Our Instructors & Staff Members

Our Instructors have spent many years devoted to training in the art of Karate and other martial arts and have attained a certain level of expertise to qualify them as teachers and also mentors.

Through extensive testing, certification and tournament level competition, our staff has attained mastery in this martial art and now enjoy sharing their skill and passing it on to their students.

Jerry Hansman  (Shihan Sensei)  Mr. Hansman,5th Degree Black Belt, began his Martial Arts training in 1977 as a wrestler. In 1980, while at Carmel High School, Mr. Hansman began training in Shorei Goju Ryu under Kyoshi Doug Adamson. Upon graduation, Mr. Hansman entered the United States Marine Corps where he received Martial Arts training while in Boot Camp in San Diego, CA and while attending Military Police School in San Antonio, TX. Mr. Hansman was then stationed at Parris Island, SC for the next three years. Mr. Hansman's barracks was directly across the street from the base Dojo where he trained in Okinawan Kempo with the Drill Instructors in charge of the Marine Recruits Martial Arts training. Mr. Hansman also began training in boxing at the base gym. Shihan Hansman is qualified to teach the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (MCMAP), MCO 1500.54A. In 1987, Mr. Hansman was assigned to the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Bureau/Marine Corps Embassy Guard Program. Training was conducted at FBI Headquarters Quantico, VA; Department of State Headquarters Washington, D.C.; and Marine Corps Base Quantico, VA. From 1987-88, Mr. Hansman was posted to Freetown, Sierra Leone, West Africa. While in Sierra Leone, he trained a small group of Sierra Leonean Army members self defense during a joint training exercise. On several occasions Mr. Hansman was witness to demonstrations of Capoiera an African Martial Art. In 1988-89, Mr. Hansman was posted to Buenos Aires, Argentina. During his stay in South America, he taught a women's self defense course at the American Embassy. In 1989-90, Mr. Hansman was posted to Istanbul, Turkey. As the A/Detachment Commander, he was in charge of the Marines training program and implemented Martial Arts as part of their training. Upon Mr. Hansman's Honorable Discharge from the Marine Corps, he went to work as a Deputy with the Marion County Sheriff's Department. Mr. Hansman was assigned to the Criminal Courts as a security officer. He also helped establish Community Crime Watch programs. In 1992 Mr. Hansman joined the Indianapolis Police Department as a Patrol Officer, where he was assigned to the North District/Late Shift for the next five years. Mr. Hansman received IPD's highest honor; The Medal of Valor from Mayor Stephen Goldsmith in 1997. He also received two Medals of Bravery from the Indiana chapter of the American Red Cross. In 1998 Mr. Hansman began training again in Shorei Goju Ryu with Style Head/9th Degree Black Belt, Hanshi Sensei Herb Johnson. Hanshi Johnson named Mr. Hansman his "Most Outstanding" student in 2001, at the Professional Karate Commissions Awards ceremony. Mr. Hansman is a three time Indiana State Karate Champion in both Kumite and Kobudo. He won the 2001 PKC Indiana State Karate Championship in Kobudo and Kumite; the 2001 PKC International Karate Championship in Kobudo; the 2000 PKC Indiana State Karate Championship in Kobudo. Other awards include: 2nd place, Kobudo, 2001 PKC National Championships and 3rd place, Kumite, 2001 PKC National Championships. 2nd place, Kumite, 1982 AAU Indiana State Karate Championships. Mr. Hansman is a PKC Tournament Official and officiated at the 2001 World Police and Fire Games in Indianapolis, Indiana with Herb Johnson, Bill Wallace, Glenn Keeney, Phil Morgan, Fumio Demura and Arlene Limas. Mr. Hansman was awarded the 2004 Eddie Bethea Humanitarian Award for "Exemplary Behavior and Dedication to the Martial Arts Both In and Out of the Dojo". In 2003, Mr. Hansman began training in Shobayashi Ryu with William R. Hayes, Shinshi. Shinshi Hayes is a first generation senior student of Eizo Shimabukuro, O'Sensei, 10th Dan. In 2005, Mr. Hansman traveled to Okinawa to train with Shimabukuro, O'Sensei at his Honbu Dojo in Ginoza. In 2009, Mr. Hansman traveled again to Okinawa, and trained with Morio Higaonna, Hanshi, 10th Dan and Tetsuhiro Hokama, Hanshi, 10th Dan both of Goju Ryu. Mr. Hansman continues to train with Shinshi Hayes and the members of the Shobayashi Kan.

For more information about the Jerry Hansman's Okinawan Karate staff or training programs, please contact us at (317) 228-1872 or by clicking here.