Demonstration Team Coordinator
Jonathan Gladstone Sensei has been studying Karate at the Okamikan since 2002, and has been the co-ordinator of our Demo Teams since 2005. He achieved his Shodan (first degree black belt) rank in December, 2008; Nidan (second degree) in December, 2011; and Sandan (third degree) in June, 2016. Karate is a family affair for Gladstone Sensei. One of his sons, Sensei Simon, graded with him from white belt through Shodan at Okami Kai; he enjoys support for his training activities from his wife, Liz, and their other son, Ben.
He studied Judo briefly as a child, but most of Gladstone Sensei’s training in Karate and other martial arts has been with or through the Okamikan in Uxbridge. He says he “enjoys the warm, friendly and family-oriented community where we study martial arts seriously and with rigour without losing touch with fun.” Gladstone Sensei studies Iaido (sword) at Okami Kai along with Karate and, outside of the home dojo, has also studied Tai Chi.
Gladstone Sensei is a Professional Engineer (Ontario) who works full-time on large computer systems at a Canadian bank, and is a part-time instructor in the School of Computer Studies at Georgian College in Barrie, ON. He is an inveterate volunteer who works with both children and adults in a variety of activities. He coached and organized children’s baseball in Uxbridge for many years and delivered Junior Achievement programs at a local elementary school for about a decade. Currently he also helps run adult and children’s programs at Okami Kai and at a local squash club, participates actively in various committees at his synagogue, and volunteers extensively with CMG, an academic organization of computer professionals where he is on the Board of Directors.