WOrLD-CLASS INsTRUCTION
All of our instructors are dedicated to continuing the legacy and teachings of Fusaro sensei.
Al Kotula, Gina Wood, Jon Hodapp, Bill Rossi, Jerry Huffine, Dave Pinske, Tom Meagher, Mark Abeln, Walter Heinen, and more
6th Dan
Al kotula
Al Kotula began his training in 1968. He developed his skills under the instruction of Senseis Robert L. Fusaro, Masatoshi Nakayama, Hidetaka Nishiyama, Yutaka Yaguchi, Keinosuke Enoeda, and Teruyuki Okazaki. He was awarded his dan ranks from Masatoshi Nakayama and Hidetaka Nishiyama. Sensei Kotula ran his own dojo and two college clubs for a number of years, on the Iron Range and clubs in Burnsville and Lakeville. In 2016, he was a coach and competitor with team USA at the World Traditional Karate Federation Tournament, held in Krakow, Poland.
Today Sensei Al teaches and trains primarily at Shotokan Karate MN and assists the North Central Region of the American Amateur Karate Federation.
Memorable Experience:1976 AAKF Championship in Philadelphia, PA.
4th dan
jon hodapp
Jon Hodapp started his training in 1978 at a college club at Western Illinois University (WIU) with a Sensei Ed Kuras. He also trained under the Sensei Sugiyama in Chicago IL when he lived in Rockford, IL and later Milwaukee, WI. He moved to MN in 1984 and trained under Sensei Robert Fusaro until his passing.
He loves teaching and training Shotokan Karate-Do because it is very technical; you get all the personal and physical benefits while striving to continuously improve. It has developed his confidence over the years. He finds that working with students, helping them to get better and grow their confidence, is deeply rewarding, and that the people he has trained with in Shotokan to be of high character and sincerity.
Sensei Jon received all of his Dan ranks from Sensei Nishiyama, whose instruction in semiannual seminars over the years Jon found truly inspirational. About his long-time Sensei, Jon says, “Training under the always technically superior Master Fusaro was an honor.”
Competing often over the years on the regional, national, and sometimes international level further inspired him to improve, making changes when preparing for competitions or rank exams. He competed in team kata for many years with Sensei Al Kotula and Dennis Olson. He has been fervently supporting the growth and stability of our dojo for the benefit of all!
2nd Dan
Gina Wood
Sensei Gina Wood began her training in 1994 in College Park Maryland with Senseis Ali Tabassi and Michael Tabassi before moving home to Minneapolis. In Minneapolis she began training under Sensei Robert L. Fusaro in 1995. She currently holds a 2nd degree (Ni Dan) black belt.
Sensei Gina believes that traditional karate training is a life-long study of movement and intention that increases confidence, stamina, flexibility and the mind/body connection that can be sorely lacking in many of our daily activities. She has personal experience with dramatically changing her own body awareness and athleticism, leading to increased confidence and safety walking through the world. Her many years of teaching karate to children have only reinforced those beliefs as she’s been able to observe the same awakening taking place for many of her students.
She is the lead sensei of the children’s program at Shotokan Karate Minnesota (formerly Midwest Karate). During the summer she conducts multiple, week-long karate day camps for kids through her company Midwest Karate Kids, LLC.
Sensei Gina received her Sho Dan (1st degree black belt) from Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama in 2003 and her Ni Dan from Sensei Robert L. Fusaro in 2013. She won the gold medal in Women’s kata in the 2024 AAKF National Championships, which led to her traveling to compete internationally in Lima, Peru, where she won a deeply enriching experience. ;)
5th dan
Bill Rossi
Sensei Bill Rossi is a fascinating guy. More to come when he gets back from one of his many vacations...
4th Dan
David Pinske
Sensei Pinske has been training for 52 years. He trained with countless senseis, but most notably under the renowned Nishiyama and Fusaro Senseis. He was awarded his 4th dan by Nishiyama Sensei May 1995 at the Minneapolis Midwest Karate dojo.
Sensei Pinske gained valuable karate experience training all over Europe. In his competitive experience, he’s perhaps most proud that in a crowded field at the 1993 US Nationals, he placed in Kata. His commitment to the art of karate is driven by the principle that there is always room to improve. Sensei Pinske enjoys how karate training is an opportunity for mind and body to work as one to strive for this constant improvement.
4th dan
Tom Meagher, Yondan
At the time of this writing, Sensei Tom Meagher has been training for 42 years. He began his training with Sensei Robert Fusaro and continued with Sensei Nina Chenault. He has trained with Sensei Nishiyama, Michael Fusaro, Minneapolis MN, Shojiro Koyama, Phoenix AZ, and Satoshi Takahasi, Toykyo Japan (JKA honbu dojo).
Sensei Meagher has discovered that karate has become his way of life, and he’s expounded on that in his own words below.
“I have trained karate since my freshman year at the University of Minnesota under Sensei Fusaro and Sensei Nina Chenault. I found that karate has become my way of life and who I am. I have had to train hard in order to do many of the things I saw others doing very naturally, which has helped me in every aspect of my life; through training karate I learned that I can achieve whatever I set my mind to. I have carried the philosophy of "If others can do that, so can I. I just need to figure how!" I have trained Shotokan karate exclusively all these decades because I observed that it fit who I am and that it is the most in depth and effective martial arts in the world today. It has been through training karate that I am a better person, respectful of others, confident in my life, and physically/mentally/emotionally fit even into my 60s. My plan is to follow the examples of so many of my colleagues and instructors as they have continued training throughout their entire lifetimes!
My most compelling experiences have been through training with true masters of this martial art who have taught me that karate is far more than tournament or match wins. I think what has struck me as the most compelling was when a fellow teacher approached me with a question, "I had no idea you're a black belt in karate, you seem so gentle especially with students. How do you do that?" My answer surprised him I think. I replied, "Karate is not about violence, but peace, and most importantly perfection of character. I train to become a better teacher, friend, and person."
I earned my first three dan ranks with Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama. My Yondan was awarded by Sensei Mahmoud Tabassi.
I began training karate at the U of M in 1983 and was a member of the U Shotokan Karate Club throughout college. After college I trained at the West bank Karate Club with Sensei Nina Chenault and Sensei Walter Berra. I moved to Arizona after my Shodan and taught science and karate at Grayhills High School in Tuba City AZ and trained with Sensei Koyama in Phoenix. After several years I moved to Missoula, MT and had my own club at the University of Montana while I was a graduate student. Sensei Chenault and Sensei Linkletter would visit for training events and hold kyu exams for my students. I moved back to Minnesota and joined Sensei Chenault as an associate instructor at the West Bank Karate club in Minneapolis from 1995-2014. During the summer of 2008 I traveled to Japan with a Fulbright Teacher Exchange and trained at the JKA Honbu in Tokyo under Sensei Takahashi. From 2014-2024 I had my own club in Northfield MN, Northfield Shotokan Karate Club at the local YMCA. I joined SKM in 2022 to continue training and teaching with Sensei Al Kotula and Sensei John Hodapp. Even though I have been a science teacher in public schools, earned a PhD in science, and teach graduate coursework for teacher licensure at the U of M, it is my life of karate that makes me who I am. Osu!”
2nd Dan
Mark Abeln
Sensei Mark Abeln began his training 43 years ago under Sensei Robert Fusaro and trained predominantly with Sensei Fusaro until his death. He was awarded his Shodan by Sensei Robert Fusaro at the Minneapolis dojo and achieved his Nidan rank from Sensei Michael Tabassi in 2019.
Sensei Abeln has spent many years (and hours) as a judge at karate tournaments both national and international, and he considers those experiences some of the most compelling of his karate life. He hopes to continue honing his craft in the years ahead.
3rd dan
Jerry Huffine
Sensei Jerry Huffine has been training since 1983, studying primarily under Fusaro Sensei and now Sensei Kotula. He received his Shodan and Nidan ranks from Sensei Nishiyama and he earned Sandan from Sensei Tabassi in 2017 at the Midwest Karate Assoc. dojo in Minneapolis.
He views Shotokan karate as a lifelong endeavor where there is always more to learn! Additionally, meeting and training with other karateka is both compelling and rewarding.
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4th dan
Walter Heinen
Over the past 45 years, Sensei Heinen has trained under many of the most renowned senseis of the era, notably: Nakayama, Nishiyama, Fusaro, Enoeda, Shirai, Kanazawa, Kase, Yamaguchi, Tanaka, and Yahara. He was awarded his 4th Dan by Sensei Robert Fusaro at the Minneapolis dojo on September 3, 2010. He was the former Chief Instructor for MKA in St. Cloud, teaching for St. John’s University, CSB, and St. Cloud State University, as well as School districts 742 and 748.
Guided by the belief that discipline is freedom, Sensei Heinen brings his knowledge and enthusiasm to each class. “I started as a child and the confidence karate has instilled in me has affected everything I’ve done, from work to parenting. It’s an incredible way of life.”