Charl Oka is a 9th degree black belt at Technical Kempo Organization in Pearl City, Hawaii. She began her martial arts lifestyle in 1973, training in traditional Chinese Kempo. Her passion for sports drove her to step into martial arts training at the neighborhood dojo where all training was done on a cement surface. She enjoyed training in self defense, weapons, forms and sparring. Back in the 1970s, sparring without gear was the norm and groin shots and thigh kicks were the go-to point-getters.
She continued her training and teaching through the decades and began enlarging her journey by embarking in Tang Soo Do in the early 1990s. That is where she met her husband, Ron Pohnel, and has earned her 5th degree in the Ron Pohnel’s Karate Academy (R.P.K.A.) system. Together, they continue to train and compete on the national circuit. They own Team League of Angels, which is nationally sponsored by Fighters-Inc with athletes from California, Reno, North Carolina, Texas, Hawaii, Prague and Canada.
Charl and Ron also run a martial arts ministry at New Hope Oahu. Their ministry is their passion and together they serve the community teaching martial arts with an emphasis in tournament competition and sharing the word of God.