About TMAA
Trinity Martial Arts Academy (TMAA) was founded in 2000 by Mike and Sarah Franco in Kennewick, Washington. Since that time, they—along with many of their black belts—have taught traditional Okinawan Seito Karate-do at several locations around the Tri-Cities. Our style of Karate (known as Traditional Okinawan Karate, Seito Karate, or Shudokan Karate) originated with the teachings of Hanshi Kanken Toyama, the founder of the original Shudokan dojo in Japan.
Our dojo’s lineage can be traced all the way back to Toyama, through the Francos’ instructor, Sensei John Franco Sr. (Toppenish School of Karate), Hanshi Morris Mack (Yakima School of Karate), Shihan Walter Todd, and Sensei Yoko Takahashi.
Mike and Sarah Franco at the Richland Dojo
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As a TMAA karate student, I will always speak health, happiness and prosperity to everyone I meet. I will use my self-defense to protect myself, my loved ones, and to defend the innocent. I will seek to praise the best in others as I continue to perfect the best in myself. And if I stumble, I know, that everyday and every way I’m getting better and better and better.
— TMAA Dojo Kun”
Shinan Mike Franco (6th Degree Black Belt) is a second generation dojo owner with over thirty years of martial arts experience. Growing up, he trained with his father, Shihan John Franco Sr. at the family dojo in Toppenish, Washington. Sensei Sarah Franco (2nd Degree Black Belt) has twenty years of martial arts experience.
TMAA has locations in Richland, Washington (serving Richland, Kennewick, and Pasco in the Tri-Cities) and Hermiston, Oregon. These dojos (along with many others) are members of the American Shudokan Association (ASA) which boasts many thousand members in the Pacific Northwest. Aside from regular classes, TMAA teaches karate to Homelink students in the Richland area, puts on seminars on self defense and other related martial arts, and hosts the Franco Cup—a Shudokan tournament held in Richland at a local high school—in the spring. Students and instructors from TMAA have participated at competitions all over the world and gold medaled at Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) nationals.
As of 2017, after Hanshi Mack’s untimely death, the Francos also own the Yakima School of Karate.