Kicking his way to health

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Kevin Doerksen has many qualities. He is modest and humble and he is in amazing shape for 45 years old. This small business owner and father of three is truly an inspiration.

    Mr. Doerksen owns and operates Personal Best Martial Arts Academy, a martial arts academy in Coquitlam. Mr. D's (as he is colloquially known) aspires to his best and inspires his students to do the same in all areas of their lives. As he told one expectant black belt while reaching into the air: “if I can only reach this high, I can’t reach any further.” Resting, he resumes: “all you can do is your best.”

    Mr. D says that martial arts is a lifestyle for him. He organizes his workout regime—which combines weight lifting, cardio, and sit-ups—to benefit his own training.

    After learning about his bi-or-tri-weekly gym visits, I wondered if the need to work out would be negated by his profession. The answer, as I was surprised to learn, is no. It turns out that “teaching” isn’t “doing” and an instructor would never survive five-hours of daily classes if it were. And though this third-dan black belt in tae-kwon-do is in peak physical shape, Hercules he is not.

    Kevin grew up in McBride, British Columbia on a farm. Like most farm kids from the interior of B.C, he dreamed of playing professional hockey. When the crushing realization came that he wouldn’t get to the NHL, Mr. D decided to travel around Europe. When he came home, he found himself in Burnaby. Still wanting to find a sport, he tried his hand at tae-kwon-do. 22 years later, he owns a business that was born of a passion. With 235 students—190 that are under the age of 13, Mr. D is living a happy, healthy life.

    However, who we are is measured mostly by what other people say. And the parents of his students in one class for 3 to 5 year olds all have glowing things to say about him. For starters, they all enrolled their children after rave reviews from friends or family. Not just that, but Mr. D makes healthy living positive for these “Little Tigers.”

    “He makes health fun,” says Jody Moss, the mother of one student, as he starts a particularly active “karate game” with the youngsters.

    And though most parents have decided to enroll their children in this institution because of the valuable lessons of self-discipline, respect, self-defense, and control, the martial arts are also amazing venues for a rigorous work out with a measurable yet foreseeable graduated outcome organized through coloured belts. Most martial artists who join Kevin’s school for health reasons abandon their weight goal, deciding instead to reach for their black belt and notice by accident that they met their weight goal on the way.

    Kevin Doerksen’s passion for life and the martial arts is clear in the way he lives his life. His lessons to his students are the same ones he passes on to his children, and the same ones he lives by himself. Taw-kwon-do expert, successful business owner of 13 years, kind teacher, loving father; men like Mr. D are not easy to find.

- Mason Smith -