About Varsity

Karate Development with Purpose

Varsity Performance Karate is a development-focused karate club for children and teens in Victoria, British Columbia. We welcome students from their first class and provide opportunities to progress through recreational training, competitive development, and provincial and national competition.

 

Our goal is not to place every student on the same pathway. Each child arrives with different interests, abilities, confidence, and goals. Some want an enjoyable activity, new friendships, and steady progress through the belt system. Others become interested in competition and higher performance. Varsity provides the coaching, structure, and opportunities to support both.

 

Our programs are built around three foundational values: People, Purpose, and Passion. We put people first, train with clear purpose, and approach development with energy and commitment. These values are reflected in our guiding principle:

 

Kyozon Kyoei — Together We Succeed

Students, coaches, and families each contribute to a positive club environment. Individual progress matters, but so does supporting teammates, respecting others, accepting challenges, and contributing to the success of the group.

 

Varsity’s established approach emphasizes individualized development within an athlete-centred, coach-guided, and parent-supported environment.

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Our Coaching Philosophy

Every Student Deserves to Be Seen

Effective coaching begins with understanding the individual. Our coaches take the time to recognize each student’s current abilities, confidence, learning needs, and personal goals.

 

We do not expect every student to learn at the same rate or pursue the same outcomes. Instead, we provide age-appropriate instruction, clear feedback, and challenges that are demanding enough to create growth without becoming overwhelming.

 

Confidence Through Genuine Progress

We believe confidence is developed through competence. Students build confidence when they learn new skills, solve problems, overcome setbacks, and recognize that consistent effort leads to meaningful improvement.

 

Our programs provide clear development goals while allowing students to progress from their own starting point.

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Strong Foundations Before Advanced Performance

Technical quality, movement skills, decision-making, physical preparation, and positive training habits are developed progressively. Advanced performance is built on strong foundations rather than rushed results.

 

This approach benefits every student—not only those interested in competition.

 

A Pathway Without Pressure

Competition is an opportunity, not an obligation.

 

Students may participate recreationally, progress through the belt system, explore local competition, or pursue provincial and national performance goals. Coaches work with athletes and families to identify the level of involvement that is appropriate for the student’s interests, readiness, and development.

 

People Before Results

Performance matters, but it is never separated from the quality of the student’s experience.

 

We expect students to work hard, behave respectfully, support their teammates, and learn how to respond constructively to challenge. Success includes technical development and competitive achievement, but it also includes confidence, perseverance, responsibility, friendships, and belonging.

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See Our Athletes in Action

Visit our media archive, our Instagram page and our Facebook page to see how Varsity athletes are challenging themselves, testing their skills, and learning to grow within a competitive environment. Their stories reflect the long-term process of development—working through setbacks, building confidence, supporting teammates, and pursuing meaningful goals over time.

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Coaching

Kraig Devlin — Head Coach

High-Performance Expertise. Individualized Coaching.

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Kraig Devlin is the Head Coach of Varsity Performance Karate and brings more than 40 years of experience in karate as an athlete, coach, program leader, and high-performance sport professional.

 

Kraig has coached students from their first karate class through provincial, national, international, and Olympic-level competition. His international experience includes coaching at more than 40 continental and world-level events and serving as a Canadian karate coach at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

 

His professional career has included high-performance leadership roles with Karate Canada and Boxing Canada. He currently serves as High Performance Director for Climbing Escalade Canada, where he leads national-team, athlete-pathway, and high-performance programming.

 

Kraig holds a master’s degree in High Performance Coaching and Technical Leadership from the University of British Columbia. He is also completing Professional Doctorate research in Elite Performance at Dublin City University, examining leadership, expertise, organizational culture, and the conditions that support healthy and sustainable high performance.

 

For Varsity families, the value of this experience is not simply a record of competitive achievement. It is the ability to recognize what each student needs, provide the right challenge at the right time, and build strong foundations for long-term development.

 

Kraig applies the same commitment to thoughtful, individualized coaching whether a student is attending their first class, training recreationally, or preparing for provincial and national competition.

Kyozon Kyoei — Together We Succeed

 

Coaching Team

Coaches Who Know Their Students

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Varsity Performance Karate is supported by a team of coaches who contribute to instruction, athlete development, class organization, and the overall training environment.

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Our coaches work collaboratively to provide students with consistent instruction, individual feedback, and a positive experience across Varsity’s recreational and competitive programs.

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Coach Development
Developing the Next Generation of Coaches

 

Varsity is committed not only to developing karate students, but also to developing capable and responsible coaches.

 

Assistant and developing coaches work alongside more experienced coaches, receive ongoing feedback, and gradually take on responsibilities appropriate to their knowledge, experience, and stage of development.

 

The coach-development process emphasizes:

• Understanding how children learn

• Communicating clearly and respectfully

• Providing useful technical feedback

• Creating safe and well-organized sessions

• Recognizing individual differences

• Supporting confidence and motivation

• Modelling the values and behaviours expected within the club

Developing coaches are expected to continue learning through observation, mentoring, practical experience, formal coach education, and reflection on their own coaching.

 

This structured approach helps ensure that Varsity students receive consistent coaching while also creating opportunities for experienced athletes and emerging coaches to contribute to the club community.

 

Training Facility

A Dedicated Environment for Karate Development

Varsity Performance Karate operates from a dedicated karate and athlete-development facility near Uptown in Victoria.

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The facility provides multiple training areas that allow recreational classes, competitive training, individual instruction, and physical preparation to occur within an organized and professional environment. It also includes a functional training area, change rooms, washrooms, a treatment space, and areas for athletes and families.

 

Having a dedicated facility allows equipment, training spaces, and class organization to be designed specifically around karate instruction and long-term athlete development.

 

The dojo is located at:

Varsity Performance Karate
1–601 Boleskine Road
Victoria, BC V8Z 1C5
Entrance from Tennyson Road

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Find the Right Program for Your Child

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Varsity offers recreational and competitive karate programs for children and teens at different stages of development.

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Explore the program options to compare:

• Appropriate ages and experience levels

• Weekly class schedules

• Training frequency

• Monthly membership fees

• Recreational and competitive pathways

• Amilia registration instructions

Families who are unsure which program is appropriate are encouraged to contact us before registering.

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New students are welcome. No previous karate experience is required for recreational programming.