When I was 12 years, I followed the rest of my class to the main auditorium of my elementary school. At the time, I had no conception that this assembly would be the spark that would ignite the future passion of my life. Not only did we get to miss math class, but we also got to witness a strange activity called a Karate Demo. At first, I sat on the hard gym floor cracking jokes with my friends, but then I actually started to watch what they were doing. I liked it, and there were kids my own age up there doing it as well.

I never found out what the name of the Karate school was, but I spent the next two years researching the topic on my own. I actually asked my parents to let me take lessons at a Karate club, but they said that I was to young. Besides, at that time I would have had to take the bus to the Dojo, which was not an option for a twelve year old in my house. Two years later after constant nagging, my parents agreed to take me to a Karate School. I remember sitting in the Dojo with the late morning sun shining through the window in the back. Here I saw an instructor demonstrating techniques much like those in the demo two years earlier, but there was so much more power and refinement in the motions. I looked on awe struck, and knew that this was where I had to be.

During those years, I took the classes, trained hard and began to get a basic grasp of this vast and beautiful art. I entered tournaments as my Sensei told me to. Sometimes I won, and sometimes I lost but always as a true traditional Karate-ka using proper technique. On occasion, I even won the titles of Western Canadian Sparring Champion or Kata Champion. It felt good to win, but I always tried to remember that true Karate is not about ego. As my Sensei kept saying, Renbukai is about spirit and perfection of technique.

I took advantage of every opportunity to teach as well. As is the custom in a traditional Japanese art, teaching is part of the students learning process. I taught at our first Dojo, The Calgary Board of Education, and The Renbukai Karate School, to name a few. To teach is to learn.

A major element in learning the art of Renbukai karate is experiencing it in the country of its birth. I have traveled to Japan many times over the years. I have had the privilege to train under many great Karate Sensei including Kikumura Sensei, Kurokawa Sensei, Onadera Sensei and Konahara Sensei. I have also had the honour to enter the All Japan Renbukai Tournament many times. Competing in Kumite (sparring), Team Kumite, and Kata. I have also competed in the Tokyo Bogu tournament. I have been fortunate on occasion to win an award there as well.

It is a life long goal to teach Karate to all those who love it as I do. I also wish to show others the true way and spirit of Karate-do.    

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