Karate CV

  • Commenced Shotokan karate in January 1978 in the South African JKA Karate Association (SAJKA)
  • Stan Schmidt and Keith Geyer’s protégé, 1978–1995
  • Member of Stan Schmidt’s instructors’ class, 1980–1995
  • Hitoshi Kasuya’s protégé, World Shotokan Karate-do Federation (WSKF), 1997–2018
  • Head instructor, WSKF USA (1997–2008) and France (2009–2018)
  • 7th Dan—WSKF, 23 June 2012 (Sofia, Bulgaria)
  • Represented SAJKA at 4th Shoto Cup (Tokyo, 1992) and 5th Shoto Cup (Philadelphia, 1994)
  • Trained in Tokyo six times between 1983 and 2009, including the JKA instructors’ class (1992) and WSKF instructors’ class (2000)
  • Member of karate cast for theatrical presentation of The Anatomy of Poise and Skill: Karate and Ballet Compared (Johannesburg, 1982)

Publications

  1. PULLING NO PUNCHES – Karate Myths and Other Stories (self-published April 2019, Amazon.com, third edition April 2024)
  2. “Karate and Bragging”, Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue #126, January 2016
  3. “The Value of Kata for the Older Practitioner”, Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue 113, October 2012
  4. “Karate and Character”, theshotokanway.com, April 2012
  5. “The Japanese Connection”, Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue #103, April 2010
  6.  A Few Good Moves (karate training DVD), August 2009
  7. “Karate Training the South African Way”, Shotokan Karate Magazine, Issue #94, January 2008

Tournament career highlights

  1. Medalist 63 times (30 gold)
  2. Springbok colours, 1985
  3. Triple gold medal—men’s individual kata, South Africa versus USA, 1985
  4. Gold medal—men’s unison kata, South African All Styles championships, 1983
  5. U/70 kg SAJKA Grand Champion (kumite and kata), 1990
  6. South African Defence Force Grand Champion (kumite and kata), 1986–1987
  7. Silver medal—SAJKA men’s individual kata, 1984
  8. Bronze medal—men’s individual kumite, 5th Shoto Cup (JKA world championships), Philadelphia, 1994
  9. Bronze medal—men’s unison kata, All Japan Championships, Tokyo, 1992
  10. Bronze medal—men’s individual kumite veterans’ division, WSKF world championships, Tokyo, 2000 and 2004
  11. Best Competitor award—WSKF world championships, Tokyo, 2000
  12. Best Fighter award—South African Universities championships, 1982
  13. South African Universities colours, 1982–1983
  14. Karate Full Blue (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg), 1983