Shihan Joel "Taka" Coffin
Head Karate Instructor
6th Dan Karate
6th Dan Kobudo
Shihan Jay "Aki" Herbst
Head Karate Instructor
6th Dan Karate
6th Dan Kobudo
Shihan Jay "Aki" Herbst has been practicing the art of karate-do for more than 45 years, and is one of Souke Brooks’ longest-training direct students and karate disciples. He began studying under Souke and Lady Teruko Kurokawa-Brooks soon after they moved to the United States from Japan, in the early 1970’s.
Receiving his first black belt at the age of 17, Shihan Aki handled the difficulties of college and professional school through the study of Shito-Ryu. He credits his karate training with providing him with the discipline and focus needed to succeed in school and ultimately become a practicing physician and surgeon. One of his favorite quotes is, “In karate, you don’t just use your arms and legs, you also use your brain.” He very effectively conveys this philosophy to his karate students.
Shihan Aki currently holds the rank of Roku Dan (6th degree) in Karate, his Roku Dan in Okinawan Kobudo, and his Yon Dan (4th degree) in Tonfa-jutsu. He is one of the head coaches for the tournament teams and has been certified as a referee by both the AAU and the USANKF.
Professor Wagner Moraes
Head Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
2nd Degree Black Belt
Instructors
Humberto Passos
Head Capoeira Instructor
Kids Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
Professor Wagner Moraes is a 2nd black belt and has been practicing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for over 30 years. He has an extensive competition record and has trained and taught all over the world.
Shihan Joel "Taka" Coffin has been practicing the art of Karate-do for over 30 years. He received his black belt in 1993 from Souke Brooks. He currently holds the rank of Roku Dan (6th degree) in Karate and Roku Dan in Okinawan Kobudo.
Shihan Taka is well-recognized for his precision in kata (forms) and his superior kumite (fighting) skills. High ranking students and advanced practitioners of Shito-Ryu and other karate styles seek him out for private lessons, to gain insight into his techniques and benefit from his effective teaching methods. His skills have led him to win multiple state and national championships.
As head coach of Kobushi Dojo's tournament team, Shihan Taka has coached many athletes to state and national titles. With his dedication and attention to detail, he has helped Team Kobushi become one of the top karate clubs in the nation. He is nationally certified by the AAU as a Referee and internationally certified by the WUFK as a Judge.
“Mr H” was born and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he was introduced to Capoeira and trained for a couple of years in his youth. Knowing the importance of education, he decided to take a break of his passion to conclude his accounting career. After he graduated as an Accountant in 1996, he returned to his Capoeira training, aiming to become a “Mestre". He came to the United States of America, in 1998 and moved to Naples. he gave continuation to his capoeira training to improve his moves, techniques and skills. In 2007, he was invited by Mestre Ray to join his crew at Oficina da Capoeira and he started to teach Capoeira to a group of children and adults in the area. He, then, relocated to Fort Myers and continued to share his love for Capoeira with the community.
Humberto has also been training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for many years and is currently a Brown Belt.
Kobushi Dojo
Traditional Japanese Karate & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Souke Timothy M. Brooks accompanied his Christian missionary parents to Japan as a child. During his time there, he studied the arts of Karate and Kobudo under Masters Shogo Kuniba, Ryuso Sakagami and Teruo Hayashi as “monjin” or direct disciple.
After studying in Japan for many years, Souke Brooks and his family returned to the United States in 1970 to teach Shito Ryu Karate. In 1985, he received the title of Shihan from Grand Master Hayashi and served as National Vice Chairman for Hayashi-Ha Shito-Ryu Kai, USA from 1988-1995. He holds an upper rank from World Union Karate Organization (W.U.K.O) and is certified as a National Referee for the USANKF and AAU.
His success in Karate-Do and his mastery of the Japanese language and culture are, in no small part, due to Souke Brooks good fortune in finding a wife of Samurai lineage, Lady Teruko Kurokawa. Souke Brooks has been studying, training and teaching Karate for over half a century.
Souke Timothy M. Brooks
Grand Master
8th Dan Karate
9th Dan Kobudo