Kicking Down Barriers: On International Women’s Day, Martial Arts Master Janet Lawless Inspires the Next Generation

CAO’s Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench article series – International Womens Day 2026

“It’s not just about training the body, but also developing skills for concentration, about training the mind and self-defence.”

By David Grossman

Sports as we know it, can be enjoyable and quite physical.

It’s also where expertise and competency play a huge role.

Let’s add the word risky, too.

Now, let me share some words about Janet Lawless.
If she decides one day to write an autobiography, it would be fascinating to read – and especially about how she would link athleticism, coaching, personal awards, playing saxophone, combat fighting and being the mother of six girls.

As a remarkable and ambitious woman, Lawless is involved in an activity whereby she is trained, qualified and extremely talented. As for the sport itself, one could say that last year’s recipient of an Ontario Excellence award likes, without animosity, to kick butt.
While many see her as a teacher of sport, implementing all the fundamentals that go with it, she will never lose the respect of being a marquee athlete in self defense. The official term is a combat fighter.
Authentic and transparent, she owns several black belts – and not the ones you buy at the clothing store. Examine closely and they are distinct awards of honor in martial arts depicting a high level of fitness, proficiency and qualifications. They signify a mastery in technical skills and the fundamentals of a fighting structure of a sport that dates back thousands of years.
Touting patience and energy, Lawless likes to use the words confidence, discipline and focus when talking, and instructing, about some 11 different types of martial arts that include karate and kung fu to kick boxing and judo.

Now 60 years of age, she has passed the stage of personal competitions.

Want some advice? Just remember that she holds a 6th-degree black belt in karate and another black belt in Modern Arnis – which is a comprehensive Filipino self defense system that focuses on using rattan sticks, blades, and empty-hand techniques.

So, it may not be wise to sneak up on her. In martial arts, an individual can handle anything that comes their way.

Lawless turned to coaching – and she does that in a grandiose manner. There is no sign of clumsiness in her work. No retreat or showing of incapability. It is quite the opposite with her displaying world-class instruction along with the development of new skills and a boatload of confidence from her and a team of instructors.

The benefactors, from Lawless and her team of instructors, are some 200 students attending sessions held at three different community centres in eastern Ontario. Parents of her students have high praise and say through her work, Lawless “has been helping to shape a generation of confident, resilient women who know their worth and how to protect themselves”.
Having earned credentials that qualify her to be a National coach, Lawless is often referred to by Japanese titles that define a hierarchy of skill and teaching responsibility. Common to her is Shihan, a master instructor, and Dan signifying a high-level ranking. You’ll hear others call her Dayang, which is a southeast Asian term meaning noblewoman.
Lawless is also the owner (and an instructor) of the 6Tigers Academy in a place called Manotick, which is a suburb of Ottawa.

Home for her is about a 30-minute drive away in Greely, a village just south of the Nation’s capital. Close to 25 years ago, the incredible journey started after opening her first karate school in Barrhaven, in the former city of Nepean.

So much for the geography lesson.

“The ultimate aim of Karate lies not in victory nor defeat, but in the perfection of the character of its participants”

Now, the focus is on Lawless – who may have seen early signs of educating dating back to age three when she received a chalkboard for her birthday. With a degree from the University of Ottawa, further education at Queen’s University in Kingston, she wanted to make a positive impact in a male dominated sport.

“When I opened (6 Tigers Academy), the goal was to show people what they are capable of,” said Lawless, a Hydro One Safe Play award winner, recognized for her dedication to inclusivity and empowering women through self-defence.

“Martial arts is an excellent way to build physical health and self-discipline. It’s not just about training the body, but also developing skills for concentration, about training the mind and self-defence.”

Lawless was one of 15 coaches who received the prestigious 2025 Ontario Coaching Excellence Awards from the Coaches Association of Ontario (CAO) in conjunction with Hydro One. The award highlights coaches for “their dedication to developing athletes and fostering safe, inclusive sport environments”.

Through its popular feature story series “Empowering Stories from Behind the Bench”, the CAO is highlighting Lawless on International Women’s Day set for March 8 – the global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women.

“Many of life’s failures are experienced by people who did not realise how close they were to success when they gave up”

Initiation to sport for Lawless may have been in swimming, followed by provincial competition in diving. Reminiscing about those days in grade 11 at Ottawa’s Sir Robert Borden high school, she said that is when her first experience in coaching occurred after having accepted the invitation of assisting with 15 and-16-year-old students.

It wasn’t until a friend of one of her daughters was taking karate classes, that Lawless saw an opportunity of not just signing her up for the program – but launching her own school with martial arts programs.
“That’s when it happened and now as a coach, I have the opportunity to make a huge impact in the lives of so many others,” said Lawless who teaches remotely across the country including in a variety of Indigenous communities. “I can contribute to taking athletes to another level.”

Lawless, who is also referred to as a Master instructor, shared how she hosted a “Women’s Self-Defense Gathering” in Manotick that focussed on the tactical and psychological aspects of safety. She wasn’t sure who would attend. She got her answer when 44 women, between the ages of 11 and 74, showed up.”
Coaching duties haven’t been restricted to her club. She has coached Ontario athletes at the National championship including g three from Manotick who won medals. There’s more. Lawless has been to the World championships in Budapest in 2023 and Paris in 2025 – as coach of refugee athletes.

“Life’s not about how hard a hit you can give, it’s
about how many you can take and still keep moving forward”

-END-

David Grossman is a veteran multi award-winning Journalist and Broadcaster with some of Canada’s major media, including the Toronto Star and SPORTSNET 590 THE FAN, and a Public Relations professional for 45+ years in Canadian sports and Government relations.

“As a coach, I have the opportunity to make a huge impact in the lives of so many others. I can contribute to taking athletes to another level.”