“Little” Derek has been practicing Chinese martial arts at the SYL Wushu Institute since 1992. Being an avid fan of Jet Li and Jackie Chan movies, he began taking Wushu classes and since then, has also been learning Sanshou, Xing Yi, and the Wuji Xiao Yao System. He now mainly practices Taiji and coaches Wushu.
For Derek, studying martial arts is an excellent way to keep fit and improve coordination. In addition, he believes that Chinese martial arts is able to train both the mind and the body. He hopes that Wushu will continue to spread worldwide and have a positive impact on the lives of those that practice it.
Derek was a member of the Canadian National Taiji Team in 2012 and 2016. He placed 4th in Chen Style Taiji Quan at the 1st International Taijiquan Championships in China. Derek also placed 4th in Chen Style Taiji Jian at the 3rd International Taijiquan Championships in Bulgaria.