All PIMA Denver instructors have earned their black belts from and trained extensively with GM Steve and his senior instructors, and have also had time with SGM Diony and GM Dong.
Grandmaster Steve Wolk (Founder of PIMA Denver)
GM Steve is the founder and leader of PIMA Denver. He is a six-time WEKAF full contact stick fighting World Champion, and the first non-Filipino to promoted to Grandmaster in the Doce Pares Multi-Style System by SGM Diony Canete. He has trained numerous world champions, demonstrating the effectiveness of the training methods has developed based on what he has learned from the Doce Pares Grandmasters. He has been influential in helping create the written curriculum, variations of which are used worldwide by Doce Pares Black Belts. All of the PIMA Denver black belts have trained extensively under GM Steve, and most have competed in full contact tournaments at the national and international levels.
CLASS TIMES with GM Steve
Mondays 7:15 pm- Wolchek Academy of Martial Arts in Boulder
e
e
Master Tim Wolchek
Master is Tim is one of GM Steve’s first students in Colorado (along with Master Tim Mills), has been training with him for more than 20 years, and has become one of PIMA Denver’s most senior instructors. He is a four-time WEKAF sparring World Champion, a seasoned referee, and has trained multiple World Champion students out of the Wolchek Academy of Martial Arts in Boulder. Master Wolchek is also a 5th Degree Black Belt in Freestyle Karate under Randy Reid and Mark Baier, and a 1st Degree Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Bob Bass.
CLASS TIMES with Master Tim Wolchek
Fridays at 6:30pm- Wolchek Academy of Martial Arts in Boulder
Master Tim Mills
Master is Tim is one of GM Steve’s first students in Colorado (along with Master Tim Wolchek), has been training with him for more than 20 years, and has become one of PIMA Denver’s most senior instructors. Master Tim is a 5th Degree Black Belt and a WEKAF sparring National and World Champion, as well as a well respected center referee. In addition to training with GM Steve Wolk, Master Tim regularly trains with Grandmaster Nilo Baron, who is also his brother in law. Master Tim is also a 5th Degree Black Belt in Kajukenbo under Sifu Sam Carter and a Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, as well as a certified MMA referee, having refereed in the UFC multiple times. In fact, you may see him occasionally on televised bouts!
CLASS TIMES with Master Tim Mills
Guro Brian Scott
One of GM Steve’s second batch of Black Belts (along with Eric Underwood and Hanyann Ng), Guro Brian Scott is a 3rd Degree Black Belt and 7x WEKAF World Champion, recognized as one of the top competitors and referees in WEKAF as well as an instructor, producing multiple World Champion students. Guro Brian is also a 4th Degree Black Belt in Freestyle Karate under Tim Wolchek, a 1st Degree Black Belt in Hawaiian Kenpo, a Kru in Muay Thai under Kru Suchat Chunton, and a Brown Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu under Bob Bass.
CLASS TIMES with Guro Brian Scott
Mondays and Wednesdays at 5:30pm at the University of Colorado Boulder
Guro Eric Underwood
Eric started his martial arts career later in life than most people. At age 38, he started training in kenpo at Don Garon’s Pennsylvania Karate Academy in the Pittsburgh area where he achieved purple belt rank. Part of the kenpo curriculum included Filipino sticks training and was his first exposure to eskrima. In 2000, Eric moved to the Denver area and continued his kenpo training at Tim Mill’s World Karate Center (WKC). One of the classes offered at WKC was a Doce Pares (eskrima) taught by Grand Master Steve Wolk. While recovering from a knee injury (ACL replacement), he decided to discontinue his kenpo training and solely focus on Doce Pares. In 2004, Eric was the US National Champion in the Senior Men’s Middleweight Champion in single stick fighting. While he has since retired from fighting, he continues to contribute as a center referee and judge at most of the regional, national and international tournaments. And in 2005, he proudly earned his Doce Pares Black belt. Today, Eric lives in the Chattanooga, TN area and is trying to establish a Doce Pares training center for the region.
CLASS TIMES with Guro Eric Underwood (Eric now teaches in Tennessee)
Guro Hanyann Ng
Guro Hanyann started practicing Doce Pares eskrima and Hawaiian kenpo/kajukenbo at the age of 16. Always on the move for school to pursue a career as a medical doctor, she applied the versatility of kajukenbo and eskrima as a foundation for other arts such as judo, Muay Thai, and Brazilian jiu jitsu. Currently, she is a fifth degree Black Belt in Kajukenbo, a third degree black belt in Doce Pares eskrima, a first degree black belt in American Freestyle, a purple belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and a blue belt in judo. She has been teaching group classes and private lessons for adults and kids for over fifteen years, emphasizing self defense and conditioning with every class and has taught women’s self defense seminars in Colorado, Washington, DC, New Jersey, and Grenada. She has also assisted in demonstrations for health fairs, elementary and middle school outreach programs, and cultural festivals.
CLASS TIMES with Guro Hanyann Ng
Guro Theresa Shonesy
Guro Theresa Shonsey has been training in martial arts for 18 years. A search for basic self-defense skills introduced Theresa to the world of martial arts. Her journey has led her to great accomplishments, including a 2008 National WEKAF Champion title in both single stick and double stick fighting. She has earned a Second Degree black belt in Doce Pares and a fourth degree black belt in Hawaiian Kenpo, providing her with a strong skill set to offer when teaching curriculum classes and specialty seminars. Although she has 12 years of teaching experience, Guro Theresa appreciates the value of being a student and continuing to learn and grow as a martial artist.
CLASS TIMES with Guro Theresa Shonsey (at PKKA Littleton)
Wednesdays- All Levels- 5:00pm to 6:00pm
Saturdays- Advanced- 9:00-9:45am
Saturdays- Beginners- 9:45am to 10:30am
Guro Chris Snarr
After attending a seminar presented by GM Dionisio Cañete in 2007, Chris started training in Doce Pares Eskrima under Guro Eric Underwood’s tutelage, eventually earning his black belt in Doce Pares under GM Steve Wolk. Since winning his first WEKAF national championship in 2008, Chris has also become a national and international level competitor and coach, producing multiple national and world champion students out of Northern Colorado Karate in Loveland Colorado. He has also helped organize and run multiple regional WEKAF tournaments. Chris Snarr is currently holds a 2nd degree Black Belt in Doce Pares and a 3rd degree Black Belt in American Kenpo. He began training in Kenpo over 12 years ago at Northern Colorado Karate in Loveland Colorado where he earned his 3rd degree and Sensei black belt under 6th degree black belt Professor Keith Schuett.
CLASS TIMES with Guro Chris Snarr
Wednesdays 7:15pm – 8:15pm at IBBA Loveland
Guro Braden Bomgaars
Guro Braden started training Doce Pares under Guro Chris Snarr when he was 10 years old and recently earned his junior black belt at age 15, the youngest to receive a black belt from GM Steve. He is the reigning WEKAF sparring and forms world champion in his age division. He has trained in American Kenpo since he was four years old at the International Blackbelt Academy of Loveland, Colorado under Master Keith Schuett, where he is currently a 1st degree black belt.