Carolina Isshinryu Academy - Stallings, NC
3204 Smith Farm Road, Stallings, NC 28104
Monday and Wednesday evenings at the times listed below:
6:00 - 7:00 PM (Youth)
7:00 - 8:00 PM (Adult)

Contact: Master Mitch Kobylanski at Kobylanski@windstream.net for further information.

Location/date of birth: Holyoke, Massachusetts on August 26, 1953.

Date/Location/Instructor where Isshinryu training began: 1969 in Holyoke, Massachusetts with Grand Master Lewis Lizotte.

Date received Sho-Dan in Isshinryu karate: October 1971.

Date received present rank: Ku-Dan - July 2006.

Organizational support: Member of the AOKA since November 1971. Member of the AOKA Board of Directors, former member of the AOKA Promotion Board, and AOKA Advisory Board. Routinely contributes to the AOKA Newsletter and maintains/supports the AOKA Website. Member of the USJA since May 2003. Head Instructor of the Carolina Isshinryu Academy.

Awards (Martial Arts): Spirit of Isshinryu by the AOKA (1995). Sensei of Sensei from Isshinryu Hall of Fame (IHOF) 1999. Inducted in the the IHOF (2003). Certified USJA Level I Coach.

Profession: Director of Operations, Parker Athletic Products, Charlotte, NC.

Education: M.B.A Winthrop University (1993), B.S. Industrial Engineering from Western New England College (1975).

Personal: Wife: Karen; children: Amber, Phillip, Jennifer and Alex.

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Location/date of birth: Perham, Minnesota on January 3, 1958.

Date/Location/Instructor where Isshinryu training began: 1977 in Monroe, North Carolina with Master Kobylanski.

Date received Sho-Dan in Isshinryu karate: December 27, 1983.

Date received present rank: Roku-Dan - July 2006.

Organizational support: Member of the AOKA since November 1977. Member of the USJA since June 2003. Senior Instructor of the Carolina Isshinryu Academy.

Awards (Martial Arts): AOKA Outstanding Male Instructor of the Year (2003). Certified USJA Level I Coach.

Awards (Professional/Civic): Boy Scouts of America: Cubmaster and Scoutmaster of the Year for Union District. Awarded the Scouters Key, Scouters Training Award, Powderhorn, Woodbadge Award. Vigil Honor in the Order of the Arrow. Served on staff for three Woodbadge Course including serving as Woodbadge Course Director for Central North Carolina Council Course SR-490. Currently serving as Scoutmaster, Venture Crew Advisor, District Venturing Training Chairman, Council Training Committee and Summer Camp Committee. Tower Instructor Certified.

High School Assistant Swim Coach: Assistant High School Swimming Coach for three years.

Member of the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. Served as training chairman for the local chapter and has won a number of professional and in industry awards.

Profession: Insurance Sales.

Education: Associate in Business from Wingate College (1979).

Personal: Wife: Matrell; Son: Dane.

Location/date of birth: Barksdale AFB, Louisiana on June 22, 1958.

Date/Location/Instructor where Isshinryu training began: 1972 in Erwin, Tennessee with Sensei Pete Peterson.

Date received Sho-Dan in Isshinryu karate: October 1999.

Date received present rank: Yo-Dan in Isshinryu - 2006.

Organizational support: Member of the AOKA since August 2002 and OIKKA since 2000. Publisher of the AOKA Newsletter. Webmaster for the United Southern Isshinryu site and assistant webmaster for the Carolina American Judo Association since 2003. Member of USJA since May 2003. Assistant instructor at the Carolina Isshinryu Academy.

Awards (Martial Arts): AOKA Black Belt of the Year (2003). Certified USJA Level I Coach.

Awards (Professional/Civic): Boy Scouts of America: Five years service with the Cub Scouts holding positions of: Assistant Cubmaster, Den Leader, Webelos Den Leader. Four years in the Boy Scouts holding positions of: Scoutmaster and various District Chair positions. Recipient of the Woodbadge award.

Education: M.S. Applied Management from Lesley College, Massachusetts (1992); B.S. Environmental Health from East Tennessee State University (1980).

Personal: Wife: Betsey; Son: Brian.

Location/Date of Birth: Wausau, Wisconsin on October 22, 1971

Date/Location Instructor where Isshinryu training began: 1982 in Dahlgren, Virginia with Sensei Byron Coleman

Date received Sho-Dan in Isshinryu karate:  May 15, 1986

Organizational Support: Member of AOKA since 2005

Profession: Marketing Information Manager, Credit Card Services, Bank of America

Education: M.B.A. American Graduate School of International Management, B.B.A. International Business and Spanish, James Madison University (1993)

Personal: Wife: Erin

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Location/date of birth: Pasadena, California on January 28, 1952.

Date/Location/Instructor where Isshinryu training began: 1993 in Weddington, NC with Master Mitch Kobylanski.

Date received Sho-Dan in Isshinryu karate: July 2000.

Organizational support: Member of the AOKA since 1996.

Profession: Medical Doctor - Family Practice.

Education: M.D. from University of Arkansas Medical School (1975), B.S. Zoology from Arkansas State University (1972).

Personal: Wife: Lori Ann; Children: Tommy and Mary.

Location/date of birth: Loudon, Tenn., August 23, 1954

Date/Location/Instructor where Isshinryu training began: September 1977, Cleveland State Community College with Sensei J.C. Burris

Date received Sho-Dan in Isshinryu karate: March 2005

Date received present Isshinryu rank: March 2005 – Sho-Dan

Organizational support: Member of AOKA since 2003.

Profession: Information Technology professional.

Education: BA Biblical Education, Lee College; BS Mgmt Info Systems, Queens College.

Personal: Wife: Kathy; Daughter: Lauren .

Location/date of birth: St. Petersburg, Florida on October 6, 1960.

Date/Location/Instructor where Isshinryu training began: July 2002 in Weddington, NC with Master Mitch Kobylanski.

Date received present Isshinryu rank: Febuary 2006 - Ni-Kyu.

Additional Martial Arts Training: Uechi-Ryu karate, Melbourne, Florida - Ni-Dan (1992); Sho-dan (1989).

Organizational support: Member of the AOKA since 2003.

Profession: Controller for OMNOVA Solutions, Inc. Monroe, NC manufacturing facility.

Education: MBA in Finance from University of Florida (1984); B.S. Finance/Economics from Florida State University (1982).

Personal: Wife: Jane; Children: Tanya and Lindsay; grandson: Destin.

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