Our Dojo has been nominated and made the 5 finalist in the Tennessee Hall of Fame Twice The years include  Dojo of the Year 2003. Dojo of the Year 2002.

Our  Chief Instructor Heidi Gauntner
Female Grand Champion of Forms at the Isshinryu Hall of Fame in Tennessee 2003.

Members and IWKA certified instructors.

Our instructors and students are all IWKA active members

• Sensei Heidi Gauntner, Roku-Dan - Owner (Ohio Rep IWKA)

• Danny Hannan, Ni-dan active instructor 

• Alan Gauntner, Ni-dan active instructor - Owner

• Nathan Grimes, Sho-dan active instructor

• Robert Pitts, Sho-dan active instructor

• Sensei Cory Massarro, Ni-dan inactive instructor 

• Tony Frenandez, Sho- dan active instructor

History of the Isshinryu Karate Academy

In the early 1970’s an intramural karate club at Kent State University was formed. Out of this initial club grew the Kent State Isshinryu Karate Club. By the mid 1980’s the Isshinryu Karate Club was a large class of dedicated karateka led by Senseis Anthony DuFloyd and Frank App. Rising through the ranks in the early '80’s Heidi Gauntner received her ShoDan in 1990.

Seeking greater knowledge as she became a black belt, Heidi Gauntner led the Club in a search outside the immediate community. By hosting an annual tournament that began as an intra-dojo event for university clubs as well as traveling to other karate tournaments she began to network with other black belts, meeting and introducing instructors and students alike to other Isshinryu practitioners across an ever-widening area.

Eventually they met Sensei John Lennox and the Mudokwan School of Indianapolis in 1992. Heidi and other instructors from the university became Isshinryu World Karate Association members and began to promote the IWKA to the students.

In the summer of 1995 Heidi was asked to introduce a Saturday karate class for children at Kent State University. Together with students from the Isshinryu Karate Club, she started a class that would eventually lead to the instruction of many private students.

In 1995 Heidi met Sensei William Duessel and began attending his seminars with others of the Isshinryu Karate Club and opened dialog between the schools.

By 1997 Heidi and others had been training with Sensei John Lennox for five years and Sensei Duessel for two years while continuing to promote Isshinryu Karate through tournaments and seminars. The relationships formed between the students and instructors of these schools, as well as countless other individuals and schools, brought a new excitement and degree of knowledge to the Isshinryu Karate Club and its members.

By passing on the knowledge gained from other remarkable Isshinryu karateka and continuing to develop their own teachers and students, the K.S.U. Isshinryu Karate Club, under the leadership of Heidi Gauntner, became renowned locally and throughout the national Isshinryu community.

In 1997 Heidi and her husband Alan reached out to other black belts from the Kent State club and proposed the opening of a school independent of the university. After much discussion Heidi, Alan, and David Nichols went into an equal partnership with each other. They opened the Isshinryu Karate Academy at 1209 West Main in Kent, Ohio on October 7^th, 1997. The school quickly filled with students. A year later, seeing a potential for the school to grow, Heidi and Alan again reached out to other black belts and a second location was opened in October of 1998 at 3152 Bailey Rd. in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio.

Operating two schools soon proved to be an immense task. In order to allow for more continuity across the student body and in an effort to offer more intensive training it was decided to consolidate the two academy locations at the Falls site in September of 1999.  A year later the school boasted of a large student body of every age with successful tournament presence and personal development.  Classes continued to grow and the students and instructors continued to develop their art by maintaining close contacts with various Isshinryu practitioners.

In the summer of 2000 the dojo attended the Isshinryu Hall of Fame tournament in Tennessee where, among other things, we met Sensei Sherman Harrill.  His expertise and long years of practice have made his insight into the application of kata second to none.  Mr. Harrill introduced us to yet more exciting and, at that point, barely recognized potential in our art of Isshinryu karate.  His knowledge, coupled with the continued attention of Master Duessel infused our school with energy and excitement.  Frequent contact with Mr. Harrill, and continued training with our friends in Pennsylvania and Indianapolis made 2000 a fantastic year for our dojo.  Heidi presently trains Isshinryu with Hanshi Duessel. Even thought she gain much insight from others. She is fortunate that Hanshi Duessel allows her to network and learn with others.

In the Fall of 2001 Our school was introduced to Okinawan weaponry. Training with Shihan Petter Carbone has been rewarding in many ways. He has brought jet another aspect to the art. His teaching is from his hart. He wishes all practitioners the ability to understand the possible depth to true Martial art. He trains and teaches the old way. Two man. He does not kick and punch in the air. He makes the art come alive. Let it be said, it was not with ease that the change in training took place. We presently train weaponry with Hanshi Carbone.

At the turn of a new year from 2002 to 2003 Sensei David Nichols Moved his family to Mantua Ohio. He felt the extra demands of his new home and needs of his family were to great to continue with the demands of the Dojo. Therefore David,  Alan and Heidi decided to dissolve the partnership. They are still great friends and will be for life.

Renshi Go Heidi Gauntner and Sensei Alan  are the present owners of the Dojo. This poses a lot of effort to keep thing up however the students of advanced rank are helping with the class quality and training.

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