Sensei Greg Getzan
Black Belt Instructor

Summary of Qualifications

• Sandan (Third Degree Blackbelt)

Karate Biography

Greg began studying martial arts at the age of 14. His first discipline was Judo. This was short lived, as his family moved shortly thereafter. His second exposure was to Karate. This was Shito-ryu at an offshoot of Sensei Kotaka’s school. Greg studied for two years (ages 15-16) and attained the rank of san-kyu. From this point on, Greg’s martial arts career was filled with 10 year gaps as he moved cities and changed jobs (not to mention marriage and kids). Around the age of 25 he studied Shotokan in Houston for about two years. At age 35, he studies Hapkido in Austin for a few years (with infrequent class attendance)… although this wasn’t pure Hapkido, it included a large dose of Shotokan as the basis of the classes. At age 44, while living in the Philippines, Greg began to train his son in Shito-ryu, and approximately 18 months later, they moved to Sunnyvale, and joined the Okaigan dojo, under Sensei Mary Crawford.  Greg received his Shodan at this dojo at the age of 49. For other forms of activity, Greg enjoys gymnastics, volleyball, diving (scuba and springboard), hiking, biking, and trampoline (which he taught at university in California). Greg has a degree in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, and works as a Semiconductor Reliability/Quality Engineering manager.