“The best sermon is a good example.”
Soke Robert A. Kristensen
Soke Robert A. Kristensen founded Texas Isshinryu Karate Kai in 1991 after training at Jersey Judo Karate Kai under Shihan Dale Jenkins. He also trained with Hanshi William H. Duessell and currently studies under Master Toby Cooling. A U.S. Navy veteran and Vietnam veteran, he served in Reconnaissance Attack Squadron 6 and as shore patrol in Sasebo, Japan.
Soke Kristensen is a former world champion and was ranked among Texas’s Top 10 competitors for over a decade. In 2005, he was inducted into the Isshinryu Hall of Fame, where he now serves on the Board. He holds a 10th-degree black belt (Judan) in Isshinryu, as well as black belts in Goju-ryu and Judo, and currently teaches eight classes weekly at the Grapevine Main Dojo.
Kyoshi Maria Kristensen
Grapevine
Earned Sho-Dan 1994
Studied Goju-Ryu
Studied Tae Kwon Do
Isshinryu Hall of Fame Inductee 2017
World Champion
Kyoshi Susan Harris
Quinlan
Earned Sho-Dan in 1999
Registered Nurse
Top Competitor
Earned Sensei in 2005
World Champion
Kyoshi Tony Palos
Denton
Sho-Dan August 10, 2002
Jazz Musician
Top Competitor
IHOF Instructor of the Year
Grand Champion
Kyoshi Tina Palos
Denton
Sho-Dan March 30, 2003
Top Competitor
Jazz Musician
IHOF Instructor of the Year
Renshi Kyle Murray
Trophy Club
Began training in 1997
Sho Dan April 15, 2007
Ni Dan April 25, 2010
San Dan & Sensei April 14, 2013
Yon Dan April 23, 2017
Go Dan & Renshi Go April 18, 2021
Roku Dan & Shihan April 26, 2026
Baylor Graduate
Top Competitor
Renshi Michael Strickland
Denton
Began in 1992
Top Competitor
Earned Sho-Dan April 13, 2008
Earned Yon-Dan April 15, 2018
Earned Go-Dan May 1, 2022
Also studied Taekwondo
IHOF Male Karate-ka of the year nominee
Renshi Mark Hendrix
Plano
Sho Dan April 2008
Ni Dan August 2011
San Dan August 2014
Yon Dan April 2018
Go Dan & Renshi Go May 2022
Renshi Laura Murray
Trophy Club
Began April 2002
Sho Dan April 2008
Ni Dan August 2011
San Dan August 2014
Earned title of Sensei December 12, 2015
Yon Dan April 2018
Go Dan & Renshi Go May 2022
Top Competitor
IHOF Outstanding Contribution Award 2014
Renshi Glenn Gibbs
Grapevine
Began in April 2002
Studied Shotokan
Sho Dan April 2008
Ni Dan August 2011
San Dan August 2014
Earned title of Sensei in 2017
Yon Dan April 2018
Go Dan & Renshi Go May 2022
Renshi Margaret Myers
Las Colinas
Began in May 2002
Sho Dan April 2008
Ni Dan August 2011
San Dan August 2014
Earned title of Sensei in 2014
Yon Dan April 2018
Go Dan & Renshi Go May 2022
Top Competitor
Renshi Steve Gellman, MD
Grapevine
Began training in 1993
Earned Sho-Dan March 2003
Earned title of Sensei August 2013 Earned G0-Dan Sept 10, 2022 Medical Doctor
Renshi Jennifer Wiederkehr
Flower Mound
Began in 2003
Sho-Dan March 29, 2009
Studied Goju-Ryu
Karate-ka of the Year
Go Dan April 2024
Renshi Charles Blommaert
Frisco
Trained in Shorin-Ryu
Sho-Dan August 2009
Ni-Dan August 2012
San-Dan April 2016
Earned title of Sensei in 2017
Yon-Dan September 2020
Go Dan December 2024
North Texas graduate
Law Enforcement Officer
Sensei Steve Kroll
Grapevine
Began training in January 2002
Earned Sho-Dan August 28, 2010
Yon Dan May 2022
Sensei Luke Hutchinson
Grapevine
Earned Sho-Dan in April 10, 2011
Earned Ni-Dan in
Earned San-Dan in
Earned Yon Dan in May 2022
Co-Instructor at East Plano Dojo
Sensei Taylor Blommaert
Frisco
Began training at New Jersey Judo Karate Academy in 2001
Sho-Dan April 10, 2011
Ni-Dan August 2014
San-Dan April 16, 2018
Sensei April 16, 2018
Yon Dan May 2022
Female Instructor or the Year – IHOF 2019
Sensei Jim Wallander
Grapevine
Began in 2002
Both sons participated in karate
Earned Sho-Dan on April 15, 2012
Yon Dan May 2022
Sensei Jovi Espinosa
Las Colinas
Sho-Dan April 15, 2012
Top Competitor
Senior Karate-ka of 2009 & 2011
First Filipino Black Belt in TIKK history
Yon Dan May 2022
Sensei Dianne Van Winkle
Grapevine
Began in May 2005
Senior Karate-ka of 2011
Sho-Dan April 15, 2012
Top Competitor
Yon Dan May 2022
Sensei Dan Bamper
Moore, OK & Grapevine
Began in 1995
Sho-Dan Feb. 13, 2003
Top Competitor
Co-Owner Integrity Martial Arts (Edmond, OK)
Also trains in Tae Kwon Do
Yon Dan August 2023
Sensei Albert Solares
Grapevine
Began training in February 2009
Sho-Dan in August 2014
Earned Sensei in August 2020
Yon Dan April 2024
Sensei Lee Stafki
Denton
US Army Veteran
Purple Heart Recipient
Sho-Dan May 1993
IHOF Male Karate-ka 2018
Also holds blackbelts in Aikido and Jujitsu
Anglican Priest
Yon Dan April 2024
Sensei Tim Callahan
Chicago & Grapevine
Earned Sensei May 2022
Earned Yon-Dan in April 2026
Sensei Grace Murray
Trophy Club
Began training in 2010
Senior Karate-ka of 2014
Earned Sho-Dan in December 2015
Earned Ni-Dan in December 2018
Earned San-Dan in May 2022
Earned Sensei May 2022
Earned Yon-Dan in April 2026
Top Competitor
Sensei Mark Schneider
Plano
Began training in 2002
Gasshuku Karate-ka of 2016
Sho-Dan in April 2017
Earned Sensei April 2023
Sensei Jared Brown
Denton
Began training May 2010
Sho-Dan in April 2018
Earned Sensei April 2024
Sensei Andrew Freeman
Denton
Began training February 2010
IHOF participant
Sho-Dan – April 2018
Ni-Dan – April 2021
San-Dan and Sensei – April 2024
Denton
Sensei Oleksandr Kovalov
Trophy Club
Sho-Dan in April 2019
Ni-Dan in April 2022
San-Dan in April 2025
Earned San-Dan and Sensei in April 2025
Sensei Ben Finley
Frisco
Earned San-Dan and Sensei in April 2025
In Memoriam
Renshi Tommy Thomas
Grapevine
Earned Sho-Dan in 2000
US Army Vietnam Veteran
Awarded 2 Purple Hearts
Spirit of Isshinryu Recipient
Sensei Mike Harper
Plano
Began in 1999
Top Competitor
Earned Sho-Dan April 13, 2008
Earned title of Sensei August 13, 2014
Sensei Erick R. Soto
Nevada
Began training under Sensei Chuck Maynard in 2006
Sho-Dan April 15, 2012
Head Instructor at Nevada Isshinryu Karate Kai
Yon Dan December 2022
Sensei Dan Melendez
Plano, Cozumel
Began training in 2001
Sho-Dan Dec 1, 2012
Scuba Diver
Chemical Dependency Counselor
Certified Recovery Coach