2025 AKATO Awards and Promotions
STUDENTS OF THE YEAR
Richardson YMCA: Elijah Clarkin, Ronan Daffer, Eden Mandujano
Alpha Self Defense: Henry Munoz, Sonny Adelman
Plano YMCA: Tony Basti
Cooper Martial Arts: Chris Sigakis
Denison Family Karate: Jack Lopez
Discicples Making Disciples: Joshua Grundy
Hands On Karate: Austin Davis
Hidden Sword MA: Jacob Galindo
Marudo Karate: Rudy Amok
North Texas Karate: Bailey Baker
Mesquite TKD: Isaiah Guevara
Strom’s Black Belt Acad: Lisa O’Brien
Bonstaff Acad of TKD: Janan Ellis
Texas Karate Inst Lubbock: Kristen Horton, Darren Nguyen
Murphy MA & Self Defense: Michael Ellis
Old Settlers TKD: Zuriel Orakwe
Instructor of the Year: Ben Robles

Keith D. Yates Retires from the Richardson YMCA
Mr. Yates actually started teaching at the Town North YMCA as a brown belt assistant instructor in 1967. He was the head instructor at Allen Steen's Texas Karate Institute on Hillcrest Avenue in Dallas for many years and when Steen retired in 1976, Mr. Yates began teaching at various locations around North Texas including SMU, several dance studios and recreation centers until he became the martial arts teacher at the Richardson YMCA in 1982. He would also teach at the Garland Y, at Richland College, and at the Cooper Aerobics Institute. He oversaw other YMCA classes at the Lake Highlands Y and the Plano Y. Now after all these decades of service to the YMCA he is retiring from his regular classes in Richardson. TO BE CLEAR, he will continue to teach the black belt weapons classes in Dallas and the Tai Chi classes in McKinney (and, of course special seminars) but the Richardson Y held a retirement celebration on Saturday, April 20, 2024, with over 75 people in attendance including many of his early black belts. Congratulations on decades of service to the Y.