HEAD INSTRUCTOR - G.J. MORRISON
Master John (G.J.) Morrison is the Head
Martial Arts Instructor at the Oakland Karate & Kickboxing Mixed Martial Arts Academy.
His first experience with martial arts began with boxing under his father at a
young age. His father George J. Morrison Jr., a veteran of the Korean War, was
an accomplished boxer in the Marine Corps and the New York Police athletic
league.
Simultaneously he was exposed to Greco-Roman
freestyle wrestling as an after school activity. He instantly took to the
grappling arts and was enrolled in the Judo/ Jujitsu program
at the Concord Nippongo Gakko. By the late 1980’s he went on to study at
Karate USA in San Francisco, owned by Master Tony Reyes
a 7th Dan Black belt in Shorin Ryu Karate. He began his
teaching career as assistant to the Head Instructor Master Scott Woods.
Master Woods blended Shaolin Kempo Karate with the Shorin
Ryu curriculum. Eventually Master Woods focused his full attention on
the Kempo Karate.
Around 1989 he was introduced to Muay
Thai by a martial arts instructor at Karate USA named Itzhak Grinberg.
Itzhak a former member of the prestigious Israeli Mossad, began teaching Muay
Thai to select students. In 1993, when Mr. Grinberg moved on, John continued his
Muay Thai training at the Concord Kickboxing Academy under Danial "Doc" Docto.
In 1998 he moved from his school in San
Francisco to run new martial arts facility in Oakland. After attending a
professional Muay Thai event, He was motivated to restart his
Muay Thai training with George Tsutsui, a 4 Time World Champion Muay
Thai Fighter.
On June 6, 1999 Mr. Morrison obtained his 5th
Degree Black Belt in the Art of Shaolin Kempo Karate.
At that time he met and began training with the greatest influence to his
training Professor Alfredo Duarte. An original Kenpo
practitioner and student of William Kwai Sun Chow founded the Duarte Method of
Kenpo Jujitsu.
INSTRUCTOR - PABLO MARQUEZ
Pablo Marquez volunteers his time as our Mixed
Martial Arts Instructor. He is a world class athlete and coach with over 25
years training in Freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling. In addition Pablo has
studied Judo since a child in both traditional and sports modes and achieved a
Black Belt in 1979. Pablo's Mixed Martial Arts training began in San
Diego under the Lion's Den system, The San Diego Fight Club, and for the last 4
years has continued with Oakland Karate & Kickboxing under Muay Thai
instructor John Morrison. Here he has concentrated training in Muay Thai
and Boxing and has greatly enhanced his striking skills. Pablo is a well
rounded fighter and a knowledgeable coach & mentor.
INSTRUCTOR - ERIKA MORRISON
Erika Morrison began her training with Oakland Karate and Kickboxing in 1998 at the Montclair Village studio in Oakland California. With a background in fitness she started teaching Cardio Kickboxing in 1999 and Kenpo Karate in 2004. She is certified in Crush-Kick and Cardio Kickboxing, and is a 1st degree Black Belt in Kenpo Karate and Jiu Jitsu. She has worked with children for many years; mentoring children and teens through Camp Fire Boys and Girls while in Jr. High and High School and working as an Elementary School Teacher’s Aid and tutor while in college. She is a graduate of Mills College with a degree in Business Economics. Her classes, along with all the classes at Oakland Karate, focus on developing self-confidence and skill for all ages.
INSTRUCTOR - SEAN KELLY
Sean Kelly began his martial arts career in Shorin Ryu Karate at the Karate USA Academy in 1990 at the age of 5 years old. Over the last 19 years he has subsequently expanded his experience to also include a 3rd degree black belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate and Kenpo Jiu Jitsu, as well as an instructorship in Muay Thai. He has cross trained and learned the rudiments of several additional martial arts systems that include: Boxing, Kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts, Jiu Jitsu, Filipino Knife fighting & Escrima. He has previously served as Chief Instructor of Oakland Karate & Kickboxing. He is a passionate and fierce instructor who is always willing to push his students to achieve their best.
INSTRUCTOR MARVEL WILSON
Marvel began taking Shaolin Kempo Karate at the Oakland Karate & Kickboxing Academy around age 10. Through the years, moved up the ranks and earned Black Belt at age 15. He currently teaches children as young as three and adults of any age in karate and kickboxing in private lessons as well as group classes. He truly has a love for martial arts and is very excited about the opportunity to pass on his experience to others.
INSTRUCTOR RHONDA BAROVSKY
Rhonda Barovsky came to the Oakland Karate and Kickboxing Dojo the day it opened when she brought her five year old son to train. She started her own journey with our dojo by attending cardio kickboxing classes, becoming an instructor in 2000 until 2005 Rhonda began studying Shaolin Kempo Karate in 1998. She has competed successfully in kata and sparring. Rhonda began teaching children and adults in 2003, the year she eared her first degree black belt. Rhonda is a clinical social worker who has worked with troubled teens and families for 25 years. She approaches teaching martial arts with the goal of her students striving to reach their best, to build their self-confidence along with their martial arts skills and to have fun. After dedicated work and commitment, Rhonda earned her second degree black belt in June 2008.
INSTRUCTOR ELISSA GEE
Elissa Gee began training in Shaolin Kempo at the age of 5 with Mr. Morrison in 1993. Throughout her training, she has competed in
numerous tournaments and won, both in kata and sparring. Elissa achieved her black belt at the age of eleven and her second degree
at the age of fifteen. She loves to share her passion by pushing her students to excel beyond their limits and take pride in their practice.
Elissa is also pursuing a B.A. in Architecture at the University of California, Berkeley.
