Our Teachers (Senseis)
Sensei Erich Eichhorn, 7th Dan
Sensei Erich began training Wado in 1983 with Saiko Shihan Greg Reid and Sensei Robert Reid, and on many occasions with the late Saiko Shihan Masaru Shintani.
Training and competing in traditional Wado across Canada and abroad, he was part of the Canadian team that took part in the 1994 World JKF Wado-Kai Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
He is still training with Shihan Reid as his senior student.
Sensei Erich has served as treasurer for Wado Canada since the organization's inception, and sits as chairperson of the grading committee for the organization. He is also a member of the technical board.
He is with a major Victoria automobile dealership, is married and has two children.
Sensei Gerry Woloshyn, 7th Dan
I recently retired from being a marine engineer for the past 35 years and can now dedicate more time towards karate. But before karate, there was life and in my early years I was active within the automotive industry by modifying and racing drag and stock cars. As children started arriving, racing was displaced with involvment in the Veselka Ukrainian Dance Company and for 11 years sat in such positions as treasurer (three terms), vice-president (one term), president (three terms) as well as being the designated group bus driver (five years). Currently, I am an active member of the Route 66 Association of Canada.
My karate career started after one of my boys began training at a local community centre and upon meeting Greg Reid, I became infatuated. That was the spring of 1985 and I have been going involved since. I have always felt that just being a member of an organization isn't enough, so I became interested in the inner workings of the club. Before I knew it, I was a founding director of the Wado-Kai Karate Association of Canada and have served as secretary to the board since its inception. Since 2001, I have held the position of vice-president/secretary.
As father of four (all of whom studied karate) and grandfather of five (two of which take karate), I strongly believe that youth are the future. Consequently, I have been actively involved with many of our youth programs since 1987 and am currently teaching with the Victoria Youth Karate program at the CASK Karate Victoria Hombu.
Another karate pleasure is officiating and this has become a reality for me through Karate BC. They have provided me with the opportunity to travel and meet many people who are also doing their fair share for the advancement of karate.
I have also studied officiating under Shihan Julius Thiry, president of the USA National Karate-do Federation and vice-president of the Pan Am Karate Federation, attending many of his tournaments and officiating clinics in Seattle, Washington. In 1994 I had the rare opportunity to travel to Japan and attend officiating seminars under Arakawa Sensei at the Budo-Kan. I was also fortunate to be asked to officiate at the Japan Nationals and Worlds Wado tournaments at the Budo-Kan in August of that year.
Sensei Charles La Vertu, 7th Dan
Sensei Charles La Vertu, 7th Dan, is the founding vice-president of the Wado Karate Association of Canada and has served on the board since the association was created in January, 1996, the last 23 years as president.
A student at the CASK Karate Victoria Hombu since 1985, he is one of its senior instructors and is a member of the Wado Canada Dan grading board. He was given the title of Sensei by Top Master Masaru Shintani on Feb. 4, 1996.
In keeping with the desire of both Master Shintani and Shihan Reid that Wado Canada members work to advance karate by working with other karate groups, Sensei Charles served on the Board of Directors of Karate BC for 12 years, the last 4 as president and for several years on the board of the Vancouver Island Karate Society. He is currently a member of the Karate Canada governance committee.
Sensei Darren Gauthier, 6th Dan
Sensei Darren Gauthier began training with CASK in Victoria, BC in 1986 under Sensei Greg Reid. I was honored to receive my own Sensei title in November 2005.
I have taught adult and children's karate classes at the University of Victoria and various recreation centers and am co-teaching at the James Bay CASK club when Sensei Erich is away. My interests are towards the discipline and traditional values of our style and enjoy passing those on to future students.. In the past I was involved in all our annual tournaments in judging and time keeping. I have taken classes in basic Japanese language courses, offered through our community recreation center and hope to visit Japan in the future.
I have been married twenty five years and am employed as an HVAC Mechanic. In addition to karate, I enjoy motorcycle riding and building/ flying radio control float planes.
Sensei Gary Wong, 4th Dan
From his first class with Saiko Shihan Greg Reid, Sensei Gary has been fascinated with the depth and breadth found in the Wado style of karate.
Since that day in 1992, he has continued to train in the kihon (basics), kata (forms), and goshin-waza (self-defence techniques) that form the foundation of our style.
As he progressed from Mudansha to Yudansha, he expanded his training to include kobu-jitsu (weaponry), and Shindo Yoshin-Ryu (“Sacred Willow Style" jui-jitsu, a core component of Wado), as well as teaching in the dojo.
This training was reinforced by his personal study of human anatomy and Iyengar Yoga, as well as his prior training in a variety of Chinese martial arts.
After passing his San-Dan grading in 2005, he was conferred the title of Sensei. Sensei Gary endeavors to live up to this title by teaching to the best of his ability, as well as continuing to train to the best of his ability, as he plans to continue learning and improving in the art of Wado.
Nidan David Dasilva, 2nd Dan
Nidan David received his 1st Dan in June 2015. He recalls his first Wado
class with Sensei Gary Wong, who suggested to remember this class, so you
will always know how much you've progressed. David enjoys teaching the kids class and finds it rewarding to watch them improve and become more confident in their daily lives. - Be nice, do good things, and TRAIN HARD!!!
Nidan Taryn Baldwin, 2nd Dan
Shodan Taryn supports Sensei Erich with the Westshore youth program and trains at the CASK Victoria hombu.
Shodan Derek Haarsma, 1st Dan
Shodan Derek supports Sensei Charles, Sensei Darren and Nidan David with the CASK Youth Program and trains with the CASK Headquarters adult program.