Our instructors

Volunteer black belts in Petaluma, with over 100 years of judo between them.

Sensei Henry smiling on the blue mats while students practise together across the hall behind him

先生

Sensei, the word for teacher

Everyone who teaches here is a volunteer black belt. Our senseis have over 100 years of judo between them, with national accolades in competition. Every class has several instructors on the mat, so beginners get individual attention. New students work with an instructor on falling safely before anything else.

Many of our instructors trained and earned their black belts with us. Sensei Davin started here at age 5, and others followed the same path from white belt to teaching. We know what it means to grow up in this dojo.

Our instructors are SafeSport certified, which means they're trained to keep young athletes safe. They're also concussion trained, so they know the signs and how to respond. Black belts lead and supervise every class, and our senpai work with students directly on the mat.

Close-up portrait of Sensei Henry in his white gi, smiling and looking up

Sensei Henry Kaku

6th dan, head instructor

Sensei Henry took over as head instructor in 2007, when our founder, Jim DeLeon, retired. He has over 50 years in judo, more than 25 of them teaching. He holds his black belt from the Kodokan, the school Jigoro Kano founded in Tokyo.

As a competitor, he placed in the top four at many national competitions, including High School Nationals and AAU Nationals. He was also on the varsity judo team at San Jose State University. Today he's a USA Judo Continental Coach and a USJF Regional Referee.

Teaching is his work off the mat as well.

He holds a teaching credential, has taught math and worked as a high school counselor, and substitute teaches in Petaluma-area schools.

He also helps look after rank beyond our own club. He chairs the Board of Examiners of the Central Coast Judo Association (CENCO), which oversees rank standards across its ten member clubs. He's a life member of the United States Judo Federation and the United States Judo Association.

Sensei Davin in a white gi with the DeLeon Judo Club patch, standing outdoors in sunglasses and looking into the distance

Sensei Davin Tillman

5th dan, assistant head instructor

Sensei Davin grew up in this dojo. He began at DeLeon in 1992, at age 5, and earned his shodan here in 2008, at age 20. His nidan followed in 2011, his sandan in 2017 and his yondan in 2022, and today he holds 5th dan.

He has also studied judo at Santa Rosa Junior College, and he has placed in the top three at local and regional tournaments numerous times. He's a USA Judo National Coach and a USJF Regional Referee, so he knows a tournament from the competitor's side and the referee's.

He is President of CENCO's Board of Managers and a member of our own Board of Directors. With Sensei Henry chairing the Board of Examiners, that makes two of our senseis helping to lead the regional black belt association our club belongs to.

Senpai

Black belts who help lead class and mentor students on the mat.

Tim Sasan
1st dan
Joe Lauritzen
1st dan
Will Sakaguchi
1st dan

Black belts, former students and friends of the club also drop in as visiting senpai to train and help teach. Judo is a small world, and the dojo is better for every one of them.

Senpai (先輩) means a senior student. Sensei (先生) means teacher.

Sensei Henry smiling on the blue mats with his hands on his hips while students in white gi train behind him

Volunteer instructors

Every instructor here is a volunteer. Class fees go toward mat time, equipment and insurance, and keep judo affordable for Petaluma families.

About the club

Questions about our senseis.

The ones we hear most about who's teaching.

Who will actually teach my class?

Black belts lead and supervise every class. Sensei Henry is our head instructor, and our senpai work with students directly on the mat.

Are your instructors certified?

Yes. Our instructors are SafeSport certified and concussion trained. Sensei Henry and Sensei Davin are also certified USA Judo coaches and USJF Regional Referees.

Are the instructors paid?

No. We're a 501(c)(3) non-profit, and our instructors are volunteers.

What do "sensei" and "senpai" mean?

Sensei means teacher. Senpai means a senior student. You'll hear both on the mat, along with the Japanese names of the techniques.

What does "dan" mean?

Dan is a black belt rank. First dan, or shodan, is the first black belt, and the numbers climb from there. USJF certifies our students' kyu and dan rank.

Can I talk to a sensei before signing up?

Yes. Come by any Tuesday or Thursday at 5:30 pm. Instructors are happy to talk before or after class, with no appointment needed.

See all FAQs

Train with them.

Come meet them any Tuesday or Thursday at 5:30 pm.