Master Kevin's Martial Arts Bio
Michigan's "Pioneer of Tae Kwon Do," Grandmaster B.C. Yu presents Kevin Hurlahe with his 6th Dan World Chang Moo Kwan Certification.
Like many martial artists of his generation, “Master Kevin” was fascinated with the rare but mystical exposures of martial arts in movies and on television in the 1960s and 1970s. He recalls wanting to be like the bodyguard character Race Bannon after seeing him flip and throw adversaries using judo on the cartoon, Jonny Quest in the late 1960s. It was those Saturday mornings that prompted him to take a Judo course at the local YMCA at the age of 10 years old.
Master Kevin recalls first idolizing Bruce Lee as the character “Kato” in the television series The Green Hornet, and then later in the 1973 feature film “Enter the Dragon.” Around the same time, the movie “Billy Jack,” starring Tom Laughlin introduced “Korean Karate” (Hapkido), and Kevin remembers sneaking in to the “R” rated film to watch the spectacular high kicks that make Korean martial arts like Tae Kwon Do so popular around the world today!
The introduction of the 1970s television series “Kung-Fu,” starring David Carradine helped fuel the growth of commercial Karate schools. After seeing TV commercials for the Detroit area’s Karate and Judo Schools of America, Kevin began training in the martial arts—and has not looked back to this day. His training started with American Karate, and then later added Okinawan Karate (Isshinryu & more), Tang Soo Do (MSU Karate Club), Boxing (Brewster Center), Krav Maga, and Tae Kwon Do.
The logo for the karate school where Master Kevin first took lessons as a child. The classes and sparring were intense and there were very few children in class during the early 1970s.
In the early 1990s, Master Kevin was introduced to Michigan’s legendary Tae Kwon Do Grandmaster, B.C. Yu of Ann Arbor, Michigan when he and his family became members of his school. Master Kevin accelerated through Grandmaster Yu’s TKD system earning a Black Belt (1st Dan Tae Kwon Do - Kukkiwon and Chang Moo Kwan) and then formal Instructor Training and Certification. He added a 2nd degree black belt before opening his own commercial Tae Kwon Do school in 1997 under the guidance of Grandmaster Yu: Frankenmuth Martial Arts Center.
Five-year old, John Hurlahe at Grandmaster Yu's school performing a board break (also pictured in white: Master Instructor, Pat Cole)
Grandmaster B.C. Yu with then 8 - year old, John Hurlahe and Master Kevin
Martial Arts training and teaching has been a Hurlahe family tradition for over 25 years running. Master Kevin, his wife, Michelle and their son, John are all Tae Kwon Do master-level black belt instructors (Kevin holds a 7th Dan in Tae Kwon Do, Michelle and John, 4th Dans). Additionally, they are all certified in Krav Maga. While Master Michelle manages the Allen Park Martial Arts Center on a full-time basis, Master Kevin teaches as a volunteer on many Saturdays, and Master John is involved by teaching periodic self-defense seminars.
Master Kevin pictured with Grandmaster Yu and his good friend, the legendary "Father of Tae Kwon Do in America" - Grandmaster Jhoon Rhee.
The Hurlahes pictured with world-famous Karate legend, Sensei Fumio Demura (he made a beautiful oragami bird for our son, John which he still has today).
The Hurlahes with GM Yu in the hallway of Allen Park Martial Arts Center
Even the Hurlahe family dog, Maizee - a certified Therapy Dog - is a martial arts lover and regular at Allen Park Martial Arts Center with Owner/Master Instructor, Michelle!