The Banff Kyokushin Karate Club started in August of 2001.

The club practices all aspects of Kyokushin Karate with an emphasis on realistic, full-contact sparring. A trait that separates Kyokushin Karate from many others. 1998 – Banff Karate opens in the Banff Springs Hotel Fitness Centre (Called Banff Shinseikai Karate). Sempai Taka Saitoh is the head instructor, and Jeff Hines is one of the first students, having also trained in the same style at a dojo in Whistler

1999 – (Fall) Daymon Miller joins Banff Karate. Membership in Banff Karate is approximately 8.

2000 – (Spring), Sempai Taka returns to Japan for personal reasons, and Sempai Jeff (Green belt) assumes the head instructor role and teaches all classes.

2001 – (January) Sempai Jeff adds a children’s class to the schedule. Karate becomes very popular and many young students join. A second location, The Banff YWCA conference room is added and used for children’s classes.

2001 – (Spring) Banff Karate becomes dissatisfied with parent organization of Shinsekai and opts to leave. Total membership in Banff Karate is 30+

2001 (early summer) – Jeff Hines and Daymon Miller approach Kyokushin Karate via sensei Brad at the Calgary Dojo, seeking to join Kyokushin. Sensei Brad directs us to Sempai Steve Gobby who runs the Cochrane and Water Valley Dojo’s.

2001 (August) – Shihan Don Corrigal, Sempai Steve Gobby, Sempai Brad Gillespi and a few students from Calgary trek to Banff to welcome the Banff Dojo into Kyokushin. The inaugural Banff Kyokushin Karate (BKK) practice is held in the Banff Springs Hotel dojo in the fitness centre. Sempai Steve Gobby becomes the head instructor for the Banff Kyokushin Karate Dojo, teaching all classes 2001 (December) BKK moves all practices to the YWCA 2002 – BKK moves all practices to the Elementary School Membership is 50+ students

2004 Jeff Hines earns rank of Shodan, and becomes the first black belt from BKK 2004 (winter) – BKK opens a second dojo in Canmore in order to expand Kyokushin. Tyler Pecsi (6 yrs old) and mother Julie Pecsi become members. The dojo is short lived and closes after a few months. Julie and Tyler continue to train at the Banff dojo.

2005 First Foothills Tournament held in Banff and co-hosted with Calgary and Bearspaw dojos, with the intent of rotating the tournament location yearly. The Foothills tournament would evolve into the Calgary Cup.

2006 – Julie Pecsi takes on role of club administrator

2007 (September) – BKK opens its own Dojo and studio space after countless volunteer hours demolishing and renovating a basement section of the Clocktower Mall. Access is from the Alley. Adult practice is held at the dojo. Children’s classes are held at the Banff Elementary School

2007 – Due to popularity and demand, a junior class (5-7 yrs old) is added to the training schedule

2009 (Summer) – Daymon Miller earns Shodan, becomes 2nd member of dojo to earn this rank. Assumes role of Head Instructor.

2010 (Fall) All classes moved to the dojo

2011(November) – First member of BKK, Jake Peacock, attends a world level tournament. The World Friendship Tournament in Tokyo.

2013 (August) – Summer Training Camp, Enderby BC: – Julie Miller achieves the rank of Shodan, becomes a full instructor (1st-degree black belt) becomes the 3rd black belt from Banff – Tyler Pecsi and Taiga Fujino achieves the rank of 2nd Kyu becoming the 4th and 5th Banff members to achieve that rank – Daymon Miller achieves the rank of Ni Dan (second-degree black belt) and the 1st from the Banff dojo to achieve that rank

2014 (January) The Banff Dojo hosts the 2nd tournament in its history, The Banff Kyokushin Karate Championships. 80 competitors and numerous instructors come from Alberta and BC to participate

2014 (August) Lindsey Heenan Sneesby, Nanako Emori earn the rank of 2nd Kyu, becoming the 6th and 7th members to do so

2015 (November) Tyler Pecsi (Ikkyu) will attend the World Youth Open Tournament representing Banff at the second world level tournament in the clubs history

2017 (August) Daymon Miller achieves the rank of Sandan and becomes sensei 2018 (August) Stephane Goulet earns rank of 1st Kyu, becoming the 5th in the Banff dojo

2019 (August) Tyler Pecsi achieves the rank of 1st Kyu, becoming the 5th member of dojo to earn that rank

2019 (November) Sensei Daymon and Sempai Francois compete in the World Friendship Tournament in Tokyo at the Elite and Master Class levels respectively

2019 (December) Banff hosts The 7th Annual Banff Kyokushin Karate Championships