Winter 2014 30 years and up It’s time for the Masters Karate BC has literally exploded with opportunities for ʺmastersʺ age group athletes, and believe it or not, that’s people 30 years old and up. Sensei Ali Najafi with Kimya Najafi demonstrate board breaking in foreground. In As Karate BC Executive Director the back ground are Warren MacLean with Nika Najafi — Photo by KNSKA member puts it, Wow!!! Our provincial championships have had only about 10 participants in the Karate in the Mall 35+ age group in the past few years but we have more than 800 KimNik Shotokan Karate Academy championship, the six teams were members over the age of 30. represented Karate BC at the able to perform their Kata and Willowbrook Shopping Centre in bunkai in public. So the board has gone out and Langley as part of the Health and sought opportunities for this age Sensei Ali Najafi and his family also Fitness weekend in May. group to find ways to express performed their family kata, a fun themselves socially, educationally KimNik Karate Academy is proud to thing they always prepare for their and in a competitive environment. be a traditional and sport karate club Zone 3 tournament. building strong foundations that will KBC has applied for, and been help their athletes and practitioners Young but strong athletes of this accepted, as a sport in the 2015 enjoy our art as a lifelong skill. club presented their Kihon, Kata and other skills in public with many BC +55 Games in North This club has a very family focus and audiences at this big shopping Vancouver, Aug. 25‐29, 2015 promotes healthy families who like to center on a busy Mother’s Day We have over 200 members in this stay healthy or make their weekend. connections stronger. age category so we are hoping this Dojo members were happy to event will provide an opportunity As this well‐organized event was represent their provincial karate for those eligible to meet and right after the BC Provincial organization in this great (Continued on page 7) opportunity. Karate BC NEWS In Memory of OʹSensei Tsuruoka, the Father of Karate in Canada Fortius Athlete Development Centre Sydney Landing 2002A Karate BC was saddened at the passing of OʹSensei Masami 3713 Kensington Avenue Tsuruoka, the Father of Karate in Canada, October 10, 2014 at the Burnaby, BC V5B 0A7 age of 85. t 604.333.3610 OʹSensei was a teacher and mentor both in and out of the dojo. His f 604.333.3612 dedication loyalty and passion affected thousands worldwide. e [email protected] He will be remembered in the hearts of many and in the karate www.karatebc.org legacy he leaves behind. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Sensei Rick Penner of Kelowna represented Karate BC at O’Sensei’s President: Charles La Vertu memorial service. [email protected] 1st Vice‐President: Karate Canada National Championships Donna Gardecki [email protected] Karate Canada and Karate BC will be most important multisport hosting the 2015 National competitions Canada has hosted: the 2nd Vice‐President: Championships Jan. 30 – Feb. 1, 2015 Toronto 2015 Pan American and at the Richmond Olympic Oval. This Parapan American Games. Kurt Nordli event will bring together high profile [email protected] athletes and expects to draw We are seeking Volunteers to make spectators and participants from all this event the best it has ever been! If Secretary: Sarah Perez over the country, as the nation’s best you would like to have a front row talent takes to the rings. seat to all the action please to [email protected] register and let us know your This edition will have a very distinct availability. Treasurer: Ken Corrigan flavor as it’s the last national Please share this with anyone you [email protected] competition before the Pan think would be interested. American Games Qualifier (March Membership: Andreas Kuntze 2015 in Toronto) and it will be the To sign up, please visit: https:// last opportunity for athletes to earn docs.google.com/forms/d/1‐ [email protected] points towards National Team W2000w65n3‐iQZ‐vhooH9P9‐ Directors‐At‐Large: selection and the opportunity to VNq6ndApH6qjNN2eJU/viewform? represent our country at one of the c=0&w=1 Rick Penner [email protected] Karate BC Affiliations: Coaching Association of BC Brendan Flower Karate Canada The Canadian Olympic Pan‐American Karate Federation Association [email protected] World Karate Federation BC Recreation and Parks Association Paul Sexton Canadian Sport Council [email protected] Ministry of Community, Newsletter Editor: Sport and Cultural Charles La Vertu Development 2 Karate BC NEWS demonstration on Saturday was performed by Sensei Barry Gower’s Uechi Ryu students. On Sunday Sensei Akiro Sato performed a knife defence demonstration to the delight of all. The committee also created a commemorative Yearbook, compiled by President Charles La Vertu which was distributed to participants and spectators during the weekend. This book was very professionally done. Okinawan Eisa dancers The tournament committee/ anniversary committee had Kerr’s Recognition Services Inc. create a special tournament medal 40th Anniversary commemorating 40 years for KBC. It is spectacular. By Dan Wallis The committee also arranged for an entertaining demonstration Saturday A special thank you to our morning of Okinawan Eisa th 40 anniversary committee for dancers. arranging special commemorative events as well as Thank you to Sensei Mike creating Scales for arranging this outstanding event. mementoes to mark On Saturday the audience this historic was entertained with occasion for Karate demonstrations by Sensei BC. Shapland’s Thesshinkan Don Shapland We started with kobudo students. Sensei Don Another very interesting Shapland’s seminar on The history and evolution of kata. Close to 30 participants heard some of the key advances in kata as seen through the eyes of the Okinawans. Very interesting. That evening a “trailer” of the DVD Otusan‐The Life of Masami Tsuroka was shown and 25 copies of the DVD sold. If anyone else would like a copy, please refer to the Karate Canada website or contact Dan Wallis for more information on purchasing a Uechi Ryu students demonstrate kata DVD. 3 Karate BC NEWS We are 40 and counting From 300 to 4,000 members By Charles La Vertu in Canada, O’Sensei Masami President, Tsuruoka, Karate BC, then called the Karate BC National Karate Association – British Columbia Branch, started with 300 Karate BC is celebrating our 40th members, mostly adults, peaked at anniversary this year. around 4,600 and is now 4,000 strong, mostly young people. This milestone was marked at our Provincials which saw 600 compete Our juniors outnumber our seniors O’Sensei Tsuruoka and Charles La Vertu over two days in 80 divisions. by about two to one and males competitors in 1973 to more than 60 outnumber females at about the same Founding member Shihan Akira Sato in 2014. ratio. In 1974 there were few females notes that the first KBC tournaments in our dojos, and the tournaments had no weight categories and only This shows how far we have come were for men only. one division with as many as 120 from, when a group of dojo blackbelts competing in one ring. instructors got together in 1974 so BC members have had major that they and their students could influence nationally and Former president Mark Stacey points compete against each other and on internationally in the karate world, out there were no women or kids. the national and international scene. people like: The BC Team has gone from three Encouraged by the Father of Karate Our first executive director, Sensei James Johnson, is a member of the National Karate Hall of Fame; Sensei Norma Foster is the first woman to be appointed to the World Karate Federation Referee Council; Founding member Dr. Chee Ling has served on the Canadian Olympic Committee and the WKF Medical Commission; Sensei Mark Stacey whose insistence on developing our policy manual helped set the tone for our organization for years to come; Sensei Dan Wallis, former National Karate Association and Karate BC president and current KBC executive director, brought stability to the national body; and Ling family at their family dojo in Delta. The picture includes five grandchildren (Ethan, Matthew, Alec, Tristan and James), son‐in‐law Marshall Cheng, daughters The late Sensei Cal Moore helped (Rassamee, Tanya, and Mee Lain), and Joan and Chee Ling. Son–in‐law Jim Scouras create the karate component of the was absent. Not shown but active in karate in Washington DC are grandson Bodhi (Continued on page 5) and granddaughter Meijin and mom Lisa Ling. Son‐in‐law is Pawan Patil. 4 Karate BC NEWS championships including the Ling sisters (Rassamee, Tanya, Lisa and We are 40 Mee Lain), Shauna Escher (the three‐ (Continued from page 4) time kata champ) and Sensei Poirier. Long Term Athlete Development British Columbia’s leadership in the program with Sensei Kraig Devlin. sport has continued through the generations. As president of the National Karate Association (now Karate Canada) Shihan Chris Taneda was six‐time Sensei Johnson accomplished many Canadian champion. changes including changing the Shihan Kaz Hashimoto won Gold in National dan ranking process so that kumite, Gold in kata, Gold in team people outside the major styles of kata and silver in open kumite at the karate could join the NKA. Pan American Championships in He was responsible for having karate 1990 in Rio, Brazil. athletes carded by the federal Hidetada Narumi the founding president of KBC. The Uchiage family has been government, and because of his prominent on the national and activities at the World Karate individual kumite and kata at the international scene.