Master Alan Gantala

     Chief Guro Alan Gantala was born in 1963 on the islan of Oahu in Hawaii. He began his martial arts journey as a karate student in the early 1970's under SenseiI James MiyajiI of Ken Shu Kan Shotokan Karate. After about 4 years of training and achieving a junior Brown Belt in Shotokan Karate, he pursued other interests.
     As a teenager, he was a weight lifter and in 1982, he entered the Hawaii state Powerlifting Championship placing 2nd in the 181 lbs class. In 1984, He entered the Hawwaii state Powerlifing Championship placing 3rd in the 220 lbs class/ Novice Division.
     It was in 1985 that his interest in the martial arts started again. In 1986, he started his training in the Filipinjo martial arts under Maestra Joey DelMar and Guro Mike DelMar of the DelMar School of Kali / Escrima. Eventually the school went into two directions. Maestra Joey DelMar of Hawwaii Escrima Academy. Professor Mike DelMar of DelMar School of Kali/Escrima. Chief Guro Alan Gantala has achieved the rank of Guro in both schools. In 1990, ne met Professor John Elliab and Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio. Through Professor John Eliaband Grandmaster Gilbert Tenio, he learned the Dequerdas style of Escrima until their untimely deaths in 1992 and 1994, respectively.
     Chief Guro Alan has officiated in numerous Escrima tournaments in Hawaii and on the mainland U.S. in 199. He started his own school named Korto Sumbrada School OF Kali/Escrima which is a composite of the many teachers he has learned from. Chief Guro Alan's passion for the martial arts continues onward today as he is always open minded to learning new concepts and principles in the martial arts. He states that he is always a lifelong of the martial arts and life itself. Through all of his martial art teachers, he not only learned self defense skils, but love, kindness, compassion, character, respect, humility, honor, integrity, perserverance, patience, and more.