I began Kiaido Ryu in 2006, training with Hanshi Lance and Kyoshi Ava in the Thames Dojo. Since then, I have spent my adolescence and early adulthood training and instructing in Kiaido Ryu. My most memorable accomplishments in Kiaido Ryu have been attaining my 4th Degree Black Belt in 2018, and opening a ‘mini kids’ dojo to get young kids ready to join the Juniors class in Thames who were not yet old enough to join the juniors class. In mid-2023, I took over the Instructors role at the Hamilton dojo, alongside Sensei Mike Williams.

Kiaido Ryu Martial Arts is an integral part of my identity, and through martial arts I have developed skills which benefit me in all areas of my life. When I was younger, my greatest joys were learning complicated kata or weaponry, and I thought martial arts was purely about physicality.

Now, my greatest joy and fulfilment comes from interacting with students and watching them progress over time. To me, there is no greater reward than watching students grow, and achieve things that they didn’t realise they could. My biggest goal in Kiaido Ryu is to help students reach their highest potential, and to maintain a strong sense of family and community within Kiaido Ryu Martial Arts.