We have more Black Belt Sensei's (teachers) than any other club in the region. They are all NCCP (National Coaching Certification Program) Certified. They also have to pass Sensei Bob's scrutiny for integrity, honesty, and kindness.

Sensei Wayne Erdman (7th Degree Black Belt)
Leading Sensei, Grappling Expert

Sensei Wayne Erdman, an inductee to the Judo Canada Hall of Fame as an Athlete, was a long-time training partner of Sensei Bob's. He is a recognized and accomplished Judo athlete and Sensei. We are pleased to have him as an addition to our teaching staff effective April 2008. Sensei Wayne's many notable accomplishments are: Five time Senior National Champion, Pan American Championship Gold 1974, Pan American Games Mexico City Gold 1975, 1971-73-75 World Team Member, 1974 North American Open Gold, 1976 Olympian, Judo Canada Assistant coach 1981-84 & 1991-94, He served two terms on Judo Canada Technical Committee, one term as Judo Ontario council member, and is currently a member of Judo Ontario Grading Board.

Sensei Bob Zettl, ChPC (6th Degree Black Belt)
President/Owner, Director of Programming & Curriculum Director

Sensei Bob Zettl (6th Degree Black Belt), a former Junior National Coach, former Provincial Coach who introduced Judo to Kitchener-Waterloo Parks & Recreation programming in 1978 and volunteered six days a week as a Judo teacher and coach for over 40 years. He is a past member at large on the Judo Ontario Board of Directors (16 years)  and sits on the Provincial and Regional Black Belt Grading Boards. Sensei Bob is also a Chartered Professional Coach (ChPC) with Coaches of Canada. He still teaches 6 days a week and loves to coach all of Kaizen's competitors at tournaments all across North America (and even some in Europe, Asia and South America!)

Rainer Fischer (6th Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Rainer Fischer was a member of the 1976 Olympic Team. One of the highlights of his career was a gold medal in the 1975 Pan American Games. Rainer was six times Canadian Champion (three middle weight and three open weight) and was one of the first Ontario athletes to live and train at the National Training Centre in Montreal. Rainer opened the door for other Ontario athletes to move to the National Training Centre. Rainer holds the rank of 6th dan..

Milo Jokic (6th Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Milo Jokic (6th Degree Black Belt), has been practising Judo for over 40 years now. He is a former National Yugoslavia Champion and a former Natioanl Team Member. Milo has many international medals to back his talent up along with a World Masters Judo medal. Today, Milo still trains, competes and coaches.

Sensei Barry Williams (5th Degree Black Belt)
Executive Sensei, Coaching Coordinator & Curriculum Coordinator

Sensei Barry Williams (5th Degree Black Belt), who has being doing Judo with Sensei Bob since age 7, is a former Canadian Champion, a 2007 Gold Medalist and a 2-time World Police & Fire Games Silver Medalist. He also is a Gold Medalist at the Can-Am Police-Fire Games. As a firefighter he is a pillar of our community and he is also an all-around great guy. Check out his Judo muscles in the Guelph Firefighter Calendar.

Andy Zettl (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Client Services Director, Curriculum Coordinator and Leading Sensei

Andy Zettl (2nd Degree Black Belt), is proudly a former member of Canada's National Judo Team; he is the youngest person ever to win a National Championships, beating 14 and 15 years olds when he was just 12 years of age. He has also medaled at numerous international competitions in the U.S., Europe and South America. Now a graduate at Conestoga College in Police Foundations he is now pursuing further interest in Personal Training and Nutrition. He loves to teach Judo and hopes to follow in his father's Sensei Bob's footsteps one day.

Angela Meyer Sterzik (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Director of Women's Judo, Curriculum Coordinator & Leading Sensei


Angela Meyer Sterzik holds a degree in Recreation and Leisure Studies from the University of Waterloo and is an ESL teacher. She is an accomplished Judoka who has earned many medal finishes at the national and international level. She is one of our many female black belt Sensei's. One of her specializations is Self-Defense for Women.

Tabitha Leifso (1st Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Tabitha Leifso, one of our younger Sensei's, has just completed a degree in Police Foundations. She has been an avid Judoka since the age of 10 and counts Sensei Bob as one of her main mentors. She medaled at the 2002 Canadian National Championships and finished First on the podium at the Ontario Winter Games in 2002. She can also boast successful international competitive experience. Her next step is to fulfill her dream of being a police officer. We wish her good luck!

Roman Hatashita (4th Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Roman Hatashita has been a student of Sensei Bob's for over 20 years. He is a four-time Canadian Champion and proudly represented Canada at the Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain in 1992. He was also coached by his father, Sensei John Hatashita (6th degree black belt) and Sensei Wayne Erdman (7th degree black belt). Roman is the official distributor of Mizuno and other martial arts supplies in Canada. Check out the Hatashita Enterprises website.

Wayland Pulkkinen (4th Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Wayland Pulkkinen (4th Degree Black Belt), holds a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education, and an M.Sc. Sensei Wayland authored an insightful book on Judo atheletes entitled "The Sport Science of Elite Judo Atheltes". He is a former National medalist and national team member. He is a past National Coaching Certifications Program Co-ordinator for Judo Ontario and past Chair of the Sports Science Committee for Judo Canada.

Paul Lobb (3rd Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Paul Lobb is a former National Team member, and International Medalist and US Open Gold Medalist.

Marijan Mehes (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Marijan Mehes is a long-time Judoka who has committed the past 20 years of his life to the sport of Judo. Now he is committed to seeing Kaizen Judo Club maintain its position as the preeminent Judo Club in the Waterloo Region.!

Rebecca Zettl (1st Degree Black Belt)
Communications Director, Curriculum Coordinator and Associate Sensei

Rebecca Zettl used the focus and determination she learned in Judo since she was three years of age to earn an Honours degree in Organizational Communication at the University of Ottawa. After discovering how much she loved teaching through teaching Judo, she went to Australia to pursue a teaching degree. She is now certified through the Ontario College of Teachers to teach in Ontario's schools. Since returning she has worked in consultation with Sensei Bob to develop a reliable and accurate system of assessing the progress of Kaizen's Judo students, and has help to ensure that the quality of education here meets and exceeds the standards that children receive at Ontario's schools.

Heidi Sparkes (1st Degree Black Belt)
Associate Sensei

Heidi Sparkes is a long-time Judoka with an accomplished competitive history. She is currently one of our many Women's Judo Sensei's. She's a professional massage therapist as well-clearly she understands the needs of athletes!

Black Belt Members:
Dave Thomas (4th Degree Black Belt), Leading Sensei
Patrick Lam (4th Degree Black Belt)
Richard Targosz (3rd Degree Black Belt), Associate Sensei
Ed Spike (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Zachary Marshall (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Nedjo Sarenac (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Dusan Sarenac (2nd Degree Black Belt)
Walter Aranton (1st Degree Black Belt)
Brian Fitzgerald (1st Degree Black Belt)
Ron Westman (1st Degree Black Belt)
John Vincent (1st Degree Black Belt)
Peter Kroll (1st Degree Black Belt)
David Devidi (1st Degree Black Belt)
Rocco Mezzatesta (1st Degree Black Belt)
Morgen McAlister (1st Degree Black Belt)
In Memory of Gordon Moffat (1st Degree Black Belt)
Aleasha Shyhinskyj (1st Degree Black Belt)
Stephen Young (1st Degree Black Belt)
Amy Gayman (1st Degree Black Belt)
Mike Stinson (1st Degree Black Belt)
Pat Yang (1st Degree Black Belt)
Ken Morley (1st Degree Black Belt)
Anthony Howe (1st Degree Black Belt)
Josh Konink (1st Degree Black Belt)
Reed Jackson (1st Degree Black Belt)
Steve Lowe (1st Degree Black Belt)
Igor Muskatblit (1st Degree Black Belt)
Eric Meger (1st Degree Black Belt)
Derek Alsop (1st Degree Black Belt)
Gary Purchase (1st Degree Black Belt)
Tim Bondarenko (1st Degree Black Belt)
Paul Nurse (1st Degree Black Belt)
James Smith (1st Degree Black Belt)
Iren Zalagenas (1st Degree Black Belt)
Morgan Williams (1st Degree Black Belt)
Dillon Lelievre (1st Degree Black Belt)
Robert Fukudome (1st Degree Black Belt)
Scott Weigel (1st Degree Black Belt)
Johnny Arba (1st Degree Black Belt)
Chirs Rouleau (1st Degree Black Belt)
Chris Chapman (1st Degree Black Belt)