Aikido of San Antonio's Chief Instructor

Kevin S. Templer
Yondan (4th dan degree black belt), Fukushidoin 

Kevin Templer, started Aikido when he was 10 years old and trained under David Kotun who was affiliated with the Ki Society.   When sensei   was 17, David Kotun left and sensei continued training on his own until an Aikido club was formed shortly after on Lackland, AFB.  When sensei was 19, the instructor for this school retired and offered sensei to continue the school’s operation.   Sensei accepted the offer with only the intention to continue training, not to run a dojo.  However, over time it became clear that running a dojo was the only way to keep Aikido going in San Antonio; it was this realization that served as the foundation for AOSA to be formed.

During the time he taught at Lackland, he sought out Yamada Sensei and  affiliated with Yamada Sensei.   A year later, at the age of 21, sensei was awarded sho-dan by Yoshimitsu Yamada.  During this time he also founded and incorporated, along with Geoff Meade and Bruce Beck, Aikido Dojos of San Antonio (a.k.a Aikido of San Antonio).  During this time he worked to move the dojo off Lackland and relocated to Alamo Downs.  There the dojo enjoyed growth and Aikido started to flourish in San Antonio.

Shortly after receiving sho-dan, sensei affiliated with the Akira Tohei sensei under the Midwest region of the United States Aikido Federation due to the support available at Aikido of Austin where Tohei Sensei regularly visited. 

Four years, later in 1995, sensei was awarded the rank of ni-dan.  Sensei was under the guidance of Tohei Sensei for nine years when Tohei Sensei passed away.  After his death, the Midwest region of the USAF was in a state of flux and change.   Osawa Sensei was asked to test members of the Midwest Aikido Federation.  In the summer camp of 2000, Osawa Sensei tested and promoted Templer Sensei to 3^rd Dan.

After Tohei Sensei had passed away, sensei decided to affiliate with the USAF Eastern Region and become a student under the guidance of Yamada Sensei.  Shortly after, sensei was award the title Fukushidoin (literally means assistant teacher) by Yamada Sensei.  This entitled sensei to test all students up to and including 1^st kyu.

Currently, sensei teaches about 5 days a week.  He maintains his own personal training regimen and continues to train at seminars and summer camps.  His main influences are Tohei Sensei, Osawa Sensei, Yamada Sensei and is more recently influenced by Chiba Sensei.

Templer Sensei was recently promoted in November to 4th dan by Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei at Winter Camp 2004, Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.