Juan Miguel Salayon
Assistant Instructor
Shodan
“Earning a black belt is not the destination, It is another beginning.”
Get to know the Instructor
Miguel is a dedicated and approachable Karate instructor who believes that Karate is about far more than physical technique. For him, the study of Budo is a lifelong journey of learning, discipline, perseverance, respect, resilience, and personal growth.
Having experienced both long periods away from the dojo and the challenges of returning to training as an adult, Miguel understands that every student’s journey is different. He is passionate about helping students develop not only their Karate skills, but also the confidence, discipline, and resilience they can carry into all aspects of their lives.
Miguel’s own journey has come full circle, from beginning Karate alongside his father as a child, to rediscovering Shotokan Karate as an adult and eventually becoming a JKA practitioner and instructor.
His goal is to create a positive and supportive training environment where students are encouraged to challenge themselves, embrace the difficulties of training, and continually strive to improve.
Miguel continues to train and develop himself while sharing the values and lessons of Karate with the next generation of students.
Profile:
Miguel’s Karate journey began in 1995 at the age of eight, when he started training in Kyokushin Karate. Two years later, he joined his father’s Karate club, CCP Karate Club, where he was introduced to traditional Shotokan Karate.
Miguel’s father had trained under Sensei Kunio Sasaki of the Japan Karate Association (JKA), and his passion and dedication to karate left a lasting impression on Miguel.
After approximately a year of training, Miguel stepped away from Karate and spent many years pursuing other interests, including Judo and Taekwondo. Although he stopped training, his connection to Karate never truly disappeared. His father’s influence and the memories of his early training remained with him throughout the years.
After arriving in Australia in 2017, Miguel decided to return to Karate after a long absence. He joined GKR Karate, where he began rebuilding his skills and developing a deeper understanding of discipline, perseverance, respect, and personal growth.
Miguel’s return to competition soon became an important part of his journey. In 2018, he achieved 3rd place in kata at the Region 4 GKR Competition, followed by 1st place in kata at the GKR NSW State Championship in 2019.
In 2020, Miguel discovered a JKA dojo in Campsie and learned that the head instructor, Sensei Joel, had also trained under Sensei Kunio Sasaki. This remarkable connection to his past inspired Miguel to transfer to JKA and continue his journey within the organisation.
After progressing through the grades, Miguel achieved his 1st Kyu in 2022. One of the proudest milestones of his journey came in November 2024, when he earned his 1st Dan Black Belt.
In 2025, an unfortunate incident resulted in the dojo being damaged by fire, leading to its temporary closure. It was a difficult setback for the karate community, but through the dedication and support of the JKA Campsie community, particularly Sensei David, the dojo was able to reopen and training continued.
This experience reinforced for Miguel that karate is about much more than what happens during training. It is about resilience, unity, perseverance, and the strength of the people within the dojo. The support of the community during that difficult period was a powerful reminder of the values that make karate such a meaningful part of his life.
Miguel’s journey continued beyond achieving his black belt. In 2026, he achieved 1st place in kata at the Region 4 GKR Competition, followed by 2nd place at the NSW State JKA Championship in August 2026.
Looking back, Miguel’s karate journey has truly come full circle. What began with his father when he was a child, survived many years away from the dojo, and eventually brought him back to karate as an adult has become a lifelong journey of learning and self-improvement.
Miguel continues to train, learn, and challenge himself while carrying forward the values of karate and the inspiration his father gave him many years ago.
Miguel is an official JKA Shodan (1st Degree Black Belt), holds current First Aid and CPR certification and is approved to work with children in Australia under the Working With Children Check (WWCC).
Tournament Results
1st Place
2026 JKA NSW State Titles - Kata
2026 Region 4 GKR Competition - Kata
2019 GKR NSW State Championship - Kata
2nd Place
2026 JKA NSW State Titles - Kata
3rd Place
2018 Region 4 GKR Competition - Kata
