1st Degree Black Belt: Freestyle Jiu-Jitsu

         1st Degree Black Belt: Seicho Jutsu

         1st Degree Black Belt: Ninjitsu

Ben Jolicoeur has been involved in martial arts since the age of 8. His training started in Ontario at Don Warner's Martial Arts Academy, the largest karate academy in Canada at the time. It was after 5 years of studies in Gojo Ryu Karate that Ben watched his first UFC. (Ultimate Fighting Challange) Royce Gracie easily won the UFC championship title. It was then that Ben realized that Karate alone was not going to provide him with all the necessary skills he would need to effectively defend himself in a 'real world' street type fight. Punches and kicks might work in the dojo but they don't always work on the street.

With this in mind Ben moved onto Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. (considered by many to be one of the best ground fighting techniques in the world.) This improved Ben's ground skills tremendously.

After moving across the country for a new job, Ben was introduced to Grand Master Daniel Verkerke, who is the founder and chief instructor of Seicho Jutsu. During his studies with Grand Master Verkerke Ben received training in the arts of Jiu Jitsu, Ninjutsu, Judo and Taijutsu, all of which are only the basics of Seicho Jutsu.

Ben has also received training in Muay Thai by nationally renowned Muay Thai Instructor Glen Kalesniko of Trail B.C

 Highlights

Ben receiving a 1 inch punch from Daniel Verkerke during a
demonstration at the Combat Arts Club in 1999

Ben assisting Grandmaster Dan McEaddy during a seminar.
To view pictorial visit:

http://www.bushido.org/events/event1.htm

Group shot of seminar participants with GM. Dan McEaddy.

Ben's first experience performing Seicho Jutsu to the Public,
 was in 2000. He was part of the Seicho Jutsu demo team
which performed for a Charity function that was also aired on TV.
Click the play button on the above video clip

2007

Sensei Ben Jolicoeur personal student of Daniel Verkerke and chief Instructor of the Kootenai FreeStyle Jiu-Jitsu school in British Columbia came by to visit the Grandmaster and attend a senior Black belt class. During his visit he presented GM Verkerke with a KFJ t-shirt seen in the above picture.

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Michael Petrella

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 Kapley Judge

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