Club History

The Oakland Eskrima Club has its roots within the Berkeley Eskrima Club, founded in 1985 by Ed Abinsay and Leo Fernandez.

Training at Finnish Hall in Berkeley, California, the club was extremely active in the early eskrima tournament scene. Ed Abinsay, Leo Fernandez and Alfredo Bandalan were responsible for organizing the first national eskrima tournament and the Berkeley Eskrima Club successfully sent several fighters to the first and second World Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation World Championships held in the Philippines in 1989 and 1992.

In July 2000, Master Burford changed the name of the club to the Oakland Eskrima Club in order to recognize the club's current status as a premier martial arts organization training in Oakland, California.