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Chris
Caile - USA
Fabián
Merino Calvo - Costa Rica
OSU every one on the list:
My name is Fabian Merino Calvo, I'm from Costa Rica, and here is my intro.
I began my training in Martial Arts (Tae Kwon Do) when I was 9 years old. In 1992, I start practicing Kung Fu Choy Lee-Fat, then Kempo Karate, Judo and Jujitsu.
On February 4th, 1993, I got my yellow belt from Shihan Antonio Lono and Moises Muñoz. as well as my blue belt in Judo and Jujitsu by Kodenkan Danzan Ryu.
In 1995, I competed in the Young Karate Do National Championship where I won the 2nd place team event and the 3rd place singles. In the same year I got my green belt in Choy Lee Fat from Sensei Ramon Lono Ancho and Moises Muñoz. I competed in the Tang Soo Do Championship, too.
In 1996, I won the first place team event and the first place singles in the Young Karate Do National Championship.One week later, I won the first place in the Senior Karate Do National Championship. In 1996 I competed in the Tang Soo Do National Championship getting the third place. That same year I got my black belt in Kung Fu Choy Lee Fat and my Brown belt in Judo and Jujitsu, in the Kodenkan Danzan Ryu.
In 1997 I got my Shodan by Kung Fu Hong Sing Choy Lee Fat School. The same year I won the 3rd place in the Kung Fu National Championship and I competed in the First Kick boxing Championship of Costa Rica where I won the second place. I also completed the referees' course of Karate Do. In march 14th of 1997 I got my black belt in Kempo Karate, gaven to me by Kodenkan Danzan Ryu School.
In 1998 I competed in the Senior Karate Do National Championship, winning the 1st place in the Shodan -80 k. category. I start practicing boxing in 1998. I was part of the National Team of Costa Rica in the years of 1995, 96 and 97. Currently, I teach Karate in the Centro Educativo campestre (SCHOOL), and in the Victoria's Gym.
In 1999, I joined Ashihara Karate International and I got my Nidan and the representation of the Ashihara Karate International of Costa Rica. In October of the same year, I had the visit of Sensei Zenon Cortez B., who conducted a training camp for four days.
I have also trained with MANUBU MURAKAMI, rokudan in Karate
and SKIF World Champion.
Anthony
Capraro - USA
Angel
Carrasco -Canada
I would like to use this opportunity to give my opinion about the topic of rank and status presented by Shihan Narker. I believe Martial Arts is a way of life to me, it means that we should take with us what we have learned in the Dojo in our daily life. As an example, if we learn so many different Katas we have somehow (according to our understanding) project this outside the Dojo. Outside the Dojo we face different situations, we have to deal with our job, our family, our friends,and many others, same like Katas we learn different Katas and on each one of them we use a different approach to deal with the specifics circumstances, if we fail to see the relation between what we do in the Dojo with our daily life then Katas will be only another form of exercise to stay in shape and learned some basic pieces of selfdefense. If we manage to see this relation and apply it to our daily life then it becomes a way of life.
We can approach with this same idea about the use of ranks
and status inside the Dojo. Inside the Dojo according of your style
or teacher rules ) we use different expressions to communicate with our
students or our teachers ( Sempai, Sensei, Shihan, Teacher, Professor,
Maestro, Mr., Master, and others) we do this to show respect and recognition
for our teacher, students, and if we believe that respect is important
in the Dojo then we should apply this same idea outside the Dojo without
feeling uncomfortable of doing it. Now if we use all this terminology in
the Dojo without really wanting to do it then this is another subject.
We should first have a clear understanding why we do it in the Dojo so
it will be easy to project outside the Dojo. I do not mean that we should
use the same Dojo terminology in our daily life, however we should carry
the concept of it ( I mean respect ). If we feel uncomfortable using words
like, Sensei, Shihan,......, we always have alternative words like, Mr.,
Miss., Mrs..... Of course there will always be exceptions to this and in
that case we should use our own judgment. Again it is very important to
understand first why we do this, otherwise it will make no sense to someone
who believes that to show respect he does not necessarily have to refer
to someone in a special way. In this case we should discuss first if we
really have a need in Martial Arts to use these ranks and status in order
to show respect. I wish all of you well in your path through Martial Arts.
OSU!
So I am pretty much a newbie belt-wise in Karate, though
I have practiced various styles over the past 6 years (I have done little
bits of Kyokushin, Ashihara, Goju, Ryukyu Kempo, and Daido Juku), but have
throughout that time studied Yoshinkan Aikido, and which I continue to
do. I also practice Gracie Jujutsu.
After my Sensei spilt with Kenshikan I needed to find something new so I am now with Seito Shito-Ryu under Soke Kenzo Mabuni. I'm one of the guys that practice over 40 kata's. :-)
I have trained with other style's too. Some of which are Kyokushinkai, Shotokan, Goju Ryu and a few others too. All of these great Sensei, some of which you all know, ALL had something great and interesting to offer.
I'm a traditionalist by heart although like many of you
here have done my share of competition too, now I am trying to follow the
"DO" in my Karate.
Tom
Cauley - USA
I was promoted to 7th Dan on l5 June 1976 and finally
to 8th Dan on 14 March 1999. I had almost 23 years as a 7th Dan...
I presently serve the All Japan Karatedo Kempo Federation
and the All Northern Japan Karatedo Kempo Teachers Guild as their Chief
Instructor, International division. I am chiefly responsible for
all English speaking karateka in our system (Adminstratively). I presently
have students in several foreign countries.
Ken
Charlton - USA
Michael
Cogan -USA
I moved to California in 86 as a brown belt. I went through a long 8 year period of only personal training because I didn't know where to train here. During that time I lost touch with a lot of karate-ka many of whom went on to pursue other things.
Then in '95 I found the IOGKF and trained in Thousand Oaks with Sensei Mel Pralgo. Later I began taking Kobudo part time with Sensei Wilson. At the time he was associated with Sho Rei Shobu Kan and Shihan Roseberry. I longed for the old contacts and began training full time with Sensei Wilson on Valentines Day in 1997. This was very good for me. Sensei Wilson is a very talented karate-ka and gifted instructor. He taught me much about Goju-Ryu that I never knew from anywhere else. Hojo undo, oyo bunki, and atemi waza to name a few.
His teacher Sensei Stan O'Hara formed his own organization
called the Okinawan Goju-Ryu Kenku Kai (OGRKK) which is my current organization.
I received my Nidan from this organization in August of 2000.
Dan
Cohen - USA
In 1986, he was awarded his instructor's certificate in
Jukido and opened the Kingswood-Oxford Jukido
Academy in West Hartford, CT, becoming the IKA's youngest
Chief Instructor. In 1988, he founded the
Brandeis Kokondo Academy where he continues to teach
formal Jukido and Karate classes, as well as
self-defense seminars. While traveling in Japan and China
in 1986, Mr. Cohen trained intensively for
a short period at the Kodokan and the Aikikai Hombu Dojos
in Tokyo, the World Headquarters of Judo
and Aikido respectively. In 1988, he visited Kokondo
dojos in Finland where he introduced Jukido for
the first time. He has since been actively involved with
Sensei Toropainen and the Finnish IKA
members, and just completed teaching a 10 day karate
and Jukido seminar in Finland with Sensei Scott
Cohen in November, 1998. He has also taught extended
Kokondo seminars in Israel, including a trip with
Shihan Arel in 1993.
In conjunction with Hombu, Sensei Cohen works with all
dojos at schools, colleges and universities.
Since 1988, he has served as an advisor to Chief Instructors
in the process of aligning Kokondo
philosophies and IKA regulations with the unique cultural
environments and bureaucracies of
educational institutions.
Outside of Budo, Mr. Cohen received his B.A. in History,
American Studies and Secondary Education
from Brandeis University in 1991, and his M.A. in History
from the University of Connecticut in 1993.
In 1996, he advanced to candidacy for a Ph.D. in United
States History from the State University of New
York at Stony Brook. He has written on US-Israeli Relations,
and is currently writing his dissertation
entitled "Cultural Diplomacy Through Empty Hands: The
Significance of Traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate in Post-War United
States History." His dissertation research has so far included lengthy
interviews with senior American and Japanese Sensei who were the Founding
Fathers of karate in the U.S., including Shihan Arel. Professionally, Mr.
Cohen has been a history teacher at the secondary and university levels,
and now works as a Manager of On-Site Training and Development at Linkage,
Inc., a Management Consulting Company specializing in Human Resources and
Organizational Development.
Diane
Ortenzio-Cooling - USA
In 1986, my career with Bell Atlantic took me first to Baltimore, then Philadelphia, where I became a student of Sensei Bud Ewing, nana-dan (7th degree blackbelt), in the Order of Isshin-Ryu. I was promoted to the rank of go-dan (5th degree blackbelt) in November, 1998.
Whenever possible, I also train with Master Toby Cooling (yep, my husband), Sensei Butch Hill (8th dan; Sensei of the Nashville Dojo and president of the IIKA), Sensei Isham Latimer (7th dan; defensive tactics instructor, State of New York Absconder Unit), Barry Smith (6th dan; Maryland State Police Defensive Tactics Instructor, retired), and as many other knowledgeable instructors as I can.
For what it's worth, I have participated in many tournaments
over the last 21 years, consistently placing in every event entered. In
the Isshin-Ryu Hall of Fame (IHOF) alone, I have placed in the blackbelt
kata division every year since my first visit in 1988. I have also
placed in the women's blackbelt kumite
division there every year except 1994. And
in the weapons division, have also placed within the top three every year
since it began in 1996.
In August 2000, I won first place in three blackbelt events: kata (executive division, men & women), kumite (women's executive division), and weapons (women's sandan-godan). This earned me the Overall Women's Grand Champion title for the second time. (For all the results of this year's tournament, go to IHOF's Tournament Results.)
In 1992 I was honored with the IHOF's Female Instructor of the Year award. In 1998, I received the prestigious Spirit of Isshin-Ryu award for my efforts in traveling throughout the United States to teach and share what I knowledge I have of Isshin-Ryu. I became the first female recipient of the award since its inception in 1979.
For all of these achievements, I thank my sensei and the
many people who have worked with and inspired me in the last 21 years.
Wherever I go, whatever I do, I hope to always be a good representative
of you.
I endeavor to be a good mentor for anyone who chooses
the martial path. It continues to inspire me to be better today than
I was yesterday.