Steve Zalazowski, Sr.
IKCA Director – Information & Operations
HQ Certified Video Instructor
IKCA Certified Instructor – UMASDA, Salinas CA USA
Beginning Training
Steve Zalazowski, Sr.’s autobiography. I was the short skinny kid who had the growth spurt three years after most of my classmates. That was a fun time learning to fit into lockers and getting smashed into the walls walking through school. When I came of age, I enrolled in a self defense class the first chance I got.
One of my best friends – Jay – introduced me into class that night. I got yelled at for not understanding what being low in my horse stance meant. That night I learned a rudimentary horse stance, a couple of blocks, and some basic footwork. I was hooked – and since that date I’ve done something martial arts related every day of my life. Including while I dealt with a broken neck (2000), back surgery (2007), and shoulder surgery (2022) over the years.
When people asked me in those early years when I started, I’d say “Let’s call it Dec 15th, 1998.” It’s in the middle of December and I don’t know the exact date of that first class. Fast forward a few years, and I had no idea the significance of that date. It’s quite a coincidence – if you believe in coincidences.
Training Roots
I was studying a couple of different styles as I had a LOT of time to kill at that point in my life. I figured I’d throw myself into learning as much about self defense as I could. While I remained heavily active in a Japanese hybrid art under Everett Rodriguez Hanshi, I began to branch out. During this time I was also studying Tae Kwon Do under Master Alejandro Mora and Danzan Ryu Jujitsu under Kevin Clement, but something was calling me to the Chinese arts. In 2000 I spent about six months studying at a local kenpo school, but it just didn’t click for me. Like most IKCA stylists who started around the turn of the millennium, I found the IKCA through the ads placed in Black Belt Magazine. In 2002 I decided I wanted to pursue the IKCA Kenpo path of training and set about practicing.
I was also the manager at my TKD school and was still training 3 days a week in my first style, in addition to working full time. Seems like I had a lot on my plate – but keeping myself so busy meant I didn’t deal with a lot of outside shenanigans either. In October 2006 I was promoted to Sandan – 3rd Degree Black Belt under Rodriguez Hanshi and became the second person in that style’s history to earn my teaching credential and Sensei title simultaneously with earning my Sandan.
IKCA Black Belt 2006
I spent about two years working the material by myself and then decided to start the testing process in late 2004. Studying diligently, I passed each of my tests with high enough scores that my 3rd Degree rank was recognized under the IKCA Bylaws in effect at the time. I earned my IKCA 3rd Degree Black Belt in November 2006.
I opened UMASDA to serve my local community and taught primarily IKCA Kenpo with a few classes in additional material mixed in. We still have one student from that first month we opened who is on the mats regularly which is a tribute to his dedication and commitment above all else. Today we have expanded and teach 5 different arts regularly with several students studying every art I teach.
IKCA Phase 1: Administrative Team
GM Vic asked me if I’d be willing to help out with the IKCA website and some other administrative functions on the back end. Bill Parsons has been the lead IKCA Webmaster for over 20 years – my contributions were more of the technical nature at that point helping convert the site from one platform to another. I also built Vic a custom website for his car business at the time.
I taught at the 2007, 2008, and 2009 Seminars in the colored belt room helping with whichever groups SGM Sullivan wanted me to work with.
In November 2009 I passed my 4th Degree Black Belt test. Simultaneously my first certification student passed his 1st Degree Black Belt test, which per IKCA Bylaws bumped me to 5th Degree.
I resigned my IKCA duties in 2011 as my work life balance was completely in chaos and I needed to focus on multiple personal goals. My wife and I were expecting our daughter in July, and finishing my Bachelor’s degree all happened in the last half of 2011. Sometimes you have to step back to refocus and move forward positively.
IKCA Phase 2: 2017 – 2021
In May of 2017 GM Vic retired from the martial arts. SGM Sullivan asked me if I was willing to remaster the IKCA Video Library. He wanted them converted into a digital format for use on our website. That project took over 100 hours of work to remaster, updating the audio and video quality to the present video formats.
About a month later, SGM asked me to become one of the IKCA Certified Video Instructors. I almost snorted my beverage when he asked me. Me… teach for the HQ IKCA Distance Learning Program. There were only 3 CVIs before me. Rarified air. Teaching for the IKCA has been a phenomenal part of my career. My mission in life and my gift in the martial arts is helping others to realize their potential. Serving as an IKCA CVI affords me the ability to do that worldwide. I currently have students in Japan, Africa, Mexico, Germany, and across the USA assigned to me.
As part of the new Phase 2 Leadership Team I worked on whatever projects SGM Sullivan assigned my way. Updating the diplomas and creating the serialized format that now is found on all IKCA documentation for rank or title as a notable highlight of this time period. A personal highlight during this timeframe was being promoted to 8th Degree Black Belt July 27, 2018.
IKCA Phase 3: The Present
In late 2021 SGM Sullivan asked the Leadership Team for ideas. He wanted to re-establish some of the programs our membership had been requesting and wanted ideas. Bill Parsons and I had been itching to redesign the IKCA Website into a more modern format. Redesigning the site let us re-establish our Membership programs AND use our website to stream video on any capable device.
In February of 2022 I was named the IKCA Director – Information & Operations. In this capacity I oversee our digital presence and have primary responsibility for content creation. Most of the back end data processing and records maintenance have been migrated to secure cloud storage. We’re on target to finish that migration entirely in 2022.
We’ve developed and launched a new store that has multiple product offerings never before available. We sourced (by popular demand) our new patches which have received tremendous positive feedback. We now offer customized diplomas for our Certified Instructor tier level membership holders at IKCAKenpo.com. All tremendous strides forward and I’d be remiss in not mentioning the contributions of our Director – Public Relations & DLP Dave Ghigliotty. Dave took on the project of running our monthly DigiCon sessions which have been solidly reviewed in feedback and handles quite a few other things I’ll let his bio tell you about.
My mission is to serve the IKCA. I’m here to help. The hardest step is the first one – the hardest test is the Orange Belt test. We’ll help you along the way – but it’s up to each of us to set goals and go after them.
Outside of the IKCA
My primary role in life is as Husband to my beautiful Wife Neida and father to my wonderful children: Zoey and Stephen II. I have so much fun spending time with them and watching my kids grow and learn. My kids have now embarked upon their own martial journey studying with a truly fantastic jujutsu instructor. They love playing outside, playing on video games, and spending time with their friends.
My wife and I love spending time together, enjoying our favorite wineries and traveling to see new places together.
I have been truly blessed to spend time with some amazing people on the mats. Over my career I’ve earned black belts of various levels in 8 different lineages. My experience includes American, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean heritage arts, and I presently hold teaching credentials in 4 of them. All of these contribute to my desire to continue to keep learning and growing; and I share whatever I can to help others from all of my experiences.
Life is a blast. I wouldn’t trade any of the injuries, any of the roadblocks. It’s all about keeping pushing forward. Opportunities come to those who work for them. I am living proof of that – never in my wildest dreams did I see myself working for the IKCA in the capacity I do today. Let’s keep pushing forward.
Steve Zalazowski’s Media Appearances
Steve owns and records the Artists of Motion Podcast when he has enough time to record episodes. Several IKCA members have been featured on the show including:
GM Chuck Boyd (S1E1), GM Armando DeLoa RIP (S1E3), LTC (Ret) Dr. Chris “AC” Wiley (S1E4), GM Howard Singer RIP (S1E9), Bill Parsons (S1E10), SGM Chuck Sullivan (S1E11 & S1E22), GM Carl Schalyo (S1E14), Viran Ranasinghe (S2E8), Ron White (S2E15).
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