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Jitsu Canada Instructors

A. Dobie Sensei, 5th Dan Andy Dobie (Peterborough)
Having first studied judo as a youth, Andy Dobie began his study of jiu jitsu in 1985 at Plymouth Polytechnic in Plymouth, England, with the National Samurai Jiu Jitsu Association (later renamed The Jitsu Foundation). In 1988 he became the club instructor of the University of Plymouth Samurai Jiu Jitsu Club, a position he held until 1992.

In August 1993 he moved to Peterborough, Ontario, Canada and established the first Jitsu Canada club, at Trent University, then later opened the Peterborough YMCA club in September 1998.

Andy is a certified first aid instructor and has National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) certification. In addition to jiu jitsu, Andy also studies iaido through the Canadian Kendo Federation. Andy is the president and head instructor of Jitsu Canada

Chris Brooks (Kingston)
Chris Brooks began his jiu jitsu training at Trent University in Peterborough in September 1995 under Andy Dobie. In September 1999 he moved to Kingston and established a jiu jitsu club at Queen's University. Chris has been the instructor of the Queen's Jiu Jitsu Club ever since.

Chris holds current St John Ambulance Standard First Aid and CPR certificates. He has also completed National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP) Level 1. In addition to jiu jitsu, Chris has also studied taekwondo, karate, hapkido, judo and Tai Chi Chuan.

Alex Fairweather (Vancouver)
Alex Fairweather holds a Nidan (2nd Degree Black Belt) in Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu and has been training for 20 years and teaching on and off for nearly 16.

Alex started Jiu Jitsu at Bath University in England in 1991 training under Gary Williams, then moved to London under the tutelage of Steve Donaghy at University College London. In 1995, Alex founded University of London Union Jiu Jitsu Club. Supported by some great instructors (Tony Finding, Ian Lambert, Nigel Price) Alex received his shodan in 1997. The club grew, winning the 1997 UK National Championships and 1997 University of London Outstanding Contribution to University of London Sports. In 1998 Alex handed the club on to a new instructor, then moved to Canada.

Alex founded the Toronto Jiu Jitsu club in April 2004. In December 2006, he successfully graded to Nidan. Having relocated to Vancouver, in the Autumn of 2011 Alex assumed the teaching duties of the Killarney Community Centre Jiu Jitsu club.

Jonathan Jamnik (Vancouver)
Jonathan began his training in January of 2000 at Carleton University under John Molyneux. In the summer of 2000, and subsequently during the next two summers, he trained at the Ottawa Metro YMCA under Colin Welburn. In September of 2000 he returned to Carleton University and began training with Kieran Parsons. In December of 2002 he had the privilege of instructing at the Ottawa Metro YMCA club and taught there until August 2005.

In the summer of 2004, while living in Plymouth, England, he trained at the University of Plymouth Samurai Jiu Jitsu Club under Mark Browne. During that time he also trained at the China Fleet Club in Cornwall under Greg Regan, founder of the Ryu Ju Jutsu Association.

On September 25th 2004, during the last Dan grading held by the late Brian Graham Shihan, head of Shorinji Kan Jiu Jitsu, he was one of five to be awarded his black belt. In September 2005 he assumed the position of instructor at the Carleton University club, where he taught until 2008. Jonathan currently lives and teaches jiu jitsu in Vancouver, BC.

Kenn Gibb (Peterborough)
Kenn began his jiu jitsu training at the Peterborough YMCA Jiu Jitsu Club in March 2000 under the instruction of Andy Dobie. In 2003 he became the club instructor of the Trent University Jiu Jitsu Club, a position he held until 2011, as well as being a regular visiting instructor at the YMCA club. In September 2004 he was awarded his black belt at the last black belt grading conducted by Brian Graham Shihan.

Kenn lives and works in Peterborough, and is actively involved in local amateur theatre.

Ben de Witt (Calgary)
Ben began his Jiu Jitsu training in January 2001 at the Queen's University Jiu Jitsu Club under the instruction of Chris Brooks. In September 2004, Ben moved to Calgary and founded the University of Calgary Jiu Jitsu Club.

In addition to Jiu Jitsu, Ben has also trained in Kodokan Judo, under the instruction of Charles Maingon and Ron Lloyd.

Brent Stamplicoski (Ottawa)
Brent started his training at Carleton University in January 2001 under Kieran Parsons. Since then, he has also trained at the Ottawa Metro YMCA, and has trained under Colin Welburn, John Molyneux, Amelia Croll, and Jon Jamnik. He was the Assistant Instructor at the YMCA club from January 2003 to August 2005.

In September 2005, Brent returned to Carleton University as Assistant Instructor to Jon Jamnik, and regularly trained at the Gladstone Club. In 2008 Brent took over as head instructor of the Carleton University club. Brent holds current St. John Ambulance Standard First Aid and CPR Level "A" certificates, and currently holds the rank of Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt).

Mark Yourkevich (Toronto)
Mark was taught by almost every senior Jitsu Canada instructor during his early training. He started his training at Peterborough YMCA, then moved to Ottawa, before moving again to Kingston. Since moving to Kingston, Mark graded to brown belt and founded the Kingston YMCA club. He has since graded to shodan, and now resides between Toronto & Peterborough

Mark was the co-founder of the York University Jiu Jitsu Club, and now trains and teaches at the Toronto & Peterborough clubs.

Together with his father, Mark runs his own business in hunter education and firearms training.

Stuart Cooke (Kingston)
Stu began his jiu jitsu career at the Queen's University Club in Kingston and trained there for several years under Chris Brooks. Upon graduation in 2005, he moved to England and began training under Nigel and Nicola Price at the King's College Club in London. Stu returned to Canada in 2006 and resumed training in Kingston. Stu opened his own club in Kingston at St. Lawrence College, in early 2008.

Stu is currently the instructor of the Kingston YMCA club.

Kevin Eugene (Burnaby)
Kevin began his jiu jitsu career at the Queen's University Club in Kingston and trained there for several years under Chris Brooks. After graduating, in 2008 he moved to Burnaby, British Columbia, and opened the BC Institute of Technology Club.

Kevin lives and works in Vancouver, and is the instructor of the BCIT club.

Chris Whynot (Fort McPherson)
Chris started his training at Carleton University in September 2001 under Kieran Parsons. Since then, he has also trained at the Ottawa Metro YMCA, and Gladstone clubs under the instruction of Jonathan Jamnik, Brent Stamplicoski and Amelia Croll. In April 2007, Chris assumed the role of Assistant Instructor at the Ottawa Gladstone club, and in November 2007 was promoted to club instructor.

In 2009 Chris joined the RCMP and after training moved to Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, where he founded and instructs the Fort McPherson Club.

Joanna Yu (Toronto)
Joanna started her training at Queen's University under Chris Brooks, before moving to Toronto and training under Alex Fairweather. After attaining brown belt, Joanna assumed the role of Assistant Instructor, of the Toronto club, and in November 2008 was promoted to club instructor. In December 2009 Joanna graded to Shodan.

Joanna currently lives & works in Toronto, and is the instructor of the Toronto West-Central Club.

Christopher Olson (Vancouver)
Chris Olson started his training in January of 2001 at Carleton University. Meeting fellow white belt and now Shodan Brent Stamplecoski, he immediately felt at home training under Kieran Parsons. Since then he has been fortunate enough to train under John Molyneux, Colin Welburn, Amelia Croll, and Jonathan Jamnik at the Ottawa YMCA, Carleton University and Gladstone clubs. In 2006, Chris left the cold confines of Ottawa, and moved to the Vancouver. As 2009 came to a close, Chris became the "Shodan at large" for the west coast.

Chris is currently CPR - C and First Aid Certified through St. John Ambulance, and is teaching and training in Can-ryu Jiu Jitsu under Lori O'Connell at West Coast Jiu Jitsu, while assisting the BC contingent of Jitsu Canada.

Matthew Der (Calgary)
Matthew began his training at Queen’s University in Kingston under Chris Brooks from January 2003 – April 2006. He moved to Calgary in May 2006 and resumed his training under Ben de Witt at the University of Calgary Jiu Jitsu Club. He became the assistant instructor at the University of Calgary in January 2008. In May 2009 he took over as Head Instructor at the University of Calgary.

Matthew lives in Calgary and works for the City of Calgary.

Steven White (Ottawa)
Steve started his training at Carleton University under Amelia Croll in January 2004. In the summer of 2004 he trained at the Ottawa Metro YMCA under Jonathan Jamnik and Brent Stamplicoski, before moving to Kingston and training at both the Queen’s University club, and the Kingston YMCA.

In January 2009 he moved back to Ottawa and trained at Gladstone, before becoming the head instructor at what is now the Ottawa Community Club.

In addition to jiu-jitsu, Steve has trained in Shito-Ryu Itosu Kai karate since 1989.

Wanekia Dunn (Ottawa)
Wanekia (Kia) Dunn began his training in Jiu-Jitsu in January 2005 at the Carleton University dojo under Amelia Croll and Chris Luzine. He then went on to train at the Ottawa YMCA club under Jonathan Jamnik, for its final summer semester before closing, returning to Carleton with Jamnik Sensei who then assumed instructorship of the Carleton dojo. When Jamnik Sensei left the dojo to Brent Stamplicoski in 2008, Kia assumed the role of assistant instructor at the Carleton dojo.

In summers between Carleton semesters, Kia trained under Kieran Parsons at the Gladstone town dojo and became assistant instructor to Yoshie Martinez, then instructor of the Youth Jiu-Jitsu Club at the Gladstone dojo in 2007, assuming the role of instructor of the Youth Jiu-Jitsu Club in 2009. Kia attained the rank of Shodan in 2010 and continues to teach and train at the Carleton dojo while serving as instructor of the Youth Jiu-Jitsu club at the Ottawa Community Club.

Jennifer Higgs (Toronto)
Jennifer started her training in January 2005 at Trent University, Peterborough under Kenn Gibb, then soon joined the YMCA as well to train under Andy Dobie. In spring of 2006, she moved to Kingston and continued training under Mark Yourkevich at the YMCA; she also joined the Queen's club under Chris Brooks the following September.

After graduating from Queen's, she moved to Toronto in the summer of 2008 and began training under Joanna Yu at the Toronto Kageyama club. Jennifer co-founded the York University Jiu Jitsu Club with Mark Yourkevich in September 2010, where she teaches after being promoted to Shodan-ho in April 2011.

In addition to teaching at York University, she continues to train at the Kageyama club and visit her old clubs whenever possible, especially Trent University.

Evan Senkiw (Peterborough)
Evan started his Jiu Jitsu training in September 2006 at Trent University, Peterborough, under Kenn Gibb – from here, he never looked back. It was not too long before he was also enrolled at the YMCA under Andy Dobie. In the years that were to follow Evan trained the epitomical Jiu Jitsu training schedule of multiple nights per week, at more than one club, with multiple instructors – including regularly training at Canada’s only weekly reoccurring senior course under Andy Dobie.

This training regimen proved to be so enjoyable that after graduating from Trent the first time, Evan enrolled again; this time finding his course of study in a Master of Arts program focused on what Jiu Jitsu can yield for the study of politics, and negotiation.

In 2011 Evan assumed the role of head instructor at the Trent University Jiu Jitsu Club.