Biography of Head Instructor, Marcus Thornton
Marcus Thornton
Renshi, 8th Degree Black Belt
Dojo-Cho
Seibukan Jujutsu of Salinas
Hello, I’m Marcus Thornton and I am the Dojo-Cho (Head Instructor) of Seibukan Jujutsu of Salinas. I started my training in Seibukan Jujutsu in 2006 under the Founder of the Art, Julio Toribio Kancho. Through years of hard work and dedication, I earned my Certified Instructor credential in 2017 and my Hachidan (8th Degree Black Belt) in 2024. I have lived in the Monterey area for almost forty years and plan on living here for the rest of my life. I have a wonderful wife and son I cherish every day.
My goal as an instructor is to empower my students to create who they want to be in life as well as on the dojo mats and learn the skills they need to move through life in a positive manner. Opening Seibukan Jujutsu of Salinas in 2019 has given me tremendous opportunities to help our society through the individual growth of our students.
I have been employed professionally for the last twenty five years+ working as a Preschool/PreToddler teacher for the US Navy locally in Monterey, CA. The majority of my adult life has been spent working with children, and I currently hold several credentials in early childhood care and development. My experience as a Preschool teacher has helped me to be able to connect with people and help them grow whether in a group setting or via private lessons/personal interaction. Through leveraging the skills I continue to develop, my approach to teaching has helped me and continues to help me empower and connect with all of my students.
I maintain current CPR certification in addition to my educational and martial arts credentials and seek to provide a safe and fun environment to share the wonderful art of Seibukan Jujutsu with all of our students. I look forward to meeting you and I’ll see you on the mats!
Steve Zalazowski, Sr.
Shodan, 1st Degree Black Belt
Assistant to Toribio Kancho
Steve Zalazowski, Sr. is the owner of UMASDA and Executive Director of the 501C3 Non Profit Corporation UMASDA, Inc. Steve has a wealth of experience with over 25 years of martial arts training, and over 22 years of teaching across Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and hybrid systems and styles. He earned his Shodan in Seibukan Jujutsu under Toribio Kancho and Thornton Renshi in 2021 and actively trains weekly. He is the head instructor for the other lineages taught at UMASDA and his biography can be found at our sister website umasda.com.