onto the floor alongside his daughter as a bonding activity. His kids eventually moved on, but Dany was hooked by the technical depth and the constant challenge of growth. He never looked back. After earning his Black Belt in 2018, he quickly became one of the lead instructors for the Family and Intermediate classes — and it's easy to see why. Dany holds a 3rd Degree Black Belt with the Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation, a 2nd Degree Black Belt through the World Traditional Karate Association, and his SWKKF Level 1 Instructor certification. He also steps in to teach the Adult class from time to time. His teaching style is warm and genuine, and he'll push you past what you thought your limit was and probably make you laugh while doing it. When he's not in the dojo, you'll find Dany out on the water with family in the summer, on the golf course, or carving runs on the ski slopes in winter. He lives the “Keep it Real. Push Yourself, Grow” philosophy both inside and outside the dojo.

Rick's karate story starts the same way Marjorie's and Dany's do — with family. He stepped onto the mat in 2011 alongside his son, and when his son moved on to other pursuits, Rick kept going. He earned his Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt) in 2019 and hasn't slowed down since, now holding his Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) and a role that suits him perfectly. Rick has been entrusted with one of the most important jobs in the club: welcoming every new family beginner through the door and making sure they leave with the kind of solid foundation that serves them for life — whether they stay in karate for decades or take those skills into whatever sport or activity comes next. He brings structure, discipline, and a focused intensity to his teaching that new students feel from day one. The fundamentals aren't just drilled — they're built to last. On the sparring floor, Rick has earned a reputation that says it all: the immovable object. Don't say you weren't warned. When he's not in the dojo, Rick can almost certainly be found in the mountains. He's a devoted skier who's out chasing fresh powder most weekends — and if anyone ever finds a place where 12 inches of fresh snow falls every single day, we'd strongly advise keeping that information from Rick.