Darlene Kranstz - Athlete (Jiu-Jitsu) - Class of 2020
Darlene Kranstz is an 8th degree black belt in Jiu-Jitsu and she brings over 40 years of experience to her pursuit of martial arts excellence. Following in the footsteps of her father Hanshi Bob Kranstz, who was inducted into the Milton Sports Hall of Fame in 2018, Darlene has carved her own career path that has led her around the world as a high performance athlete representing Milton.
Darlene's sporting resume is not only noteworthy, but also historic. She is a four time world champion (1988, 1992, 1995 and 1996) and a North American champion in 1989. Darlene became an inductee of the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame in 1992. In 1994, she was named Instructor of the Year by the Canadian Jiu-Jitsu Association, and a year later she was inducted into the Canadian Black Belt Hall of Fame. Finally, in 2000 she received a lifetime achievement award from the World Kobudo Federation.
After years of training and competition Darlene became head instructor and later owner at Milton Jiu-Jitsu, the same Milton dojo established by her father in 1974. She has inspired countless kids in Milton, encouraging respect and thoughtfulness in their daily lives. Her focus on the junior ranks and youth led the club's membership to swell to over 200 members.