Jeff Cooper
Jeff Cooper has been a martial arts practitioner for 48 years. He holds a 4th degree black belt in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Seibukan under Hanshi Zenpo Shimabukuro and Kyoshi Victor Banks, 3rd degree black belt in Shorin Kempo under Hanshi Terry Bryan, and has satisfied black belt requirements in Tang Soo Do. He began his Karate training in 1974 with Kyoshi Noel Fernandez, of the Shorin-Ryu – Chibana lineage.
Sensei Cooper is an international level competitor and competition judge, first licensed by the National Governing Body of Olympic Karate (USA NKF) in 1995. Sensei Cooper’s participation in Sport Karate began in 1975 at the St. Louis Grand National Karate Championships and spans 50 + tournaments, including 5 NKF Nationals. Competition highlights include Senior Men’s Champion for the State of Colorado (1997) and 2001 Bronze Medalist (Kumite) at the Okinawan Karate-do World Championships.
Sensei Cooper became a certified fitness trainer in 1983 and worked professionally as a personal trainer and counselor with adolescent and adults from 1981 to 1987. He has been a trainer and Karate instructor for all age groups since 1995.
Mr. Cooper holds BA and MBA degrees from the University of Colorado. He has served as Adjunct Faculty of the University of Colorado (“UCCS”) Health Sciences department and as the UCCS Karate Club coach from 2005 to 2013. Prior to that he was a martial arts instructor at Cutting Edge Mixed Martial Arts, cross-training in Karate, Jeet Kun Do and Shooto. Mr. Cooper is the founder and President of Plyo Systems, LLC, a designer and manufacturer of power training athletic equipment with installations in Olympic, professional sports and College facilities across the United States. Sensei Cooper is a chartered Shorin-Ryu Seibukan instructor from Okinawa, Japan.