More Than a Gi: Why We’ve Spent Our Lives in the Dojo

31 Jan 2026

sandra

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They say you can’t lead someone where you haven’t been yourself.

Before we were karate teachers at Sunshine Coast Karate—and long before we became parents—we were just two kids stepping into the dojo for the first time. We still remember the day-one nerves, the focus required for our first kata, and the quiet pride of earning that first belt.

As a husband and wife team, we often joke that we’ve spent more of our lives in a karate uniform than in regular clothes. But looking back, that uniform has been our anchor through every stage of life:

The Teenage Years: Karate gave us a sense of belonging and the confidence to navigate the awkward transitions of high school.
Young Adulthood: It provided an “internal playbook” for making big decisions with clarity and presence.
Parenting: We used the discipline of Karate to navigate the “beautiful chaos” of raising a family.
The “Roommate” Stage: Today, we are navigating life with our own young adults, teaching them the same lessons of resilience we learned at their age.

Refining the Response

At its core, karate is about self-mastery. We’ve learned that while we cannot always control the adversity life throws our way, we can always refine how we respond to it.

Let’s be real: Even after decades of training, we still face challenges. We still fall. But that is the secret of our community—the dojo is a place of connection where we help each other find our feet. We aren’t “old” yet (though our kids might disagree!), but we’ve been around long enough to know that a strong “Support Crew” makes every challenge easier.

Join the Community

Whether you are 4 or 64, we invite you to give karate a go and see if it works for your life. There is no pressure to be perfect—just a community in Maroochydore ready to grow alongside you.