INSTRUCTOR

The TV action series "Kung-Fu", starring David Carradine, was another ‘push’ in my martial arts direction. I made sure to watch all the episodes that I can. I was even the more determined to learn. I got lucky one day when I found a paperback instruction book on Shotokan Karate at the used book store. This book became my 'secret' treasure. In a way, the book became my instructor. Coupled with memories of what Milton was able to do and reading this book had me going on kicks, punches, blocks, stances, you name it! I was getting motivated with my karate experience! To this day, I still have that 'treasured' book in my library.

In my adolescence, I was navigating through the peer pressures of life, as I found myself being challenged by the usual 'bullies' at school. I did not ever like being in trouble and always considered myself to be a ‘good boy’. Something about the way I held myself and not saying much about karate seemed to worry my ‘would-be adversaries’. Just having a few karate books with me seemed to do the trick by themselves. It took only one fight that I was forced into after school in the gym to get my reputation. I don’t remember much, as I was somewhat scared. Actually, I was scared of getting caught. So, it happened that I did some type of strike that resulted in the other boy getting his jaw hurt. Other kids who witnessed were better able to describe what happened. The fight was so quick, that I was still able to run out and catch my bus before it left the school. Surprisingly, the next day, that boy was going around telling everyone that I ‘busted’ his jaw. Seriously, he really wasn’t that injured, but with what he said, he established my 'reputation' and from then on everyone in school thought not to mess with Karl, because he knows that ‘ju-jitsu karate stuff’.

By the time I was 15 years old, most of our homestead and property was built and I was able to do a little afterschool sports. In the ninth grade I was playing on the JV soccer team. Actually, I was warming the bench for the JV soccer team. Other more popular boys went on to play in the games. Occasionally, I was sent in to play quarterback at the goal end of our field. Our team did happen to have a good offense so I did not get to see much action at our end of the field. Nonetheless, I really liked kicking and soccer at the time was the sport for me. My mom would pick me up after practice like most kid's moms would do. One day, she was late… More than a half hour late. When I ask her where has been she replied that she was at karate class. What! KARATE CLASS? Where? I was full of my usual questions and wondering why I was not let in on this earlier. She thought I was so crazy about my soccer that it wasn’t something I wanted to do. She was really wrong about that thought. Needless to say, I was no longer with the JV soccer team. I had my one year of soccer time and was ready to take on my dream… Karate!

Fifteen years old and full of questions, I excitingly entered my first REAL classes at the West Asheville Community Center. It was called Shuri-de of Asheville, Goju-Shorei-ryu Karate. The teacher's name was Sensei Lorraine Lewis. I posed her with my questions and ‘all wound-up exuberance’ and was certain she was going to kick me out the door. I found myself being so over-excited about being in karate for real and learned the hard way not to ask too many questions. Sensei was quick to put me in my place and after a while I was no stranger to doing push-ups or standing in Kiba-dachi in the corner for my uncourteous out-breaks. Soon, I was learning the discipline of the martial arts. Mom and I both tested for our yellow belt together and past! We also received our ‘white pine tree’ patch, a designation patch indicating our knowledge of standards in the techniques of our karate. I was eager to learn all that I can and realized that my sensei really appreciated that. She began me on a regiment of kata. As I was learning the kata she would tell me what the kata was about, where it was from, how it was designed, what it teaches and for what rank each kata would be for. I came to realize that I was learning black belt kata at yellow belt rank. I also learned of the history of our karate and of sensei. Lorraine sensei was promoted to her Sho-dan (first degree black belt) by Grandmaster O'sensei Trias. And at the time I began classes at the community center, she was a Ni-dan (second degree black belt). She was a fierce competitor in her time, being in the top ten and number one in kata during the years of kata competition in the USKA Grand National Tournaments. My appetite for karate had me in Sensei's basement for private lessons, at least once a week on Friday nights. I can still remember hearing the roar of the nearby NASCAR short-track raceway while concentrating on the kata and technique Sensei was teaching me.

Mom eventually found something else of interest (a construction / carpentry class at AB Tech) and moved on. Since I was not of age yet to drive, she still dropped me off and picked me up. Classes at the community center were twice a week for two hours each time. When I got my license at sixteen I was free to make it to class all I wanted. Or, so I thought. As fate would also have it, I was also working in the family business of landscaping and lawn care. Dad gave me the locations of places that I was to complete each day and with me being a licensed driver, I was in business. He knew that I would put my karate-gi (uniform) and gym bag behind the seat and still go to karate class. I remember taking baths in the boys restroom sink to wash the dirt off my neck and arms. Thank goodness our style of karate wore black uniforms. And somehow, I still got my work done.

Years of training and enjoying the spirit of the martial arts fueled me through my many tough times. Getting married, having three children and still pursuing my martial arts was a real challenge. My children were also growing up with karate being just an ordinary thing to them. I let them be apart of our different classes through the years and was proud of their own accomplishments. Between work and family, I managed to keep up with training. I entered many tournaments throughout the southeast and was able to establish a stronghold in kata and kumite. First or second place finishes were actually expected of me. I dived into kickboxing, when kickboxing was cool, and tried to excel regardless of my restricted training schedules. All the while, I was committed to 'growing old' in the martial arts.

Participating in seminars to learn about other karate styles, techniques and martial arts was a ‘side passion’. Even though, I was being loyal to my school and to the art it teaches, I was able to expand my understandings and perceptions of techniques and methods by participating in many events. Some to mention are the seminars with Taika Seiyu Oyata and his Ryukyu Kempo / Kyushu Jitsu discipline, work-outs with Benny ‘the jet’ Urquidez, welter-weight kickboxing champion, classes with middle-weight kickboxing champion Bill ‘superfoot’ Wallace, Filipino arts of Kali and Arnis with Dicky Harrel, Filipino boxing and Balintawak Escrima/Arnis with Master Bobby Taboada, Wing Chun and Jeet Kune Do with my good friend Larry Rice, Kata Bunkai seminars with Shihan Fumio Demura, Kobudo seminars with Randy Patterson, Technique and WUKO introductions with George Anderson, helping in training students for the Olympic hopeful kumite spots with Shihan Carl Wilcox, the occasional Tai Chi Chuan (yang form), not to mention the many times distinguished guests would drop by the dojo to spend time working with us on exciting things.

Many seminars and classes and training over the past 33 years has allowed for me to rise to shichi-dan (seventh degree black belt). Though I do not have a class with dozens of students, I still endeavor to teach one or two. Having taught at community centers, partnered in dojos and teaching in fitness centers gave me much experience. Watching students grow and gain from their learning of karate is second to none. In pursuit of furthering my knowledge in karate and the martial arts, I continue to study with my sensei, Lorraine Lewis. When I started in the fall of 1976, sensei was a Ni-dan (second degree black belt). Now she holds the distinguished rank of Ku-dan (ninth degree black belt) and the title of Hanshi in our styles of Trias Karate (Shuri-ryu / Shorei-ryu / Goju-Shorei-ryu). Having a karate family with today’s internet makes miles turn into cyber inches. Communicating though the world wide web makes our cyber karate interaction a great way to stay informed and in studies. In my links page, you will find members of my ‘karate’ family. Visit their sites as well to get a deeper understanding of our passion for karate.

Today, I continue to work in our commercial landscape maintenance business that my wife and I own and operate. Time for teaching and training is not as frequent as it use to be, but I manage to make it happen amongst a busy weekly schedule. I have always envisioned having a dojo in a busy shopping plaza somewhere, but for now, my energy is focused on business. Little by little that day will come. In the meantime, I continue to work hard to bring those dreams to a reality.