Our Staff

The staff at LifeForce Karate & Fitness are here to help you and guide you through your karate and fitness needs. Our team of professional martial artists, program directors, administrative staff and fitness instructors create a warm and professional atmosphere. We enjoy our jobs and we think that shows through the enthusiastic and fun environment we create.    

Here are short biographies on our instructors and staff:  

Billee Purvis, Director  / Chief Instructor
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Billee Purvis is a 5th Degree Blackbelt and has been studying various forms of martial arts since 1974.He is co-owner and Chief Instructor at LifeForce. He is updated monthly by the Martial Arts Teacher's Association and quarterly by the National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA) on the latest group instructional techniques for Martial Arts and Fitness Kickboxing. He is a former American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA) Certified Personal Trainer.

His accomplishments include:

l American Freestyle Association (AFKA) Hall of Fame - Golden Lifetime Achievement (2005)
l Martial Arts Tournament Tour (MATT) - South Carolina Senior Blackbelt Creative Weapons State Champion (2004)
l National Blackbelt League (NBL) World Games - Silver Medalist - Senior Creative Forms (2000)
l Battle of Atlanta - Senior Men's Light Weight Fighting Champion (1999)
l South Carolina Sport Karate Association - Senior Blackbelt Fighting, Forms and Weapons State Champion - Triple Crown Winner (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001 & 2002)
l Dojo Sport Karate Circuit Competitor of the Year - Executive Blackbelt Fighting (1995)
l National Blackbelt League (NBL) Hall of Fame - Southeast Adult of the Year (1991)
l National Blackbelt League (NBL) SuperGrands - Silver Medalist - Senior Creative Forms & Bronze Medalist Senior Creative Weapons (1990)
l South Georgia Karate Circuit State Champion - Senior Blackbelt Fighting (1988)
l Coach to state, regional and national champions

Sugarr Banks, Senior Instructor
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Sugarr Banks is a 3rd Degree Blackbelt who began her study of martial arts in 1981. She is a LifeForce' co-owner and Senior Instructor. She is, also, certified as a fitness instructor by the University of South Carolina's Exercise Science Department. She is a former American Fitness Professionals and Associates (AFPA) Certified Group Fitness Instructor. She is updated quarterly by the National Association of Professional Martial Artists (NAPMA) on the latest group instructional techniques for Fitness KickboxingTM / Cardio KarateTM.

Her accomplishments include:

l Karate Illustrated's #1 Rated Blackbelt Women's Fighter - New York / New Jersey Region (1984)
l Battle of Atlanta (at that time one of the largest karate tournaments in the U.S., attracting nearly 2000 competitors from the U.S., Canada and Latin America.) - Brown Belt Women's Fighting Champion (1982)
l Assistant coach to state, regional and national champions

Chelsa Gower, Senior Assistant Instructor

Chelsa Gower is a 3rd Degree Blackbelt and has been studying the martial arts since 1996. She is Senior Assistant Instructor at LifeForce. Her leadership training began in 2000. She was a member of the Super Team Of Role Models/Special Winning Attitude Team (STORM/SWAT), until the inception of the current Guidance On Leadership Development (GOLD) Team. She remains an active member of the GOLD Team. She is also a member of the Demonstration and the Competition Teams.

Her accomplishments include:

l Dojo Organization - 12-17 Black Belt Japanese/Okinawan Forms, 12-17 Black Belt Korean Forms, 17 & Under Black Belt Traditional Weapons, and 15-17 Female Black Belt Sparring (2010)
l NBL Supergrands/World Games - 12-17 Black Belt Korean Forms - 5th Place; also 12-17 Black Belt Japanese/Okinawan Forms and 17 & Under Black Belt Traditional Weapons - Top 10 place finishes (2009)
l Black Warrior Hall of Honors - Inducted: Junior Female National Forms Competitor of the Year (2009)
l Dojo Organization - 12-17 Black Belt Japanese/Okinawan Forms, 12-17 Black Belt Korean Forms, 17 & Under, Black Belt Traditional Weapons, and 17 & Under, Black Belt Self Defense - Choreographed Fight Champion (2009)
l Karate for Christ World Championships - 14-15 Girls Advanced (included Black Belts) Forms, Weapons and Sparring World Championships (2008)
l The Competitors Tour - 15-17 Black Belt Korean Forms, and 15-17 Female Hard & Soft Creative Weapons Champion (2008)
l Black Belts For Christ - 13-14 Black Belt Forms and Weapons, and 13-14 Girls Black Belt Sparring State Champion; also won the BBFC Grand Championship in all 3 events (2007)
l Black Belts For Christ - 13-14 Black Belt Forms, and Girls 13-14 Black Belt Sparring State Champion; also BBFC Girls 13-14 Black Belt Sparring Grand Champion (2006)
l South Carolina Sport Karate Association - Girls Beginner to 1st Intermediate Sparring Champion (2001)

Mason Hatcher, Assistant Instructor

Mason Hatcher is a 2nd Degree Blackbelt and has been studying the martial arts since 2002. He is an Assistant Instructor at LifeForce. His leadership training began in 2005 and was a member of the Super Team Of Role Models/Special Winning Attitude Team (STORM/SWAT), just before the inception of the current Guidance On Leadership Development (GOLD) Team. He remains an active member of the GOLD Team. He is also a member of the Demonstration and the Team.

His accomplishments include:

l Black Belts For Christ - 13-14 Boys Black Belt Sparring State Champion; also 13-14 Boys Sparring Grand Champion (2007)
l Black Belts For Christ - 13-14 Black Belt Weapons, and Boys 13-14 Black Belt Sparring State Champion (2006)

Bill Sanford has studied various styles and systems of the Martial Arts over his award winning 40 year, plus, martial arts carreer. He is the Founder and Director of Christian Warriors Weekend, held each year at the Sesquicentennial State Park Conference Facility, Columbia, South Carolina.

His accomplishments include: 

l 7th Degree Blackbelt Classical Jujitsu  Senior Student under the late Shizyura  Tanaka
l 2nd Degree Blackbelt Muso Jinken Iaido
l Member of the All-Japan Iaido and  Kendo Federation
l Former South Carolina Representative  Pemburan-Sayoc Arnis (Stick and  Knife Fighting) Association
l First martial artist from South Carolina  to be inducted into the World Martial  Arts Hall of Fame
l Former member of the Navy SEALS
l Expert Special Weapon and Tactics
l Expert Anti-terrorist tactics
l CQB Instructor
l Expert Sentry Neutralization

Vermell Pyatt has years of experience in business administration. She has been a LifeForce Fitness Kickboxing student since 2005 with only a brief hiatus. She believes that our students are introduced to "essential lifeforces for living well and wise."