November 2024 | Episode #8
The month of November was truly a test and testament to the great assistant coaches at LŌKAHI. With Coach Nolan on his final month of knee rehab + both the Hansen and Yamada families on holiday (bad planning, I know!!!), our dedicated and impressive leadership group was instrumental in keeping classes running smoothly. In addition to assistant coaches Guy Rouelle and Jason Bartholomew, we proudly feature our newest assistant coaches for their recent and continued efforts.
Stephen Dodds
Assistant Coach | Brown Belt
Known by many names, descriptions, and the word Osss, Dodds has been awarded the title of ‘Most Unassuming Grappler’. You can catch him every Tuesday during the 11:30am No Gi lunch class.
Isaac Hiebert
Assistant Coach | Purple Belt
Isaac’s Monday evening class has become almost as popular as Little Debbie’s Nutty Buddy’s! With a passion for Jiu-Jitsu, Isaac channels his competition success to create a fun and engaging environment for his students.
Kyle Repaskey
Assistant Coach | Purple Belt
A detail-oriented thinker, Kyle enjoys explaining the intricacies of Jiu-Jitsu and helping others tailor the game to their body type and skill-level. You can find him leading classes with the weekday 6am Morning Crew.
Michael Pflueger
Assistant Coach | Purple Belt
Another member of 6am Morning Crew, the only thing more impressive than Michael’s squeeze is his hair, which remains photoshoot-ready before and after rolling. A business-owner, father, and husband, Michael is a great example of a busy individual with a great attitude who always finds a way to manage his mat time and development.
Remembering Coach Scott Morton
September 17, 1977 - November 13, 2024
A pillar of the Omaha MMA and Jiu-Jitsu scene for more than two decades, Coach Scott Morton passed away of a heart attack at the age of 47. As the head coach of the Skywalker 101 Jiu-Jitsu program, almost every accomplished athlete in the city has attributed their success to Scotty’s coaching and mentorship. Scott was one of the first Black Belts who began encouraging his athletes to cross-train with us during the inception of our Community Open Mat Sundays two years ago, and together with Coach Danny Molina, provided a space for our team to train while LŌKAHI was being built. We will miss his personality and presence.
Facility Update
If you thought our gym was cool before, wait until you see what we have in store for you. Over the next 90 days LŌKAHI will be upgrading our front reception area, completing and furnishing a 2nd floor members lounge (aka… ‘Stairway to Heaven’), and adding thoughtful touches of artwork throughout the gym. Reinvesting in a badass facility is just one of the many ways we aim to make every Collective member proud to call this HOME.
Coach Nolan Update
We’re excited to have Coach Nolan back into the mix the week of December 9th! While slightly ironic he’ll be joining midway through our 3-week stint of all things leglocks, Nolan has reminded me that his new bionic knee is no longer susceptible to submissions of any kind.
Note: It was later confirmed that Nolan’s knee is not, in fact, bionic.
Upcoming Events
PROMOTION CEREMONY - December 21st
We take pride in recognizing the efforts of those who remain dedicated to their journey and pushing themselves to new heights.
Please come and support our members as they receive their Foundations certificates, Stripes, and Colored belts. Promotions will start promptly at 9:00am. Family and friends are welcome to attend this event.
Collective members are asked to wear neutral-colored gis (white, grey, or black) for a team photo immediately following the ceremony.
Upcoming Tournaments
December 8 - Submission Challenge
Omaha, NE
Celebrate Moments
Congratulations to new parents LIRAN and LAUREL BENDOR on the birth of their daughter LEILA!!!
Congratulations to new parents KIJAH and GIANNA BANDA on the birth of their son TEODORO MAALKIJAH!!!
Congratulations to new parents PATON and HAYLEY LOVETT!
Upcoming December Birthdays
Wishing all of our Collective Members a very happy birthday!
10th - Tyler Grubb
18th - Daniel Reed
23rd - Ryan Matcha
24th - Matt Dilisio
27th - Andrew Sekula
28th - Bella Gurzick
28th - Jesus Ramirez
30th - Arjun Maudhoo
30th - Jimmy Koubsky
“Great place with awesome instructors, I came in as a complete beginner and felt very welcomed. The other students are eager to help teach, and definitely create an atmosphere for learning and safety. Despite never having been to any sort of martial arts gym, I felt like I was able to jump right in... Overall, a fantastic place with outstanding people. Highly recommend!”