Our Team | Community Karate Cen

Sensei Neil Sutton

Head Instructor, Owner

Neil's incredible patience and technical skill make him an excellent instructor who brings the physical and sport aspect of karate to our dojo.

Neil holds two black belts; a first degree in Taekwondo which he earned in 1996 under Sensei Michael Byington, and a second degree in Shotokan which he practices today.

His Shotokan degrees were earned under Sensei Scott Langley (5th Dan) of HDKI and Sensei Toru Shimoji (5th Dan), who was originally born in Okinawa and later trained directly under Hidetaka Nishiyama.
Aside from his love of teaching, his passion is to compete. Since 2015, he has won 4 Silver and 2 Gold medals in both kata and kumite at various national karate championships, including most recently at the Windy City Karate Tournament in Chicago in April of 2019.

Sensei Michael Scott

Instructor, Owner

Michael's passion is passing along the rich tradition and history of traditional karate, and keeping the legacy of his Sensei alive and thriving.

Michael holds a 2nd degree black belt in Shotokan Karate which he earned under Sensei Scott Langley (5th Dan) of HDKI. His 1st degree was earned through the American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA) under Sensei Jeannie Byrnes (3rd Dan, and the late Sensei Randall G. Hassell (8th Dan).

Sensei Hassell was a first-generation American to pioneer Shotokan Karate and can trace his instructional roots back to the "Father of Modern Karate", Gichin Funakoshi.
Michael is honored to pass his teachings down to the next generations.

Lindsay Sutton

Karate Mom & Marketing Whiz, Lindsay keeps the dojo running smoothly and handles the design, sales, marketing, and events.

And so much more.

Lindsay is the go-to for all things CKC. Specializing in marketing and event planning, she also handles the memberships, merchandise, customer relations, and generally just keeps the center running smoothly.

She's also a karate mom, so her design input was critical in ensuring that the dojo was an inviting space for men, women, and children alike.

Have a question?

Lindsay is happy to help!

Business Manager, Owner

Sensei Peter Crites

Peter's experience makes him a wonderful addition to the CKC team, where he strives to carry on the important tradition of Shotokan karate.

Peter holds a third degree black belt which he earned under the late Sensei Randall G. Hassell (8th Dan) and the American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA). He began his Shotokan Karate training in 1990 under Sensei Hassel, whom he continued to train under until his passing in 2015.

Peter entered ASKA’s Instructor Training program in 1996 and is a licensed ASKA Instructor. He has been an assistant instructor over the years and is currently Head Instructor of Family Karate Center West in Warrenton, MO. He is also a member of ASKA’s Shihan Kai, who’s primary goal is to pass on the art of Shotokan Karate to future generations of students.

Assistant Instructor

Ryan Talbert

Ryan combines broad knowledge and unique individualized support to make your workout feel like a personal training session, even when there's a room full of people.

Ryan is the founder of Foundations Kettlebell Training and is a Hardstyle Kettlebell Challenge instructor whose passion is to make strength accessible to everyone. Hardstyle kettlebell training is an outstanding way to build full body strength, power, and mental toughness with just a handful of exercises. And it’s fun! Come to his classes and and be strong for your life.

Ryan also trains in karate with his son and would love to see more parents get involved in martial arts with their children!

Kettlebell Instructor

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