SENSEI ERIC PANSING
Head Instructor
Sensei Eric began his martial arts journey at the age of 9 in Honolulu, Hawaii with his twin brother and nephew and is currently a 4th Degree Black Belt with over two decades of experience. He was student under Sensei Rusty Titus and Sensei Howard Takahashi, and later trained under Soke Hirano of Japan International Karate Center. During his time in Hawaii, Sensei Eric was part of the competition team where he would develop and learn the most. He would compete in over 50 tournaments in 5 years taking 36 Gold medals, 21 Silvers, and 22 Bronze Medals in various events. He capped off the 2004 season as national champion in sparring.
He and his family moved to South Carolina, his birthplace, in 2006 with his father retiring from the navy. Sensei Eric would then train under Sensei Kevin Marshall and would begin learning how to teach. He would compete in several more tournaments in the state during that time, become the state Champion in Weapons in 2008 and the Kumite Champion in 2009. He would decline joining the SC state team to compete at nationals to continue his teaching obligation at the dojo.
Sensei Eric is very skilled and knowledgeable in martial arts and is a exceptional teacher. He is focused on a students martial arts and personal growth, wanting them to succeed in all facets of their life.
Senpai Mya McColl
Assistant Instructor
Senpai Mya began her karate journey in Mooresville, North Carolina, early in her childhood alongside her younger brother, Kai. She currently holds the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt and has nearly a decade of experience in karate. After beginning her training in Mooresville, she continued her practice when her family moved to South Carolina in 2016. There, she trained under Sensei Juan Guillermo of the Japan International Karate Center (JIKC) and earned her 1st Degree Black Belt. Following the closure of JIKC, she joined Heiwado Karate Center to continue her training under Sensei Eric.
She became a member of the dojo’s competition team and participated in AAU-sponsored tournaments from 2017 to 2022. During this time, she achieved the title of 2021 AAU Kobudo National Champion and represented her dojo at the WuKF Karate World Championship in 2022.
At 19 years old, Senpai Mya is both knowledgeable and responsible. She is patient, focused, and passionate about teaching younger students. She makes every effort to ensure no student is left behind and consistently encourages each one to grow and improve.
SOKE HIRANO KIYOHISA
(1938 - 2009)
The founder of the JIKC, and Heiwado Karate, is Soke Kiyohisa Hirano. He has more than 50 years of experience in Karate and other martial arts. Born in Yokohama, Japan, he studied martial arts when many of the original Japanese Masters and their immediate successors were still alive. He studied with Master Hironori Ohtsuka, the founder of Wado-ryu. He was the 1960 winner of the All Japan Karate Championship, the only national All Japan Intercollegiate Kumite Championship which featured different karate styles.
In 1962 Soke Hirano moved to Hawaii and shortly thereafter established JIKC. It spread throughout the United States and is taught internationally.