What a fairytale surprise! Nicole “Goldilocks” Hackler was visiting a “friend” in Irvine and she and I set a lunch date to get caught up after 20 years. She and her husband, Warren, had moved back East in the mid 90s, and although we were still in communication we hadn’t seen each other in all that time.

But when Goldilocks arrived for our lunch date—surprise, surprise! Who did she bring with her but the Brown twins—Jenny and Lori, also KIA 2nd degree Brown Belts and whom I had also not seen in decades! Yet, looking at these gorgeous ladies you would never know it had been twenty years. They all look the same today as they did then. No foolin’. Whatever secret youth formula they have they need to bottle it and sell it.

From the Karate Institute of America pictorial archives, courtesy of Genny “Cougar” Edge, is this 1992 pensive and serendipitous cameo of then Rose “Renegade” Guck and Kurt “Raphael” Hoberg before they were married. If they, and we, only knew then what we all know now. It is amazing how fate exists right before our very eyes long before the reality is made manifest!

Rose and Kurt have been wonderful ambassadors of the KIA, and we greatly value their energies. May you have a long, healthy and balanced life.

What a difference twenty-five years makes! How fast time flies. Meet the Family Hoberg, all grown up and not stoppin'.

Renegade (Rose Hoberg) received her first dan Black Belt on 9 June 1990. Raphael (Kurt Hoberg) followed suit on 25 April 1992. At that time there were no kids in sight. Hardly the way things are now!

Pictured with Rose and Kurt are their lovely children—Kyle, Erick and April. The boys are now in college; April is a Junior in high school. They’re all doing extremely well and their future is quite bright. Next major life stage for Rose and Kurt—grandparents and grand kids, but probably sooner than twenty-five years!

Husband to Champion Archer, Rose “Renegade” Hoberg (KIA Black Belt #12) is Kurt “Raphael” Hoberg (KIA Black Belt #21). Rose and Kurt actually met through the Karate Institute of America via Kurt’s mother. They dated, fell in love, married and as they say, “The rest is history.”

Kurt, like his champion wife, is also a competitive archer. Both of them have qualified to compete in the Senior Games in Minneapolis, MN, in July. We’re certain they will do well. After all, they’re KIA Black Belts!

The Karate Institute of America has always been blessed with an exceptional clientele throughout its history, now spanning five decades.

From our archives we see a young Eric “E.T.” Tan sharing his exquisite piano skills during his Black Belt coronation ceremony in 1992.

Eric was a driven young man. He began his KIA studies around age 7 and achieved a fully ranked adult first dan Black Belt rating as a young man. Continuing his studies, he achieved a second dan Black Belt rating before heading off to Stanford University.

Featured this week are Nicole “Goldilocks” Hackler, her husband Warren, an heroic Marine who served America with honor and distinction for 26 years (now retired), and their loves—Clyde (the red male Shiba Inu) and Kiba (the black and tan female Shiba-Japanese for “Fang!).

Goldilocks was one of the movers and shakers of the Karate Institute of America during her time with us. She achieved a 2nd Degree Brown belt rating before her husband was reassigned to another state so, unfortunately, she was not able to reach Black Belt, although she would have done so had she been able to stay in the area, no doubt.