Mike Quinsey is an accomplished wrestling coach, former elite-level wrestler, grappling instructor, and martial arts coach at Tanuki Martial Arts in Toronto. With decades of experience as both a competitor and coach, Mike brings a wealth of knowledge in wrestling, grappling, athletic development, and combat sports training.

Mike began wrestling in high school in Mississauga in the 1970s and quickly established himself as one of Ontario’s top young wrestlers. He became the first athlete from Mississauga to win an OFSAA Ontario High School Wrestling Championship at any weight class and went on to achieve a top-10 finish at the World Junior Wrestling Championships.

He later competed at the highest levels of Canadian wrestling, including the 1980 Canadian Olympic Trials, where he earned the position of first alternate to two-time World Championship silver medalist Clark Davis. During his university wrestling career at Simon Fraser University, Mike was a two-time recipient of the Scholar-Athlete Award before injuries ended his competitive career.

In 1992, Mike transitioned into coaching and dedicated himself to developing wrestlers and athletes of all ages. He became a Level 3 NCCP Wrestling Coach and has coached athletes across Ontario, continually refining his coaching approach through studying international wrestling systems and training methods.

Beyond wrestling, Mike has extensive martial arts and grappling experience. He earned a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Taekwondo, competed in martial arts, trained in grappling under Peter Lee, and won the Canadian Open Grappling Championships in the Advanced No-Gi Division.

Mike also served as Head Wrestling Coach for the University of Toronto Varsity Blues, helping develop university-level athletes and continuing his mission of teaching effective wrestling fundamentals and competitive skills.

At Tanuki Martial Arts, Mike shares his decades of wrestling and grappling experience with athletes of all ages. His coaching focuses on strong fundamentals, movement, problem-solving, discipline, and building confident athletes both on and off the mats.

Quick Facts About Mike

Favourite childhood video game: Pong (the original and forever the best)
Pineapple on pizza: No, thanks for asking
Is a hotdog a sandwich? Of course!
Most memorable movie: Everything Everywhere All at Once
Era he would travel back to: 2300 C.E.
Kindred spirit: Black Bear