Grand Master Michael J. Bainton PH.D 10th Degree Black Belt |
OWNER and FOUNDER OF BAKIDO
Dr. Michael J. Bainton PH. D or Sensei, as he is known to all of us here, began his martial arts training under his father at his Judo Club on June 1, 1956. After training with him for a number of years, he went on to Hapkido in 1962 and earned his first Black Belt in 1978. His career path in law enforcement took him all over the western hemisphere. He started out as a Royal Canadian Mounted Police and became Chief of Police for Yellowknife West Territories and Stoney Plain Alberta. He then went on to train police officers and career security officers at the Canadian Security and Police Academy. Becoming a 1st Class Constable for the Calgary City police, he conducted training classes for recruits in drills, self defense and physical training. While there, he trained police canines which took him south of the U.S. border where he trained the Nuevo Leon S.W.A.T. team in self defense and the use of Utility Canines. After which, he went to private security at Pennzoil, where he was in charge of over a hundred security officers. He then made his way to protecting Governor Shivers and his family in the 1980's. During which he started training in Kung Jung Mu Sool, where he earned his second Black Belt. In 1992, he decided to open up South Austin Karate with the notion of training children after school and teach them Kung Jung Mu Sool. After a few years of the school being open and being inducted into the U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 1995, he then decided to teach his own art called BaKiDo, which means Bainton's Energy Way. |
Master John Aaron Castro 7th Degree Black Belt |
Floor Manager/Head Instructor
Began studying Martial Arts in 1994, here at South Austin Karate. Earned his Black Belt in April of 1998 and went on to earning his 7th Degree Black Belt in March of 2013. He is currently training in Soryu Karate and Brazilian Jui-Jitsu and is hopeful to earn a second Black Belt in Soryu in the near future. Along with training, he competed heavily in the 1990's and early 2000's and won numerous 1st, 2nd and 3rd place trophies. He was the Team Captain for the South Austin Karate Competition Demonstration Team and took 1st Place in the Traditional Demonstration Team category at the World Championships in Las Vegas in 2002. In 2001, he was awarded Black Belt of the Year by the Eastern U.S.A. International Martial Arts Association. The following year, he was awarded Competitor of the Year by the same organization. In August 2015, he received BaKiDo Master of the Year by the U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame and continues to strive for excellence through his students here at South Austin Karate. |
Theron Hoover 1st Degree Black Belt |
Assistant Floor Manager/Instructor
Mr. Hoover made his living in Retail Management prior to South Austin Karate and during his 20 plus years in retail, he acquired great knowledge in time management, prioritization and delegation, which he utilizes on and off the martial arts floor. His decision for coming here was an easy one, he simply wanted to fulfill his dream of working with children. And during his time here, he has worked through the ranks to become a 1st Degree Black Belt and received Karate Instructor of the Year in August of 2015 by the U.S.A. Martial Arts Hall of Fame from the U.S.A. Martial Arts Alliance. |
Deborah Hoover Purple Belt |
Director/Instructor
Mrs. Hoover has spent over 15 years in Retail Management where she sharpened her skills in customer service, employee management and organization. In 2012, she came to work here at South Austin Karate, instructing students and organizing the office to better suit our customers needs. With her wonderful skills in the office, she inevitably became the Director in May 2013. She has also spent time volunteering in her community for well over 15 years. Her experiences range from volunteer coaching at the recreation center to mentoring at the near by elementary schools, even the Texas PTA and sitting on the board of the Campus Advisory Council as Co-Chair, which she is still apart of to this day. |
Gabriel Ibanez Black Belt Candidate |
Instructor
Mr. Ibanez started Martial Arts back in 2009 and worked his way through the ranks to earn his Advanced Purple Belt before leaving in late 2011. He went on to become an Armored Truck Officer but continued to volunteer his time at South Austin Karate to maintain his knowledge and to teach new students. After his time as an Officer, he decided to return to South Austin Karate in June 2015 to continue his pursuit of a Black Belt in BaKiDo but his Black Belt wasn’t the only thing that drew him back; His love of teaching during his volunteering time is what he wanted most. Since his return, he has moved up the ranks yet again and now holds a Brown Belt. He looks forward to the challenges ahead and the opportunity to grown along side his students! |
Cliff Hill Master Knife Throwing Instructor |
Master Thrown Weapons Instructor
Mr. Hill has over 10 years experience in knife and tomahawk throwing, competing, and instructing. He came to Austin in 2006 and taught at South Austin Karate for three and a half years. He is an active board member of The International Knife Throwers Hall Of Fame and a two time inductee. He also holds many first place wins throughout the years in national and world competitions. In 2009 he left to pursue a career in the sharpening service and now is the owner of Austin's Knife Sharpest in N Austin. In July of 2015 he returned to South Austin Karate to teach knife throwing and is very glad to be back working as an instructor. |