NASHUA — After teaching karate to countless people in the community through the years, Peter Desmarais retired from one of the longest-operating dojos in Southern New Hampshire over the weekend.

Desmarais, Also known as Sensei Pete, has been committed to martial arts since the 1970s. He has now passed the torch on to three of his long-time students: Christopher Marsh, Adam Burpee and Michael Susalka. The three of them will now operate the Independent Karate School (IKS) under a new name and slightly different logo, but will still have the same instructors and material. The new name will be Independent Martial Arts School.

Desmarais has been strengthening his skills since he was a child. He believes he is leaving the school in good hands.

“This school is about its students and how the students can be developed to make the community better,” Desmarais said.

The school has been a staple in Nashua since 1979 when Desmarais’ father, Louis, founded it with his partner, Victor Nastasia. After more than 40 years, upwards of 400 black belts have come out of this school, with thousands of students have learned under roof.

Desmarais retired on Saturday, giving way for a new legacy to carrying the torch forward.

Susalka said he, Marsh and Burpee are passionate about the culture of the school, located at 138 Lake St.

“We really feel strongly that what this school has to offer isn’t just teaching you how to punch and kick and block,” Susalka said. “It’s teaching you how to be a good person and an excellent citizen.”

Marsh even provided an example of how the lessons within the dojo carry over into his daily life. He did not go to college for education. He instead studied psychology, yet later learned how to teach at the IKS.

“I’m a high school teacher now, and I don’t think that would have happened if I didn’t cut my teeth on teaching here,” Marsh said. “That extends even further, the lessons of Pete, his dad, the other retired headmaster continue on because, now my day job students are getting that same flavor of teaching. It continues generation to generation.”

For Desmarais, it is all about what is passed on to the students and how they grow. He has watched as some of his students developed from high schoolers to adults. Martial arts has been a part of his life since he followed in his father’s footsteps as a child, although martial arts has taken on different meaning for him during his life. He said when he was young, it gave him his self-confidence, which helped him through school. Later, it ended up helping him through life.

However, now that he is stepping away from the dojo, he will be using his time to focus on other aspects of life such as his career at a local high-tech company, and spending more time with his family. Desmarais said it is just time to move on from the school. He could not continue on as headmaster while trying to serve all of those other things in his life.

“I didn’t realize — I thought it was just going to end,” Desmarais said. “I didn’t realize that what was developed was just too strong to end.”

However, when he is able to, he still plans to teach the youth in the white and orange belt range.

In the meantime, the new owners are looking ahead at what they can continue to offer the community.

“We want to take the foundation of what he built, and what his dad built, and we want to be able to give the same opportunities we had to kids,” Marsh said.

Echoing his thoughts, Burpee said he wants to build on what has been started at the IKS.

“He gave us 40 years,” Burpee said. “Hopefully, we can give the next generation 40 years and then pass it on one more time.”

On Saturday, a ceremony took place to honor Desmarais’ work, and to celebrate the IKS transitioning to its new name, the Independent Martial Arts School. Desmarais received recognition, as did Marsh, who is now the new hanshi, or headmaster. Marsh was also promoted to seventh degree black belt Saturday.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

Newsletter