Shihan Joel "Taka" Coffin
Head Karate Instructor
6th Dan Karate
6th Dan Kobudo
Kobushi Dojo
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.
Professor Wagner Moraes
Head Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
2nd Degree Black Belt
Instructors
Wagner Moraes, born in 1978 in Piracicaba, SP, is a renowned jiu-jitsu professor and champion, known for overcoming financial challenges and transforming his life through the sport. A lover of combat sports, he has traveled to 40 countries through jiu-jitsu and has taught in diverse locations including the United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Brazil, and the United States.
Among his recent titles are 1st place at the Houston International Open and the South Brazilian Championship, both in 2014, as well as 2nd place at the Brazilian Championship the same year. In 2017, Wagner excelled by winning the New York Spring International Open and the Miami Spring International Open in the No-Gi category.
Now residing in Fort Myers, FL, Wagner founded WM TEAM, a team that reflects his dedication to the sport and the development of his students. His journey is marked by passion, resilience, and ongoing success in jiu-jitsu.
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 WUKF as a Judge.
In 2022, Shihan Taka started training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Professor Wagner Moraes and currently holds the rank of Blue Belt.
Hanshi Jay "Kenshu" Herbst has been practicing the art of karate-do for more than 50 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, Hanshi 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.
Hanshi Kenshu currently holds the rank of Nana Dan (7th degree) in Karate, his Roku Dan in Okinawan Kobudo, and his Yon Dan (4th degree) in Tonfa-jutsu.
“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.
Humberto Passos
Head Capoeira Instructor
Kids Jiu-Jitsu Instructor
Hanshi Jay "Kenshu" Herbst
Head Karate Instructor
7th Dan Karate
6th Dan Kobudo
Souke Timothy M. Brooks
Grand Master
8th Dan Karate
9th Dan Kobudo