At Ishinryu Karate Australia all of our karate classes are taught or overseen by senior black belt karate instructors. With a combined experience of over 100 years, our team has trained over 3000 students. Our instructors have achievements including national coaches, Australian representatives and international referees.
All instructors and senior students in the dojo have current Working With Children check compliance. Senior and emerging instructors are accredited with Karate Australia, ensuring that they have engaged in a robust initial accreditation process and are committed to annual updates regarding child protection and the innovative teaching of martial arts.
Read the bio of the black belt karate instructors below and see why Ishinryu Karate is the Sutherland Shire’s premier martial arts destination. Keen to try – click here to book your free trial class.
Our Instructor Team
Ishinryu Karate Australia’s Founder and Head of Style Sensei Tony Hails is the number one Ishinryu student worldwide.
With an incredible 40+ years of Ishinryu training, Sensei Tony has competed in World Championships and earned many Asia Pacific Medals, including coveted gold against Japanese opponents.
Sensei Tony’s coaching honours include NSW, Australia and Fiji and he is a silver dojo instructor with Sport Australia/AIS.
Ishinryu Karate’s Chief Instructor for NSW, Sensei Alison Peachey, has been training with Ishinryu for over 35 years.
Sensei Alison is the highest graded female instructor worldwide and is the first and only World Karate Federation referee in Ishinryu’s history.
Sensei Alison’s accomplishments include being a World Karate Federation Kumite Referee, the highest graded Ishinryu referee of all time.
Senior Karate Instructor Sensei Leighton Wren has over two decades of experience training with Ishinryu.
After achieving his shodan as a teenager, Sensei Leighton has gone on to win several national and international titles, in addition to earning his Sport Australia/AIS accreditation as a bronze dojo coach.
Senior Karate Instructor Sensei Gary Crookshank achieved his 4th Dan in 2025.
Sensei Gary’s devotion to martial arts and his unyielding commitment to personal growth has propelled him to inspire others to achieve their full potential and with his wealth of experience, he is now one of our skilled senior instructors.
Sensei Gino Ferraro is a senior karate instructor and achieved his 4th Dan in 2025.
Sensei Gino’s unwavering dedication to martial arts, combined with his love for learning, has led him to pass on his knowledge and help others achieve their full potential. His expertise has earned him a position as a seasoned instructor at our Menai dojo .
Senior Karate Instructor Sensei Michael Radermacher began training with Ishinryu in the 1980s and is a strong competitor in local and international events.
Sensei Michael most recently earned a medal at the Australian and New Zealand opens in both kata and kumite. He is a National kumite referee and kata judge and is a silver dojo instructor, accredited by Sport Australia/AIS.
Sensei Michael graded to 4th Dan in 2025.
Senior Karate Instructor Sensei Neil Walker transferred to Ishinryu 15+ years ago to train with his former National Team Captain Sensei Tony Hails. He graded to 4th Dan in 2025.
Sensei Neil’s passion for martial arts and his commitment to continued learning have driven him to impart his knowledge with Ishinryu students and led to his evolution as a senior instructor at Ishinryu Karate’s Menai dojo.