Instructors

 

All of our instructors are NCCP trained, and have been practicing karate for at least 20 years.

 
 
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Chief Instructor - Mitchell German

Practicing Chito Ryu Karate for over 40 years

Chief Instructor Halifax Ryuseikan since 2005

7th Degree Black Belt and the rank of Kyoshi

Former WKF Canadian National Kumite Champion (-80 kg) and Canadian National Team member (1998-2001)

6-time Chito-Ryu Soke Cup World Champion: 3-time Kumite (1995, 2010, 2013), 1-time Team Kumite (2013), 1-time Henshuho competition (1995), 1-time kata (2013)

Kakedemeshi (Chito-Ryu) Kumite Champion (2008)

Nova Scotia Karate Team (WKF) head coach 2001- present

Canada National Team Coach (WKF) 2002-2008

3-time Karate Canada Coach of the Year

Current Karate Canada Assistant Regional Training Centre Coach (Atlantic)

Recipient of the 2019 Petro-Canada “Fuelling Athlete and Coaching Excellence” (FACE) Program

Karate NS High Performance Coach

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Chris Richards

  • Practicing Chito Ryu Karate for over 25 years and instructing for approximately 15 years

  • 4th Degree Black Belt with the title of Shidoin

  • Began training in 1989 at the Central Nova Karate Club in Abercrombie, Nova Scotia, continued training at the Calgary Chito Ryu Club for 7 years, beginning in 2000, moved back to NS and began training with German Sensei at Ryuseikan Dojo in 2007

  • Former member of the Nova Scotia Karate Team, competed both Nationally and Internationally medaling in both the 2012 National Karate Championships and 2013 Commonwealth Karate Championships

  • Karate Nova Scotia Senior Sportsmanship Award Winner 2012 and 2014

  • Karate Nova Scotia Kata Athlete of the year 2012, 2015 and 2016

  • Yarmouth Karate Challenge, Senior Male Athlete in 2014 and 2015

Steve Gionet

  • Practiced Chito Ryu Karate since 1981

  • Teaching Chito Ryu Karate for over 35 years

  • Began training under Delaney Sensei (until his passing), at the Atlantic Karate Club

  • Training under German Sensei since 2005

  • 3rd Degree Black Belt

  • Performed demonstration for O'Sensei in 1982

  • Competed in various local tournaments in the 1980's and early 1990's, ranked in the top 3

  • Completed NCCP Level 1 Coaching Certification and Level 2 Theory

 

Dr. San Fung-German

  • Studying Chito Ryu Karate for over 25 years

  • Instructor at Halifax Ryuseikan 2011 to present

  • 3rd degree black belt

  • Former WKF Canadian Kumite Champion (-53kg) and multiple medallist (1994-2004), Kata bronze medalist (2001)

  • 6 Time Chito Ryu Soke Cup World Champion: 3 time Kumite (1998, 2004, 2013), 2 time Kata (1998, 2013), 1 time Team Kumite (2004), Kumite Grand Champion (winner of heavyweight vs lightweight match): 1998  

  • 2 time Soke Cup Grand Champion (overall best standings): 2008, 2013

  • Nova Scotia IKON Awards (Sport NS) - Female athlete of the year: 1999

  • NS team (WKF) Coach since 2005 (5 yr hiatus) to present 

Daniel Benoit

  • Studying Chito Ryu Karate since 2016

  • Training under German Sensei since 2017

  • Junior Program Instructor

  • Previously studied Tsuruoka Karate for 11 years, started in 1983

  • Black Belt level in World Taekwondo (WT)

  • Competed in multiple provincial and international tournaments

  • Certified Provincial Tournament Official

Greg Da Ros

  • Studying Chito Ryu Karate since 2008

  • Junior Program Instructor

  • Previously studied Uechi-Ryu for 14 years, started in 1993, achieved the rank of Sandan under Sensei Dave Hunt

  • Competed in close to 100 provincial, national, and international tournaments

  • Chito Ryu Soke Cup World Silver Kumite Medalist (2010)

  • World Uechi Championships Bronze Kumite Medalist as a Brown Belt (1998)

  • Provincial Karate Team athlete from 2000 until 2008

  • Bronze medalist in 80kg Men's Kumite in 2004 National Canadian Championships (WKF)

  • Karate NS Team Assistant Coach 2005 - present

  • Recipient of Karate NS Male Athlete of the Year (multiple); Volunteer of Year (multiple); Sensei Michael S. Delaney Builder (2009); Club Contributor (multiple)

  • Nova Scotia IKON Awards (Sports NS) Volunteer of the Year (2009)

  • Nova Scotia RICOH Awards (Sports NS) Volunteer of the Year (2011)

  • Nova Scotia Support4Sport Awards (Sports NS) Volunteer of the Year (2024)

  • Member of Karate NS Executive since 2003 to 2024, held Athlete Rep, Secretary, Membership Coordinator, Vice President and President.

  • Provincial Tournament Official

  • Karate NS Tournament Co-Director since 2009

  • NCCP Competition Development in training

 
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Ryan O’Neil

  • Won Men’s Kumite -75 kg Senior Pan Am Games Qualifier 2023 May 25 in Costa Rica

  • Bronze medallist -67 kg men's kumite 2018 Senior Pan American Championships

  • Gold medalist team kumite Senior Pan American Championships

  • Multiple time Canadian Champion

  • Bronze medalist 2017 Junior Pan American Championships

Aaron Wright

  • Practicing Chito Ryu Karate for over 25 years

  • Teaching Chito Ryu for over 20 years

  • 3rd Degree Black Belt

  • Adult Program Iinstructor

  • Began training in 1987 at the Windsor Chito Kai in Windsor, Nova Scotia

  • Competed in provincial tournaments in kata and kumite often medaling in top three

  • Competed in the 1989 Soke Cup in Vancouver, British Columbia, placing in the semifinals

  • Returned to training in 2000 at the Atlantic Karate Club in Halifax, Nova Scotia, under Sensei Michael S. Delaney

  • Joined Halifax Ryuseikan in 2019

  • Former Vice President of Karate Nova Scotia

  • Former President of the Nova Scotia Chito Ryu Association