Sensei James Oberschlake
Chief Instructor
Sensei James Oberschlake started training karate in 1974 as a member of the Ohio State Shotokan Karate Club under the direction of Sensei Greer Golden. He earned the rank of Shodan in 1976. After graduating from The Ohio State University in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education, he returned home where he began a 30-year career teaching high school English and reading. That same year Sensei Oberschlake founded the Brown County Shotokan Karate Club. The first classes were taught in his parents’ backyard. The club moved to various locations. Then in 1980 construction was completed on the Brown County Shotokan Karate Dojo, located on Friendly Meadows Golf Course in Hamersville, Ohio. Sensei Oberschlake is extremely proud of former students who have gone on to form their own ISKF clubs. These students are Kim and Jeff Weber, founders of Shotokan Karate of Anderson, and Martin Schrager, founder of Ohio Valley Karate Club.
Sensei Marty Schrager
Regional Director
Assistant Instructor
Sensei Marty Schrager began studying karate in 1993 as an undergrad with the Ohio University Shotokan Club in Athens, Ohio under Sensei Howard Beebe. He earned his Shodan in 1997 under Sensei Greer Golden while completing his Master of Arts in Sociology.
After returning to his hometown, Cincinnati, Ohio, he began his study with Sensei James Oberschlake, our Chief Instructor at Brown County Shotokan Karate. He made the hour-long trek to Brown County almost every day for over 10 years, absorbing everything he could. Sensei Oberschlake had what he wanted and he was determined to work hard to get it.
In 2007 after starting a family with his wife, Kathy, finding it more and more difficult to make the trip to Brown County he approached Sensei Oberschlake with the idea of starting a club near his home in Wyoming, Ohio. In 2010 he founded Ohio Valley Karate where he is currently the Chief Instructor.
Sensei Carol Glenn
Team Coach
Sensei Carol Glenn began her karate training in March 1979 at the Ann Arbor Y Karate Club. She attained the rank of Shodan under Sensei Greer Golden in 1984 and subsequently earned the rank of Nidan from Master Masatoshi Nakayama in 1986. In 2014, she began training with the Swartz Creek Shotokan Karate Club and became Chief Instructor of that club in 2018. That same year, she graduated from the ISKF Instructor Training Program and has become an ISKF-certified Examiner, Instructor, and Judge. In 2023, Sensei Glenn achieved the rank of Shichidan.
Sensei Glenn hosts the annual Mid-America Summer Camp in Michigan, serves as Vice President of Mid-America ISKF, is a member of the Mid-America Technical Committee, and coaches the Mid-America National Team.
Sensei Greer Golden
(3/12/1937-2/18/2019)
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR EMERITUS
In 1957, Mr. Golden was on active duty in the Air Force, stationed in Japan. Being a “skinny” guy who was always getting pushed around, he decided to look for a school that offered Judo classes. During his search he observed a martial artist working out. Mr. Golden asked him what he was doing and the man replied, Karate. Soon thereafter, Mr. Golden began training with Mr. Noboru Kobayashi.
Mr. Golden extended his military enlistment for an additional year so he could continue to train in Japan and test for his Shodan, which he received in 1961.
After achieving his Shodan, Mr. Golden returned to the United States. While in California, Mr. Golden began training with Mr. Hidetaka Nishiyama, who had just come to America.
Mr. Golden also had the fortune to train under Mr. Yutaka Yaguchi, who was assigned to assist Mr. Nishiyama. In the mid 60’s, Mr. Nishiyama sent Mr. Golden to Arizona to teach karate. Then, in an attempt to further develop karate in America, the Japan Karate Association sent more qualified instructors from Japan to the United States. Mr. Golden returned to California after Mr. Shojiro Koyama arrived in Arizona.
In 1968 the Japan Karate Associations held its first Instructor Trainee program in the United States. Mr. Golden attended this program full-time, and graduated in 1969. This was the first instructor class to graduate outside of Japan.
He was then sent to Athens, Ohio (Ohio University) to begin teaching karate.
While in Athens, Mr. Golden began making the trip to Philadelphia to train with Mr. Okazaki, another JKA instructor. In 1977 Mr. Okazaki formed the International Shotokan Karate Federation (I.S.K.F.) and Mr. Golden was appointed the Chief Instructor of the Mid-America Karate Region.
Sensei Martin Vaughn
CHIEF INSTRUCTOR EMERITUS
Sensei Vaughan began training in 1972 with Mr. Golden at the Ohio Univ. karate club. He made shodan in 1974 and nidan in 1977. He was a member of the team, president of the club and an assistant to Mr. Golden during his time there. Also, during this time Sensei Vaughan was a member of the 1st place national collegiate kata team (finishing 2nd by 0.1 to the 1st place team in the national tournament). This team then went on to represent the U.S. (and win 1st place) at the Pan American tournament held at the Olympic Velodrome in Montreal, Canada in 1978. In 1976 Sensei Vaughan placed 2nd in individual kata at the International Goodwill tournament at Master camp. Many times he represented the Mid America region at the National tournament in kata and kumite.
Sensei Vaughan moved back to Mid America in 1999 where he started the Indiana ISKF club in Indianapolis, later moving to Michigan where he started the Michigan ISKF karate club.
Sensei retired from his role as Chief Instructor of Mid America on 12/31/2024 and is spending the next phase of his life in Pueblo, CO where he remains as the President of the ISKF and actively trains with ISKF Mountain States.
The Mid-America ISKF Technical Committee
Pictured above with Shihan Hiroyoshi Okazaki
Sensei Martin Vaughan – 8th Dan
Sensei James Oberschlake – 8th Dan
Sensei Carol Glenn – 7th Dan
Sensei Kimberly Weber – 7th Dan
Sensei Jeffrey Weber – 7th Dan
Sensei Marty Schrager – 6th Dan (Not pictured)
Mid-America ISKF Instructor, Evaluator & Judge Qualifications
© Mid-America Karate, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Mid-America Karate, Inc. is a not for profit, 501(c)(3) organization.