EMA Founders

Adam Gibson was born and raised in Mission, BC and opened his martial arts business in 2009 in the City of Chilliwack. He has been involved in martial arts for over twenty years. His main focus in EMA is our Instructor Academy program which raises up students from leaders into martial art instructors. Adam also spends his time working on developing our curriculum, keeping our budget balanced and organizing our annual tournament. He also owns and operates our EMA Chilliwack location with his wife.

Outside of martial arts, Adam is an avid athlete that spends his personal time skiing, golfing, surfing, dirt biking and hunting. He is married to his wife Stephanie and they have two boys. Being physically active is important to Adam as he believes it has huge benefits for a student's mental and physical well being. He knows that martial arts has a deep and lasting impact on a student’s life and looks forward to watching your journey in Excel Martial Arts.

Some people may view Leanne as a female martial arts instructor, 4th degree black belt and a board member of Excel Martial Arts.

However, what some may not know is that she also enjoys being physically fit. Health and good nutrition is a very important part of her life. She enjoys weight lifting and also enjoys hiking and anything outside with her 2 fur babies.
Whether she is doing physical activities for sport or fun, she can be tough competition even while at play.

Speaking of tough competition, Leanne has successfully completed 2 "Tough Mudder" events, ran 2 half marathons and done an Olympic Triathlon, displaying the focused and determined side of this strong woman.

With all this being said there is another side of Leanne that is sometimes hidden. That being the side of a kind,  compassionate and caring person. She loves her family and enjoys spending lots of time with them. She is excited in the victories of others, from their stepping stones to their journey in achieving success not only in their martial arts training but in every other area of life.

Take some time to connect with her in your travels, Leanne is an amazing woman that will be a vessel for all young ladies in achieving success and happiness in their lives.

As owner of our EMA Port Coquitlam Training Centre, Richard brings with him a wealth of knowledge. Starting martial arts in 1974, Richard holds a black belt in two disciplines, and has trained in five different martial arts. Having competed professionally as a dancer in couples and the Pro-Ams he brings the knowledge of two world titles to his martial arts instruction. The posture, poise, footwork and grace required for dance translates directly to martial arts. After some years focusing on other pursuits like downhill skiing and hiking, Richard started training seriously in martial arts again with his two daughters. The rest is history as his two daughters both achieved their black belts, and Richard went on to open his own training centre.

With a huge focus on childhood development, making an impact in the community, and developing relationships with the PACS of SD43, the Port Coquitlam EMA is a force to be reckoned with. On the mat you will see how Richard develops connections with the students, and with the parents of the children. Richard maintains an active lifestyle outside of martial arts as a world traveler, backpacker, and archer – and he does all this while still holding down a full-time day job. His overarching goal in EMA is to have every student reach their potential and live the best life they can! If you want to get on his good side, bring him a homemade batch of chocolate chip cookies.

Bryan has been involved in martial arts for over 20 years and is a founding member of Excel Martial Arts. His many years of instruction have developed into a dynamic and energetic instruction style that has led to the creation of EMA’s curriculum and Instructor Academy. EMA’s Instructor Academy has been the backbone of our martial arts system and has ensured quality instruction for our staff and leaders throughout the organization.

Bryan started teaching as a lead instructor in 2003 and has owned his own location since 2007. His deep connection with students, staff and community members has had a long-lasting impact on the city of Coquitlam. Bryan’s passion for martial arts, combined with his desire to volunteer in the community, have helped with fundraising for School District 43, Terry Fox Foundation and other organizations. He also considers himself to be a lifelong learner and is currently enrolled in an Early Childhood Education program at Norquest College. His goal is to continue to create and expand on EMA’s existing Before and After School care program.

Mark Murdoch was born in Calgary, Alberta and is a Doctor of Chiropractic. He has been a student and instructor of martial arts for almost 20 years. He brings his wealth of knowledge from his Doctorate onto the mats to develop a curriculum that is both challenging and safe.

Mark is a part of the Excel Martial Arts team because he believes martial arts training, especially for kids and teens, can truly shape and changes their lives. He knows how much martial arts influenced his life growing up, and he sees those same positive influences taking effect every day at our training centers.

Mark got into martial arts because his brother was the one who originally wanted to try martial arts. Naturally he couldn’t be outdone by his younger brother, so they joined together. Mark has a large influence on our curriculum development as well as sourcing the proper equipment from around the world to make our martial arts affordable for all to participate in.

Yvonne and Richard Janzen have been involved with the martial arts business for a number of years, mainly managing the EMA Coquitlam and EMA Mission training centers. The two of them have enjoyed being involved and seeing so many members reach their goals and achieve success in all areas of life. Both R&Y are EMA Board Members and are involved in all areas but mainly work with supplying merchandise to the Training Center locations.

As hobbies Richard and Yvonne enjoy camping, kayaking, biking and travel. Richard can be found riding his motorcycle while Yvonne can be found riding her horse.
Being semi retired, the two now intend to take part in more of their passions but still staying involved with EMA. They look forward to meeting you and seeing you succeed on the mats.

Kumar is a founding member of Excel Martial Arts. Most of the dynamic warm-ups, animal movements, and fitness-based exercise you perform in class were brought into EMA by Kumar. He has over thirty years of consistent martial arts training, twenty-five as a Black Belt. Kumar started training as a young adult while completing his Kinesiology Degree at Simon Fraser University. He started teaching in 1997, but always maintained his day job as a Kinesiologist. Kumar has now worked for the BC Government for 21 years and maintains an active practice.

For many years he competed across British Columbia and the Western States in forms, sparring and weapons. EMA is Kumar’s greatest passion outside of his two children. You can find Kumar teaching Instructor Academy Level I and II, leading Black Belt Elite, as Test Committee for color belt tests, and at Black Belt Tests grinding them through the toughest workout of their life.

Brandon has been a part of EMA since its inception. Throughout his tenure at Excel Martial Arts, he has actively contributed to various aspects, including curriculum development, social media strategy, participation in the marketing committee, serving as a member of the test committee, and assuming the role of a tournament referee.

With over 12 years of experience in instructing martial arts, Brandon has had the privilege of visiting all the EMA schools as a member of the test committee. Additionally, he previously served as an instructor at both the Langley and Port Coquitlam locations. Brandon takes immense pride in co-founding EMA alongside his lifelong friends, Mark Murdoch and Leanne Ens. He believes that this achievement reflects the essence of EMA, where the people you meet become lifelong friends.

What Brandon cherishes most about Excel Martial Arts is the community it fosters. He firmly upholds the positive impact of martial arts training, drawing from his own life experiences. Witnessing students transform from shyness to confidence or from timidity to courage stands out as a significant highlight of his career thus far.

Moreover, Brandon possesses a background in personal training and kinesiology, fueling his passion for fitness. He constantly seeks innovative ways to introduce new ideas and exercises to enhance the training experience for his students. Presently, Brandon is actively pursuing his certification in Registered Massage Therapy through training at the Vancouver College of Massage Therapy.

Moneka Huizenga is a founding member of Excel Martial Arts and was instrumental in setting up and organizing our business from day one. Her commitment to helping people, and passion for making a difference in people’s lives is unparalleled. Moneka has served as an instructor and mentor for many of our instructors and owners today, and we owe her a debt of gratitude for her years of dedication.

Moneka is a proud mother, grandmother and wife and her passion for family shows in everything she does and says. She is the kind of person that just makes you feel good about yourself. With over two decades of martial art experience and training she brings a wealth of knowledge to the mat and business side of EMA.

Scott Williams serves on the leadership team and co-authored much of the mental health and personal wellness content at EMA. He has been working in the psychology field for three decades as a social worker, adoptions agent, group home director, youth and family counsellor, addictions specialist, neurocognitive therapy, and with special needs individuals and groups.

He is a public speaker on a regular basis for school districts, government agencies, and private enterprise. His specialties include neurofeedback/biofeedback, counselling for trauma, mental health and addictions, relationships, and specialized counselling for individuals and families. Scott enjoys canoeing, writing, good conversation, watching young martial arts succeed as athletes and individuals, philosophy, and his grandchildren.