I started training karate because I was a very small boy for my age, this partially led me to be very shy and introverted.  We were not very well off and we found that the Institute of Karate offered reasonable rates.  I came to appreciate the quality of instruction and leadership at the dojo as time went by.  My father passed away shortly after I joined karate, I found myself consumed by training and forging my body and mind. The dojo was safe from the problems of the outside world.  The instructors became strong adult figures that I respected (aside from my amazing Mother) in particular Sensei Frank Koch. To this day, he exudes power, drive, and skill beyond any other karate person I have ever met.

This is why I teach. Karate gave me life, direction, discipline, perseverance and focus.  No one will be turned away from this dojo,  karate is that important to me.  Tournaments and personal achievements are nice, we talk about them because they are a small measure of the quality of training. The true success of an instructor is how the training affects the student, how they turn out, and what it does for their life.

A brief history of my training experience:

I started training Karate in 1978, I began teaching in 1979 when I reached the rank of green belt.

Instructors in Canada:

Heinz Rottman              Manfred Rottman

Nick Drazenovich           Frank Koch

Instructors in Japan:

Onadera Sensei            Kurokawa Sensei

Koide Sensei                Kikumura Sensei

Konahara Sensei 

I achieved Shodan (Black Belt) in 1984 while training at the Renbukai Karate Dojo in Shinjuku, Japan. This Dojo is famous for producing some of the best full contact fighters in Japan's history.

This is the first time my team and I entered the All Japan Full Contact Championships (Renbukai). This was important historically because we were the first non-Japanese team to compete in this tournament's  history.

I earned the rank of Godan 5th Degree Black Belt in 2007, along with a certificate of merit for 30 years service and loyalty to the Renbukai Karate Federation.

Sensei Frank Koch and me Tokyo Full Contact Championship 1998 (Gold Medal)

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