Our Instructors

WILLIAM ODOM - Master Instructor

William O. Odom, a 6th degree black belt, is an accomplished martial artist with over 40  years experience as a Tang Soo Do practitioner and instructor. He traces his martial arts lineage to some of the world’s most respected masters.  He began martial arts training in Thailand at age twelve. 

After ten years of karate training, he joined the US Army.  During his 25 years of military service commanding infantry units including Army Rangers, he acquired a wide-ranging knowledge of other martial arts and honed his teaching skills. He developed a combatives program for over 14,000 soldiers serving in Korea, has taught men and women of all ages, and is a former nationally ranked competitor. 

Mr. Odom continues his martial arts education with regular training sessions at the famous Gracie Jiu-jitsu Academy and is currently a blue belt Jiu-jitsu student of Rorion Gracie and a certified Gracie Combatives Level 2 instructor.  Today, he possesses the experience, knowledge, skill, mature judgment, and commitment to excellence found only in the best instructors. He is a Norfolk resident and father of two, including a graduate of Maury High School.  Mr. Odom is committed to the positive growth of every student at NKA and to the growth of the Norfolk community.

LARRY YAP - Senior Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Instructor

Lawrence (Larry) Yap is a retired Army ranger with over 30 years of martial arts experience.  He earned black belts in Hapkido from Grandmaster Song S. Choi, and in Judo/Midori Yama Budokai Japanese Jiu-jitsu from Sensei Frank Barry.  He has competed in amateur boxing (AAU and PAL) and Muay Thai (under Kru Takkratoke) since age 10.  His wide-ranging fight experiences include all-service military Muay Thai bouts (Nakorn Si Thammarat) and U.S.-Thai friendship competitions (Lumpini and City Hall, Saraburi, Thailand).  Larry wrestled at both the high school and collegiate levels (Missouri).  In 1989, he began his Gracie Jiu-jitsu training under Relson Gracie and Romolo Barros in the garage in Hawaii Kai and at the University of Hawaii, eventually earning his purple belt.  In 1992, he began competing in no-gi, sambo, and MMA competitions (California, Las Vegas, Florida, Hawaii, UAE, Brazil, Thailand, Korea and Japan).  Larry retired from competition in 2000.  Today, thanks to Mr. Odom, Rorion, Ryron, and Rener Gracie, and the rest of the NKA family, Larry is back in the game and committed to improving his teaching skills as an NKA instructor, certified Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy purple belt, and MMA coach.

AUBREY ANDERSON - Assistant  Instructor

 

 

Aubrey Anderson is a 2nd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a "street" blue belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu having been one of the first six students in the world to have completed the Gracie Combatives® course outside of the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Torrance, California.  She is an Assistant Instructor with the children's classes and is Program Director for the annual NKA Children's Summer Camp.  Aubrey has a Masters Degree in Special Education and works in the Norfolk Public School System.

 

 

 

 

KERRY KILBURN - Assistant Instructor

 

Dr. Kerry Kilburn is a 2nd degree black belt in Tang Soo Do and a blue belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.  She also holds a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do from the Martial Arts Education Center, where she instructed for ten years, and a 1st degree black belt in TAOS Cielo y Tierra Arnis from TAOS Martial Arts.  She is now serving at NKA as an Assistant Instructor for the children’s classes and is Program Director for Women’s Self Defense.   A lifetime member of both the National Women's Martial Arts Federation (NWMAF) and the Association of Women Martial Arts Instructors (AWMAI), she served on the NWMAF Board of Directors for two years and currently serves as Administrative Director of AWMAI. She is committed to providing for others, especially women, the transformative experience training in the martial arts has been for her.  When she’s not training, you can find Kerry working at her “day job” as a Biology professor at Old Dominion University or riding her Thoroughbred mare, Jordan.

 

SHAWN PEREZ - Assistant Instructor

 

 

Shawn is a 1st degree black belt with over three years experience training in karate and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at Norfolk Karate Academy. He competes in local grappling tournaments and coaches/leads our unofficial grappling team. Shawn was one of the first students at NKA to earn his blue belt in Grace Jiu-Jitsu and was among the first certified Gracie Combatives instructor. Shawn’s three children also train at NKA.

 

 

 

 

BRAD TAYLOR - Assistant Instructor

 

Brad is a 1st degree black belt with over three years experience training in karate and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu at Norfolk Karate Academy. He was one of NKA’s first students to compete in full-contact mixed martial arts. Brad was one of the first students at NKA to earn his blue belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and was among the first certified Gracie Combatives instructors. Brad’s wife, two kids, and mother-in-law also train at NKA

 

 

 

 

Certified Gracie Combatives®  Instructors

Bill Odom

Shawn Perez

Kerry Kilburn

Brad Taylor

Troy Ingram (probational)

Billy Gomez (probational)

Rebecca Sizemore (probational)

Brad Smith (probational)

 

Click here to read more about Norfolk Karate Academy in the 2006 Portfolio Weekly article titled "Warrior Within" by Tom Robotham (editor-in-chief at Portfolio Weekly and avid NKA student).

 

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