Ervin has always had a passion for the martial arts. He started his karate training in 1990 and from that point on he was convinced that martial arts would always be a part of his life. Ervin earned his karate black belt in 1998. Since then, Ervin has devoted his time to improving himself and learning from whoever, wherever, whenever. This has led to extensive time spent learning from masters from various styles including white crane kung fu, tai chi, and goju ryu to name a few. In 2000, Ervin was introduced to the art of kobudo, and in 2003 Ervin earned his black belt in kobudo.

     As an athlete, Ervin has had great success in competition. Over the course of his competitive career he has won numerous local, national, and international titles. Although he still competes in the occasional tournament, he currently dedicates the majority of his efforts to coaching. One of the most satisfying moments Ervin has experienced as a coach is seeing his athletes succeed on the international stage.

    Many people who start karate dream about travelling to Japan and experiencing "the real thing." In this regard, Ervin has been fortunate to travel to Japan and Okinawa multiple times and has benefited by learning from both world renown masters and international caliber athletes. An outstanding quality shared amongst all Ervin's teachers and training partners (besides their immense skill) is their humbleness and unquestioning generosity. This is the heart of the martial arts and is an integral aspect of what Ervin strives to pass on to everyone he teaches.

     In addition to his experience in the martial arts, Ervin has 

extensive formal education in science, biology, and medicine. His teaching philosophy combines all these elements and he is known to be strict in his enforcement of applying correct biomechanical principles so that every student can achieve thier maximum potential while being able to safely enjoy karate and kobudo well into their life.

     Ervin is the chief instructor of Shin Shi Kan, holds a 2nd degree black belt in karate, a 5th degree black belt in kobudo, and a shihan designation (instructor teaching license) in kobudo.