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THE AMERICAN KARATE CENTERS TEAM

Excellence is a Habit

Our team is dedicated to helping our students reach their goals.

10th Degree Grandmaster Sanchez at American Karate in Ellington, CT

GRAND MASTER SANCHEZ
10th Degree Black Belt
Owner

Grand Master Sanchez, the head of the American Karate Center team, holds the Rank of 10th Degree Black Belt and has been practicing and teaching martial arts for over 45 years. He teaches private lessons to school owners from Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Connecticut.

 

Mr. Sanchez is an Air Force veteran who re-enlisted in the service after 9/11. He taught military personnel on his first and second enlistment. Upon his re-enlistment, Mr. Sanchez went on to cross-train as an Air Force medic. He is also a National Registry Emergency Medical Technician and has studied with the American College Of Sports Medicine. He has designed programs that address the three major components of health and fitness: cardio-respiratory endurance, muscular strength and endurance, and range of motion. Mr. Sanchez believes in developing fit, well-rounded martial artists. Grand Master Sanchez partners with Ellington Youth Services, bringing martial arts awareness programs to the community.

Power Ranger Hien Nguyen at American Karate in Ellington, CT

HIEN NGUYEN
7th Degree Black Belt
Instructor

Mr. N was GM Sanchez’s first Black Belt student. He went on to pursue his martial arts career in California, filmography includes 1995 Mighty Morphin Power Rangers ( White Ranger), commercials and WMAC Masters series where he was known as Tsunami. Mr. N currently conducts seminars and attends Comic-Con. He enjoys training and coaching our students to help empower them to reach their full potential.

Marisa Paradis Social Media Coordinator at American Karate in Ellington, CT

MARISA PARADIS
Social Media Coordinator 

Marisa loves being a part of the AK family both behind the scenes with their social media and as a karate mom!  You will see her sneaking in photos and videos whenever she can, because everything is content! When Marisa is not busy with AK and her own family, she is busy with her own business. She owns Shakeup Makeup, LLC- a space for fitness, wellness and beauty services and loves helping people feel their very best! 

Amelia Crocker, Assistant Instructor at American Karate in Ellington, CT

AMELIA CROCKER
3rd Degree Black Belt
Assistant Instructor 

Amelia started her martial arts journey in 2016 at the age of 9. Amelia is a role model kicker combining strength, flexibility, and focus to achieve optimal kicking aesthetics. Her attention to detail and welcoming personality make her a strong leader. Amelia enjoys creating art through drawing, theatre, and music. She is enrolled in the honors program at Springfield College, studying Communication Sciences and Disorders, with hopes to become a Speech and Language Pathologist in the future to aid those who need her.

She is so grateful to share the joy of learning American Kenpo with the next generation of AK students. She hopes her leadership will help students to gain confidence in who they are, an attribute in herself that she credits to her martial arts training.

Amelia continues to work to make sure that all students feel safe and included in classes, allowing them to learn how to properly utilize their marital arts training to improve both their mental and physical health.

Yagna Das, Assistant Instructor  at American Karate in Ellington, CT

YAGNA DAS
2nd Degree Black Belt
Assistant Instructor

This is Yagnasenee Das (or Yagna for short). She entered the world of martial arts at the age of 5, and now holds the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt. She loves perfecting her kicks, spinning hook kicks being her favorite, and having intensity when sparring. She loves having conversations with others and overall has a fun personality!

 

She is currently playing as a defensive specialist on the Junior Varsity Volleyball Team for Ellington High School. She loves to sing and has performed at many music festivals along with being the lead singer of her rock band, now moving into her jazz era.

 

Yagna can see herself as a new instructor of American Karate and loves to share, guide, and mentor the students of American Karate in their martial art journey ahead. She is very excited to be a part of the A.K. Team!

Josh Fernandez, Instructors at American Karate in Ellington, CT

 JOSH FERNANDEZ
4th Degree Black Belt 
Instructor

Mr. Fernandez started his martial arts journey at 7 years old with Grandmaster Sanchez at East-West Karate back in 1998, largely inspired by the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. Later learning iconic moves from Mr. N himself. Mr. F is an excellent technician specializing in explosive kicks, powerful stances, and quick footwork with a background in ballroom and Latin dancing. While skilled in a wide variety of weapons, Mr. F specializes in swordsmanship. He loves to help students overcome challenges and build the confidence to do the same in every aspect of their lives. Outside of the dojo Mr. F enjoys cooking, hiking, and biking local trails with his wife and dog.

Elise Kelly, Administrative Consultant at American Karate in Ellington, CT

ELISE KELLY
   Administrative Consultant  

Elise Kelly holds dual Associate Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Business Administration, as well as a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. She brings both an educational and business-focused background to her work. Outside of her professional pursuits, Elise enjoys reading and exploring new places through travel.

Kelly Rocca, Introductory Program Instructor at American Karate in Ellington, CT

Kelley Rocca
Introductory Program Instructor

Kelley is the Introductory Program Instructor at American Karate Center and a RYT 200 Certified Yoga Instructor. 

As the first point of contact for new students, she leads private introductory lessons, supports group classes, and manages front desk operations and customer service. 

With a strong foundation in yoga and mindfulness, Kelley brings a warm, grounded presence to the studio—helping students feel welcomed, supported, and connected from day one. 

In her free time, she enjoys hiking with her kids, playing piano, singing, and reading.

Aaruch Kumar, Junior Instructor  at American Karate in Ellington, CT

AARUSH KUMAR
3rd Degree Black Belt
Junior Instructor

Aarush began his karate journey in 2014 as a Tiger, a class that we used to have for 3 and 4-year-olds. He currently holds the rank of 3rd Degree Black Belt and has been an essential member of our Junior Instructor Team since 2021.  Aarush loves working his spin kicks, sparring, and his favorite weapon, the bo staff.  Aarush’s confidence has grown with each challenge put before him, and we are so proud to have him as a student, and a junior instructor.

Beyond karate, Aarush is an excellent student and loves to read. He also loves playing cricket, traveling, trying out new foods, and hanging out with friends and family. We are excited to watch him continue to grow and positively impact our students.

Danny Tarasyuk, Junior Instructor at American Karate in Ellington, CT

DANNY TARASYUK
3rd Degree Black Belt
Junior Instructor

Danny began his journey at AK as a Dragon in March 2017. He currently holds the rank of Second Degree Black Belt. Since his training began, Danny has achieved a variety of accolades during his martial arts journey, including Student of the Quarter, Excellent Stance, and Perfect Roundhouse Kick honors. He has also had success at martial arts competitions throughout the state of Connecticut. Danny is also a member of our Demo Team and loves to perform, displaying his skills with his favorite weapon, the Bo Staff.  

 

In his free time, Danny likes to be outside, fishing, and biking. He also likes to play chess. He plays seasonal sports and is also active in Scouts where he has achieved the rank of First Class and leadership roles of patrol leader and outdoor ethics guide. Throughout the years Danny has worked diligently to encompass all the values of American Karate including Excellence, Integrity, and P.R.I.D.E., and enjoys having the opportunity to assist in the journeys of our AK students!

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