Welcome

I started karate training in 1972 at Henry Jay’s School of Karate in Holyoke, MA. We trained in the tradition of Seishinkai Shito-Ryu Karate under Kuniba Shogo Sensei and Sensei Richard Ballargeon National Karate and Jujitsu Union. After the untimely death of Sensei Richard Ballargeon in 1989 and Kuniba Sensei July 14, 1992 our dojo closed and several of us looked for other organizations to join. By this time, I had  achieved my Yondan rank.

​

In 1981, we joined Soke Takayuki Kubota’s International Karate Association (IKA) called Gosoku-Ryu Karate. As a member of the IKA, I trained with Soke Kubota for many years.  In 1990, I was certified as a Kubotan instructor under the teaching of Soke Kubota, the inventor of the Kubotan. On July 5, 2015, I was promoted to a 5th Dan Kuboton Instructor by Soke Kubota.

​

In 1994, I was elevated to 5th Dan in Karate and was awarded my Shihan license from Master Kubota. It was with great sadness that we learned of Kubota Soke’s passing in 2024; he was a great man and superb teacher.

​

By 1995, we were missing our Shito-Ryu roots and were delighted to find and start training in the tradition of Seitoshitoryu Nippon Karate Do Kai with Soke Mabuni Kenzo. It was the beginning of a long and wonderful relationship.

​

In 1996, Mabuni Kenzo, Soke awarded me Godan rank, Shihan title and license to teach Seitoshitoryu. One of the greatest honors of my life.

​

 In the summer of 1996, I was invited to train at the Hombu Dojo in Osaka, Japan. Together with five other Shihans, we trained with Kenzo Mabuni Soke at the Hombu Dojo in Japan for three weeks. It was a trip of a lifetime to be in the place where so many karate masters trained, taught, and developed Shito-Ryu. It was an emotionally overwhelming experience – we all felt inspired to be training in the same setting as so many of our revered teachers.  It was awe-inspiring to feel ourselves carrying the tradition forward and to learn directly from Soke. I felt the spirit of the great masters in the Hombu dojo at all times. No matter how hard you trained, you could feel their spirits asking you to train even harder, which I did.

​

In 1999, I was honored to host the first International Seitoshitoryu Taikai, outside of Japan, this was held on the campus of Mount Holyoke College where I worked as the Deputed Chief of Police for many decades.

​

In 1999 I was awarded Shichidan 7th degree.

I was recognized by Soke Tsukasa Mabuni, in 2015, with my Hachidan (8th) degree and Hanshi [title] both in the Seitoshitoryu tradition.