Sabaki List Member Profiles

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I have dabbled in a couple of other arts in the past few years, namely American Kenpo, Jujitsu, Kung Fu (Wing Chun, Tai Chi Chuan, Seven Star Praying Mantis and Chang Chuan).

I became a Shodan in 1995 then my job as a computer professional took me to New Delhi where I joined Seido Karate and presently I am a Shodan in Seido also. I take classes for poor children in the mornings and I do regular classes in the evenings which are taken by my teacher and friend Senpai Subodh Dhiman who is three times National Champion in both kata and kumite.
I am also gold medal winner in Nationals (Kata). That's all about myself. Looking forward to meet some exciting karateka's via this platform.

Now, a little bit of myself, I,ve been doing karate for 4 years now, as a member of the Ashihara karate International, but before that i've learn a little bit of Shotokan and Goju-ryu before from my brothers.
I now hold a 3 kyu green belts and hope to broaden my knowlege a bit deeper in order to teach others in the future. Note that even as a 3 kyu, I sometimes have to take the class i n the absence of my intructor.

OSU every one on the list:

My name is Fabian Merino Calvo, I'm from Costa Rica, and here is my intro.

I began my training in Martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do) when I was 9 years old. In 1992, I start practicing Kung Fu Choy Lee-Fat, then Kempo Karate, Judo and Jujitsu.

On February 4th, 1993, I got my yellow belt from Shihan Antonio Lono and Moises Muñoz. as well as my blue belt in Judo and Jujitsu by Kodenkan Danzan Ryu.

In 1995, I competed in the Young Karate Do National Championship where I won the 2nd place team event and the 3rd place singles. In the same year I got my green belt in Choy Lee Fat from Sensei Ramon Lono Ancho and Moises Muñoz. I competed in the Tang Soo Do Championship, too.

In 1996, I won the first place team event and the first place singles in the Young Karate Do National Championship.One week later, I won the first place in the Senior Karate Do National Championship.  In 1996 I competed in the Tang Soo Do National Championship getting the third place. That same year I got my black belt in Kung Fu Choy Lee Fat and my Brown belt in Judo and Jujitsu, in the Kodenkan Danzan Ryu.

In 1997 I got my Shodan by Kung Fu Hong Sing Choy Lee Fat School. The same year I won the 3rd place in the Kung Fu National Championship and I competed in the First Kick boxing Championship of Costa Rica where I won the second place. I also completed the referees' course of Karate Do. In march 14th of 1997 I got my black belt in Kempo Karate, gaven to me by Kodenkan Danzan Ryu School.

In 1998 I competed in the Senior Karate Do National Championship, winning the 1st place in the Shodan -80 k. category. I start practicing boxing in 1998. I was part of the National Team of Costa Rica in the years of 1995, 96 and 97. Currently, I teach Karate in the Centro Educativo campestre (SCHOOL), and in the Victoria's Gym.

In 1999, I joined Ashihara Karate International and I got my Nidan and the representation of the Ashihara Karate International of Costa Rica. In October of the same year, I had the visit of Sensei Zenon Cortez B., who conducted a training camp for four days.

I have also trained with MANUBU MURAKAMI, rokudan in Karate and SKIF World Champion.

I would like to use this opportunity to give my opinion about the topic of rank and status presented by Shihan Narker. I believe Martial Arts is a way of life to me, it means that we should take with us what we have learned in the Dojo in our daily life. As an example, if we learn so many different Katas we have somehow (according to our understanding) project this outside the Dojo. Outside the Dojo we face different situations, we have to deal with our job, our family, our friends,and many others, same like Katas we learn different Katas and on each one of them we use a different approach to deal with the specifics circumstances, if we fail to see the relation between what we do in the Dojo with our daily life then Katas will be only another form of exercise to stay in shape and learned some basic pieces of selfdefense. If we manage to see this relation and apply it to our daily life then it becomes a way of life.

We can approach with this same idea about the use of ranks and status inside the Dojo. Inside the Dojo  according of your style or teacher rules ) we use different expressions to communicate with our students or our teachers ( Sempai, Sensei, Shihan, Teacher, Professor, Maestro, Mr., Master, and others) we do this to show respect and recognition for our teacher, students, and if we believe that respect is important in the Dojo then we should apply this same idea outside the Dojo without feeling uncomfortable of doing it. Now if we use all this terminology in the Dojo without really wanting to do it then this is another subject. We should first have a clear understanding why we do it in the Dojo so it will be easy to project outside the Dojo. I do not mean that we should use the same Dojo terminology in our daily life, however we should carry the concept of it ( I mean respect ). If we feel uncomfortable using words like, Sensei, Shihan,......, we always have alternative words like, Mr., Miss., Mrs..... Of course there will always be exceptions to this and in that case we should use our own judgment. Again it is very important to understand first why we do this, otherwise it will make no sense to someone who believes that to show respect he does not necessarily have to refer to someone in a special way. In this case we should discuss first if we really have a need in Martial Arts to use these ranks and status in order to show respect. I wish all of you well in your path through Martial Arts. OSU!

So I am pretty much a newbie belt-wise in Karate, though I have practiced various styles over the past 6 years (I have done little bits of Kyokushin, Ashihara, Goju, Ryukyu Kempo, and Daido Juku), but have throughout that time studied Yoshinkan Aikido, and which I continue to do. I also practice Gracie Jujutsu.

Tom Cauley - USA
I am 56 years old, an American born in Ireland and naturalized when I was 2 1/2 years old. I was raised in the mountains of Virginia and when I was 14 years old we moved to Virginia Beach, Virginia. There, I started the study of Sakugawa Koshiki Shorinjiryu Karatedo and Yuishinkai Kobudo under Masayuki Asaki, Sandan. I continued from June 1957 until June 1961 when I graduated from High school. I had been promoted by Asaki Sensei to Sankyu (3rd Class Brown belt) and joined the United States Air Force.
During 1962, I was sent to Fuchu Air Station, Japan. I studied Shotokan Karatedo under Masaaki Ueki of the old JKA. Shortly, thereafter, I was introduced to Jiro Okada, 5th Dan, Sakugawa Koshiki Shorinjiryu Karatedo and Kanto area Director. I stayed with him until his death in 1967 and after two tours with the USAF in Southeast Asia with an AF Commando outfit, I returned to Japan to Misawa Air Base in the North. I immediately sought out the Director of Sakugawa Koshiki Shorinjiryu Karatedo, Jiro Ogasawara. He died in 1969 and I studied from his son Tokushiro Ogasawara and the Chief Instructor; Masanao Yamazaki, Roshi, Kogokyo Zen Sect. When Tokushiro Ogasawara passed away in 1986, I realized the Headmaster of Masanao Yamazaki, who is still the Director.

I was promoted to 7th Dan on l5 June 1976 and finally to 8th Dan on 14 March 1999. I had almost 23 years as a 7th Dan...
I presently serve the All Japan Karatedo Kempo Federation and the All Northern Japan Karatedo Kempo Teachers Guild as their Chief Instructor, International division.  I am chiefly responsible for all English speaking karateka in our system (Adminstratively). I presently have students in several foreign countries.

I have enjoyed the heck out of the posts I've received so far, and I hope to add something to the discussions. (To Blair in Kiwiland: Rugby is coming too ;-) mate. Do you ever see Sensei Terry Hill?)

My present system/instructor is koncho Shigeki Umemoto w/ Toushikan martial arts institute, based out of Great Falls, Montana. I teach for a youth organization called Young Olympians (have about 350-400 kids/students) and periodically do seminars or classes with my old schools in Minnesota.

I haven't competed since the early 1990's but will be getting back into things next year as toushikan will be competing internationally again. Even though I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 250-300 fights under my belt (never really counted or kept track as they were in so many different formats/organizations), I've only switched over to training with Koncho Umemoto about a year ago. I will say that I have the utmost respect for him and for giving me the opportunity to train in his organization.

As a side note: I was at this years sabaki in Denver and was a little dissapointed to the lack of turnout/participation (6 middle weights and only 2 heavy weights) I was very impressed with, and glad to see, the womans division.  Hisako Nomura fought incredibly well considering that she gave up so much height,weight, and reach.

Looking forward to some good discussions,

John Diwishek

I now train with a locally-originated school called Aikendo, named after the founder Dr Henry Naiken. It is not a new art, but an amalgam of traditional karate, tiger kung fu, tai chi, JKD, kickboxing, metaphysics and whatever else we can lay our hands on. Occasionally, I also train with the local kickboxing group. I have also very brief stints with Ashihara and Praying Mantis.

I consider myself very inexperienced in martial arts, and am just a beginner. I'm learning quite a lot from this discussion list. Thanks, Hoosain, for including me. If I don't contribute much, please excuse me due to my inexperience compared to you heavyweights. But I'm reading your contributions, and just wish to say Great Going, Guys (& Gals)!

I practice karate since I was 16 years of age. In 1977 I started with  Kyokushin Karate and in 1984 I became an instructor. I gave lessons in  Kyokushin till I migrated to Ashihare Karate (IAKO, IBK)in the years  1990/1991. Since 1991 I give lessons im my dojo in Ashihara Karate. Besides Ashihara karate I am also an instructor in Kyokushin BudoKai (this is the allround fighting system from grandmaster Jon Bluming) and in Pancrase (Bas Rutten style). Futhermore I am very interested in other styles of martial arts. I have practiced Judo, Ju-Jutsu, Tai-Chi, Teakwondo and Kick-boxing and currently I take private lessons in Wing Tsun (Leung Ting style).

So this was my short introduction to you and I am looking forward to hear from you a lot in the future.

I continued my Goju Kai training under Vasi Naidoo. I was also fortunate to have played 1st division professional football in the NSL for Amazulu F.C. for 10 years. In 1997, I trained at the Jundokan in Naha, Okinawa under Miyazato Ei'ichi Hanshi- 10th dan (a direct long-term student of Miyagi Chojun O'Sensei). He graded me to my current grade of Yondan (4th dan) and appointed as his official Southern Africa representative.  I am blessed to represent and be taught by Miyazato Sensei who is a direct link to the founder of Goju Ryu Karate-Doh.

I also serve on various committees of the Karate Association of Natal. My Dojo is situated on the 1st floor of a 100 year old building - the Cathedral Parish Centre, which is in the Durban City Centre.  I am fortunate to have a number of wonderful and sincere Karate-ka/people, like Mark Appolos and Chantal Govender Sempai, train at my dojo. I am also Japanese graded in Iaido (Seite) and am fortunate to have also studied Katori Shinto Ryu Iaido (as shown on the Way of the Warrior video), however not as much as I would have loved too have studied.

Aysha Harnekar - South Africa
My name is Aysha, I am 22yrs old and live in Retreat(South Africa). I am training Ashihara Karate for the past eight years. I started doing it to keep fit and think that I still do it for that purpose and probably for the physical and mental stimulation that the dojo environment provides.

Now, being the only German kids in about 5 miles, my older sister and my life, was shall we say cautious. Everywhere we went, we were tormented.  School was difficult, friends were few and far between, beatings were always around the next corner. Junior High wasn't any better!

When I was 14, I saw a Karate demonstration inside the local shopping Mall. I was amazed by what I had seen, and I saw my chance to learn to protect myself. But despite my efforts, my parents could not allow it due to my Asthmatic condition, I knew it was more a case of money, or lack of it! I saved and saved to pay my own way, but it wasn't enough. No sports, no Karate, just School.

One day, in the School Library, a new shipment of books came in, I found amoung them a strange coloured green book, called  "The Plum Sugared Fist". It was a detailed descriptive hand book for a Chinese Martial Art. Oh, I read it every day, over & over again. Covering first the human body, presure points, hand and foot positions, striking, joint manipulation. I kept it all a secret! I used my dog as a training partner, he was very well trained so I was able to play fight, just to learn avoidence if you will, like a Matadore avoids the bull.  That book prepared me for a fight I could not avoid. It was with a very arrogant neighbor, every year on my birthday, he would come over to wish me well, my parents always said to be polite. He'd shake my hand, then kick me between the legs. For once I was ready, but he didn't even reach out this time, he just wanted to dish out some punishment. Up came his leg, down went my cross block, knuckles together. Our bones made contact, to my surprize, and his disbelief, his shin bone shattered. That was the last time anyone bothered me or our family.

Since then, I've read several books, and studied many cultures. When I finshed High School, I joined the Army for some adventure, ended up in an Armour Division. That was when I started my formal Martial-Arts training. Despite my Asthma, which was controlled to the best of my ability, I pushed on. Savate, French Boxing was what was taught at the time. I excelled in hand techniques, but lacked flexibility making high kicks impossible. I ended my service in the Forces in 84, and also never trained again due to poor health.

When I turned 30, I was already a father, Husband, Engineer, Saleman. My best friend at that time was bored and desperate to try something different.
One day I was in a bank, had his tall slim gentleman behind me. He made comments about a weird acting guy in the mall, just in front of the bank and we watched him pace back and forth until he entered the bank. He started towards the front of the line, pushing his way past waiting clients. His hand reached into his jacket, he was 5 feet from me. The man behind me yelled "He's got a gun" while he jumped high in the air spinning backwards, landing his heel on the guys chest, sending him flying backwards. I was amazed, and told him so. He said "with some hard work, I could learn" Needless to say he became my first Sensei In a style called Kyokushin Karate.

Well, it has been an interesting 6 years since that day. 3 Kyu in Kyokushin, but have since eased off due to too many injuries. I now train more often with my children as a Blue Belt in TKD & Yoseikan Karate. To further push myself I've begun in the art of Iaido. I still have severe asthma, which makes even the best days training difficult. But as I have learnt, to compete against myself, no matter what, is to gain further wisdom as to what I can accomplish.

I've really learnt to focus, and what strength can flow from you when you do. I've recently experienced an event in which my Ki, my spirit controlled my motion, it was like a dream, a sense of perfection. My fellow Karateka's still question me about it, still not understanding of it.

It has given me the desire to try even harder. My dreams in childhood of being rewarded with a blackbelt for all my efforts, my losses, my achievements, and struggles with my health, is only around the corner, but that day will mark only a new beginning. I understand now, going full circle. To get to the next level, only to start again from scratch.

I have been hurt, I have felt joy, seen crimes against humanity. I do my best everyday to remain polite even in the worst of times, and have been humbled by the recent birth of my 3rd child, my second son that almost never was.

I am a active participant in many different sports, including, soccer, rugby, baseball and volleyball, my first love of course being karate. Before Ashihara karate, I trained with Karate Zen, which is a combination of Goju Ryu and Shotokan and then also at Bushido, but am not really sure of what style they do, because I was still too young.

I started at Ashihara Karate in 1992, and I really liked the full contact, realistic nature and sabaki concepts and principles.  I have learnt lots under Shihan Narker. His understanding is excellent, I have also learnt a lot about Martial arts in general as well as admin skills, etc.

I would like to hear from and exchange ideas and opinions from all Martial artists.

I subsequently went on to join Chris Thompson's Samurai dojo and then Thierry Simon's Budoshin where I obtained my Shodan. I taught at Budoshin for 2 years and also participated in a couple of tournaments. I left Budoshin and have been practicing Aikido for the past year which required a major mindset change for me. I am still stuggling to adjust to the aikido way, but that's ok as I'm in no hurry.

I also recently attended the seminar given by Alfred Plath in the Modern Arnis system of Remy Presas and I must say that it was a very educational experience for me. There were a couple of techniques which was very  similar to basic aikido and karate techniques and to see it being applied with and against weapons made to seminar very valuable.

*  6th. Dan Black Belt in TaeKwon-Do
   - Singapore TaeKwon-Do Academy.
*  Black Belt Certificates from :
   - International TKD Federation
   - World TKD Federation
   - Global TKD Federation
   - Chang Moo Kwan TKD (Thailand)
* Shaolin  (Wushu - Tiger Style)
* Karate (KeiShinKan)

TITLES:
- Chief Instructor - BLCC TKD Club
- Dy. Chief Instructor - STA
- Chief Judge - STA and Inter-Varsity Tournaments.
- Chairman - STA TKD Technical Committee.

My 3 main Hobbies are:
1. All Martial Arts.
2. Everything on Martial Arts
3. Anything to do with Martial Arts.

I started in martial arts by doing TaeKwonDo, which I've done for about seven years now (ever since I was 14 yrs.) Only two years ago I got seduced into trying Ashihara and enjoyed it so much that I carried on training and eventually grading (breaking many constitutional rules in the process). I've got Senpai Hoosain and the late Shodan Mathokoza to thank for that.

To echo another persons' words, "This is going to be a learning experience for me and I hope you guys out there will always be there to answer my questions, of which I surely have many."

I live in Retreat (a historic place -  a battle between the Boers and the Red Necks took place here so many years ago -that was at the turn of the 20th Century) Retreat is a suburb of Cape Town, South Africa. Some great pics of Cape Town can be viewed on my site.

I started with Ashihara Karate in December of 1984, obtaining Branch Chief status in March of 1985. I opened the original  dojo in 1980 as a 17 year old and by April of this year, I will have been training for 25 years. What I am particularly proud of is that I have been training continuously without stopping other than the small breaks.
Since 1990, I have been involved as a Administrator on a Macro level. In the past, I have written articles, etc. for many of the top International M.A. magazines, but I have been lazy for some time. Hopefully I should get going again soon.

Last year I competed in our Annual Championships - performing a combination of Shoshin Kata Ichi & Ni and managed to obtain third place in the Open Kata Division against some expert kata competitors. I also fought in the Semi-Contact Continuous doing quite well. I would still like to compete - the only problem is that I am so involved with organising, etc. that I don't always get the chance. Let's see what the future holds in for me. :-)
I tend to write a lot, so sometimes I can blabber on and on - forgive me for that. For a more detailed background of myself, have a look at my web site at http://users.iafrica.com/a/as/ashihara - under Kaicho Hoosain Narker - that should be self explanatory.

I am a Fifth Dan Kukkiwon Taekwondo Black Belt, have taken several USNTF instructor course and am a certified Master level instructor, as well as an A-1 USTU Taekwondo referee certificate (one of a select few to have refereed 10,000 rounds of competition over the past 13 years).

I have studied boxing, and ballet, but prefer Jazz, party music, rhythm and blues. My hobbies are computer assisted large paintings (murals), dancing and mailing lists like this one.

In October I will be a volunteer helping  Celebrate South Africa We hope to help in bringing  South African Martial arts to this two city blocks of exhibits and are currently working with a brain storming team of Elite instructors in South Africa. We hope to help them tell their own story with seminars, demos, or possibly a Karate or combined Martial art tournament.

I cherish reading all valuable articles appearing in SABAKI list. Most liked topic is new member introductions. I feel that I am meeting new friends everyday. Not just average men and women but hard headed, strong bodied but rationally thinking individuals sharing a common ideology on a unique sport. (Sorry, karate is not just a sport but that is a topic too big for my small knowledge to handle - help needed from all of you and Kaicho Hussain!). I am a "brand loyalist" of Ashihara karate not only because I am thinking Ashihara karate is a good style but because I am miserably failing to by-hart many different katas of different styles. I was amazed with Steven Resell San's long list of styles. Osz to you Steven San! Also I love to correspond with list members off list mainly because I enjoy studying behavioral & psychological attitudes of individuals from our diverse universe. (just curiosity, not a research please). A big vote of thanks to Kaicho Hussain for providing this valuable opportunity. (I first met him in the Cyber Dojo and then he amazed me with names of small towns of my small country - he has visited many of them). Finally beg your pardon for the long mail, I was a member from inception but it took me "all that long" to compile this letter.

After a while I got bored by the way the sensei teached his students. He only focussed on technical moves. I know this is very important, but I also wanted to fight (sparring = maybe only dutch).There was no talking to him, so I quit. After a few weeks I started to train Ashihara Karate in Dordrecht at a dojo called "Kyoto-gym". This style and dojo was what I was looking for. The sensei John (oops forgot his backname) and Cor van den Adel where very focussed on kumité. At first it was very dificult for me to switch from "scintouch" to "full-contact", but within a half year I got the hang of it.

I usually train 2/3 times a week and got the 3 kyu grade. Next month I'll do an examen for second kyu. Last time I only trained the kata. After that I'm going for a year to Australia, so that's not gonna help me to get to the first dan grade soon. No tournaments coming up.

I already told I'm going to Australia. Maybe I can get some information about location in the OZ about Ashihara karate training?

I have been involved off and on in the Martial Arts since the age of six. Starting with Kendo and Jujutsu, which took place in Japan (I was born and raised there until I was eight years old). I remember not being allowed in the regular childrens classes and was taught separately by my Sensei along with his son who was a friend from elementary school.

Anyway, since then I have trained in several different arts such as (not in order): Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido, Kyokushinkai, Shotokan, Goju Ryu, American Freestyle Karate,  Ba Gua, American Kenpo, Chinese Kenpo, Hawaiian Kempo as well as Daito Ryu Aikijutsu and Hakko Ryu Jujutsu. (I hold Dan ranking in Chinese Kenpo, Tae Kwon Do and also received my Ikkyu in Daito Ryu Aikijutsu, Hakko Ryu Jujutsu, American Freestyle Karate and Hawaiian Kempo.) The reason I have trained in so many styles is because I have been moving a lot and they never have the same styles available in the areas I have moved.
However, I have not trained actively in a dojo the last three years due to an injury I sustained to my lower back during a Daito Ryu demonstration. I am extremely thankful to my teacher in Ba Gua who also does Chinese Medicine for getting me healthy again.
I would also like to add that I have just now become a member of Senpai Narker's AKI and will be attending his long distance learning program.

I practice Ashihara Karate since one month ago.....with sensei Fabian Merino....he is very young but know enough to teach 15 of us..... I also practiced Okinawa Te three years and proudly obtained a brown belt  but I left to practice that style for personal reasons....

I also practice a few months Tae-Kwon_do and obtained a yellow belt...but  didn't learn enough as I wanted....

Now that I'm practicing Ashihara......I expect learn all I can of the  style.....The Ashihara of Panama Invited us to a Tournament in May 2.000.....I hope we will do great perfomance....

Well...I don't know what else to say.....if anyone have another question I  will answer....thanxk to Hossain the list Adm and the rest of people...your comments are very userful.... thanx...

The problem of having practised with good seniors and teachers is that, one finds it very easy to find problems most classes.  And so for the last 6 years I have been drifting in and out of classes.  I'd join, practise for 2 weeks and quit - to the extent that it became a standing joke in my family that I was just conning myself that I loved the art and I wasn't fooling anyone else.  My biggest problem has been the atmosphere of the dojo.  The classes would have an unwelcoming atmosphere and most of the students
(especially the seniors) were more interested in proving a point and/or starting their own classes.  Also, I'm still not at the point where I can practise all by myself.

And so, I've ended up joining tae-kwon-do (just 3 weeks ago) - It's the state team and they'd won the nationals last year.  The spirit of the class feels quiet and peaceful and more importantly I feel at home.  The students are there because they love the art - they're good fighters and enjoy practising.  :-) Normal aches and pains of starting up - old and a familiar friend.  But this is the first time in these six long years I feel good about waking up at 0530 to practise.  Zero stamina, no speed, reaction time is totally shot - I'm happy putting on my old white belt and starting again. But there're small signs that it'll come back one of these days.  Let's see how it goes.

I have been training karate (Funakoshi Style - based upon Shotokan) for more than 25 years.  I am very involved in karate at a Regional aswell as National level.  I run two components:  Karate and Self Defence Workshops. Self Defence Workshops cc is seperate from karate, aswell as its image.
I did a workstudy on rape many years ago and am continually researching this subject.  Self Defence Workshops does not only teach the women self defence techniques, but we also educate them on rape prevention.  My book on rape prevention and Self Defence for Women will be launched in April/May this year. Please visit my website:  www.selfdefence.co.za

Very nice meeting all of you, I have been reading some of your communications, and thanks to Hoosain - this is a wonderful opportunity in gaining more knowledge and making new friends.

Soller is the founder and Chief Instructor of Phoenix Karatedo Association and the La Roche College Karatedo Club. Until 1994, he served as the Chief Instructor of the Mount Saint Mary's College Karatedo Club, which he founded in 1981. The highly successful organisations promote the traditional and educational values of Karate by emphasising an individual's development and human potential. Soller's classes are taught in a disciplined atmosphere which incorporates a hard style of karate, and direct, proactive movements. He was the All Breaking Champion under Elmore and his only student to reach Shihan rank.

In 1979, Soller was awarded a full teaching scholarship to develop the martial arts program at Southern Illinois University. While there, he trained hundreds of students and redesigned the curriculum to better reflect karate's aims and goals and meet students' needs. Having served as Chief Instructor for Elmore before teaching in Illinois, Soller has also organised and developed karate clubs in Virginia, New Jersey, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. He is the author of "Teaching in the College Dojo"  (1983), and the "Club Guidebook" (1984), as well as the latest edition of "The Phoenix  Karatedo Guidebook" (1995). He is currently holder of the seventh dan.

A college administrator by profession, Soller holds academic degrees from The Richard Bland College of The College of William and Mary, James Madison University, and Southern Illinois University. He serves as a Vice President and Adjunct Professor at La Roche College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He resides in Pennsylvania with his family and two Labrador Retrievers.

It's nice to know that many  people are learning Karate all over the world. I will try to keep brushing up my sabaki skill in Zambia. I'm thinking about visiting S.A., especially the Senpai Narker's head dojo, but we are not allowed to visit other countries except Tanzania, Botswana, Zimbabwe.  I don't know the reason why(maybe some political reason, like Apartheid they use to have), but the situation is improving,  actually one coordinator told me that the Japanese govt.. would change the regulation shortly, so I still have chance to visit S.A.

I am very much looking forward to being a member of this list. Having recently moved away from a Honbu I had trained at for many years,  I like the virtual community of the listserve. Being in a small town does not allow for a great number of opportunities.  I prefer contact sparring (lets you know you are alive) although that is not the primary emphasis of my instructor these days. Favorite Katas are:   Seienchin,  Garyu, and Seipai.  I had taken a break from training last year with my geographic move and finishing a masters degree, but now training with renewed motivation. Mostly working on my Heavy bag, sparring combos and Kata.

I am in the middle of a career transition and  working as a Research Analyst for a Market Research company. Also, I am a part-time graduate student at Bowling Green State University.

As I said before, I am actually quite new to this even though I have followed the martial arts intellectually for some years.  I did my first grading for a coloured belt not too long ago and could not quite believe the feeling of accomplishment that I felt in hearing unofficially that I had been successful and will be awarded my blue belt.
In Fushin Kai we go as follows:  White - Blue - Yellow - Green - Brown - Black.
You must understand that at age forty three I kind of got tired of the doctors telling me that I needed to get fit or face serious grief!!  I have five children and so far I have four of them in the dojo, so it was an easy step to joining them.  With me in there and getting my wife to join, I have had to negotiate a group rate on my membership fees!!!
Having gotten involved, I have already organized and put on our first tournament earlier this year.  Having learnt from our mistakes (of which there were many) we have plans to make it into an international tournament within the next two or three years.  Without ambition, there is nothing, eh...

Without overstating the case, it has been the best thing that I have done for myself in a long while.

    PERSONAL HISTORY
1954        Born in Durban, South Africa
1978        Immigrated to San Francisco, USA
1983        Graduated from San Francisco Law School
1984        Admitted to California Bar
1985-present    Sole practitioner - Law Offices of Desmond B. Tuck, San Mateo, California

Married with two children. Resident of Palo Alto, California.

    MARTIAL ARTS TRAINING/CREDENTIALS

1964-65               Kodokwai Institute, Durban, South Africa, judo and karate
1970-present        Student of Shihan Leo Lipinski, present head of Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai,
                           England and JKF Goju Kai, Europe
1972-74               Student of Shihan Stuart Booth, present head of Goju Ryu Kenwa-Kai, South Africa
1973-74               Student of Shihan Stan Schmidt, Shotokan, South Africa
1974                    Graded to Shodan - Karate-do Goju Kai, Durban, South Africa
1976                    Graded to Nidan by Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi. Appointed by him as Authorized
                           Instructor and Authorized Branch Head, Karate-do Goju Kai, South Africa.
1977                    Graded to Sandan-Ho - Karate-do Goju Kai, Johannesburg, South Africa
1985                    Graded to Sandan - Karate-do Goju Kai, South Africa
1992                    Sandan confirmed in both Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai and under JKF Goju
                           Kai, London, England.
1996                    Graded to Yondan - Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai, England
1997                    Graded to Yondan - JKF Goju Kai in London, England

    TOURNAMENT INVOLVEMENT/ PARTICIPATION

1974        South African Championships, Durban, South Africa
1987        USA Team member, Pan American Maccabiah, Caracas, Venezuela
1993        Manager, USA karate team to World Maccabiah, Israel
1995        Coach of San Francisco Bay Area karate team to Youth Maccabiah, Long Island, New York.
1997        Coach of San Francisco Bay Area karate team to Youth Maccabiah, Seattle, Washington.
1999        Coach of San Francisco Bay Area karate team to Youth Maccabiah, Rochester, New York.

    TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1973-1978       Instructor, Karate-do Goju Kai, South Africa.
1977-1978       Chief Instructor, Transvaal province, Karate-do Goju Kai, South Africa.
1990-present    Chief Instructor, JCC Maccabi Karate Club, Palo Alto, California
1992                Formed Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai, USA with Vassie Naidoo, Chief Instructor.
1992-present    President, Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai, USA

    INTERNATIONAL TRAINING/SEMINARS

1976        Shihan Goshi Yamaguchi, Johannesburg, South Africa
1990        IOGKF Seminar, San Diego, California with Shihan Morio Higaonna
1992        JKF Goju Kai Seminar, London, England - Shihan Shuji Tasaki, Shihan Takeo
               Ohga, Shihan Seiichi Fujiwara, Shihan Leo Lipinski,
1996        Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai Seminars in London, England,  Budapest,
               Hungary, St. Pölten, Austria, and Bratislava, Slovakia, with Shihan Seiichi Fujiwara,
               Shihan Leo Lipinski.
1997        JKF Goju Kai seminars in Nitra, Slovakia and London, England, with Shihan Shuji
               Tasaki, Shihan Takeo Ohga, Shihan Akira Shiomi, Shihan Seiichi Fujiwara, Shihan
               Leo Lipinski.
               Karate-do Seiwa Kai Seminar, Santa Monica, California with Shihan Leo Lipinski.
1998        Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai Seminar, Santa Monica, California with Shihan Leo Lipinski
               Tibon's Goju Ryu Seminar, Lodi, California 1999
                Goju Ryu Karate-do Seiwa Kai Seminar, Santa Monica, California with Shihan Leo Lipinski.

    OTHER

1999        President of JKF Goju Kai, California branch (sole authorized US branch)

He practiced Kempo between the ages of 14 and 19 under the guidance of Sensei Jim Strik (2nd Dan Kempo). After the club was disbanded he started to do kick boxing under the guidance of Jeflrey v Es. When he was 21 he returned to his fist budo love Kempo with Sensei Peter van Velzen (4th Dan Kempo) and at this point he reached 2nd kyu.

When he was 24 he moved to Spijkenisse where he came into contact with Kyokushinkai Karate and, after 8 years of Kempo, he decided to switch schools. His first teacher was Sensei Peter Meerburg (2nd Dan Kyokushin) at the Delta Sports School. However, several changes of teacher impaired the quality of the training so he decided to change to sports school Murumachi under the leadership of Sensei v Wijngaarden, 4th Dan, and Sensei Eikmans, 4th Dan. After this move he became really interested in Kyokushin Karate and he started to help by teaching children. Soon after that he started giving lessons to adults as well. After much hard training and teaching he was promoted by Shihan Jon Bluming to 1st Dan Kyokushin on the 5th of May 1993. You can rest assurec that both Senseis had an enormous influence on building his character

In January 1994 he moved to Strijen in the Hoeksche Waard. ln August 1995 he decided to leave the Senseis after an amicable disagreement regarding style and performance. 7 (happy) years later in 1995, he decided to open his own sports school in Strijen called 'Kyokushinkai Musashi'. At the same time he moved to the dojo of Shihan Middelman and Shihan Verschoof (both 6th Dan Kyokushin). The demand for Kyokushin Karate in the Hoeksche Waard was enormous and within 3 months the 100th member was enrolled. On the 1st of April 1996 the second step was taken to Westmaas, and on 1/1/98 Numannsdorp became the third location. Recently 1-11-98
the fourth dojo was open in Oud Beijerland.

Sensei v d Velde broke all links with Shihan Verschoof after a serious disagreement in May 1997, and decided from then on to go his own way. Shihan Middelman and Sensei Goedegebuur also broke all former links, and these three decided to go further together. Shihan Middelman promoted him to 2nd Dan Kyokushin and recently in november 1998 he was promoted to 3th Dan after completed the 50 man kumite. At this moment the membership number varies between 170 and 200 which means that Kyokushinkai Musashi is one of the biggest schools of its sort in The Netherlands.