Karen Nimetz
2025-03-21 · 4 min read
For more than two decades, Master Jeff Kash has been teaching far more than martial arts at Laguna Beach Dojo — he's been building discipline, confidence, and community one black belt at a time.
When Oregon native Jeff Kash first moved to Southern California, he and his girlfriend — now his wife of over 23 years — sought out an activity they could both enjoy while she was obtaining her master's degree. The two decided on Tae Bo, but the more Kash attended class, the more intrigued he became with the martial arts side of the sport. He soon transitioned fully into martial arts and quickly came to see the dojo as his second home.
For the past 21 years, Master Kash — now a 6th degree black belt — has been sharing his love and knowledge of martial arts with the Laguna Beach community as the owner and instructor of Laguna Beach Dojo. He has earned numerous awards both for his karate skills and for his dedication and proven success as an instructor.
For Kash and his students, the lessons learned in the dojo go far beyond physical skills.
"We offer a pretty diverse character development program, instead of just focusing on the physicality of martial arts itself. With that, we have really expanded upon and ensured the development of the additional benefits that a discipline of martial arts training can provide."
Newcomers to the dojo are often pleasantly surprised by their overall transformation.
"People that take the journey all the way to black belt automatically develop a whole myriad of traits and character development skills that they didn't realize they would get when they first started training."
From the very first class, Kash is deliberate about instilling qualities that extend far beyond the mat.
"From the very beginning of training, we make sure that our students are developing skills that are going to help them be successful in all areas of their life, not just in martial arts."
Kash says that one of the keys to a young student's success is involvement of the parents and caregivers.
"It's important for me to communicate with the parents and build a relationship with them so that there isn't a disconnect from what I'm trying to teach in the dojo and what they are trying to instill at home. That open line of communication and trust creates a bridge to success because it's a team effort of everyone helping the student grow to their maximum potential."
The connections made at the dojo are not only strong but long-lasting.
"We recognize that martial arts is a long journey — often a lifetime journey. The more committed and consistent the student is with the training and teachings, the greater the benefit, and the more prepared they will be to go into college, work or whatever they end up doing later in life."
What do you love about Laguna Beach?
The feeling of community. Everywhere I go, I run into someone I know.
What is your favorite Laguna local spot?
I keep it simple: coffee from Laguna Coffee and a walk down to the beach at Oak Street.
What is something every Laguna resident should experience?
The food and karate, of course! La Sirena, Seabutter, Poke Tiki and so many others — from casual to sophisticated, Laguna truly has it all.
For more information on Laguna Beach Dojo, visit LagunaBeachKarate.com or call 949-499-5768.
