Qualifications

• NSPCC Child Protection in sport
• Basic First Aid
• CRB Checked
• MSc Technology Management​

Karate experience

• 1994 — Kyokushinkai (1st degree black belt)
• 2001 — Shrewsbury Wado-Ryu (4th Kyu)
• 2002 — Broseley Goju Kan (2nd degree black belt)
• 2011–2013 — Doushikan Nagoya (2nd degree black belt JKF)
• 2013-present — EGKA / IOGKF (4th degree black belt)

Competition experience

• 1996: Ibaraki Open full contact 3rd
• 1999: Ibaraki Open full contact winner
• 2018: EGKA Irikumi 3rd
• 2019: EGKA Irikumi 2nd
• 2022: EGKA Irikumi 1st
• 2023: EGKA Irikumi 1st
• 2024: EGKA Irikumi 1st
• 2025: Tokei Cup BKA Open Veterans full contact 3rd
• 2025: Okinawan Karate Open Nagoya full contact 2nd
• 2025: EGKA Irikumi 1st, Kata 1st

Statement

Karate is way of life, a way to stay healthy in mind and body. I truly believe that the only way to become good at karate is through hard work, repetitive training and the continuous endeavor for perfection that we can never reach.

I have been practicing karate for over 30 years, and 7 years training in Japan. I have studied several styles of karate over the years but my main influences are from Goju karate and Kyokushinkai. I started my karate training in 1994 when I joined a local Kyokushin club in Japan. Since then I have moved around, and have train in several styles.

I discovered Goju karate when the lads from Broseley did a demonstration at a Wado-ryu club I was training at in Shropshire. Since then I haven’t looked back and have now practiced Goju karate for over 10 years. One of the reason I prefer Goju-ryu over other styles is because of its rich cultural history. Goju-ryu comes from Okinawa where karate is a way of life. It’s one of my life ambitions to visit Okinawa and train in one of the famous historical dojos.

I’m passionate aboute traditional karate and competition. My aim at a mature age is to develop able karate practitioners through their grades and encourage as many as possible into competition,

Experience in detail

2014 – Present established Goju-Ryu Karate Milton Keynes under the EGKA and in 2021 achieved sandan (third degree black belt)​

From 2002 I trained at Broseley Goju Kan under Sensei Max Beddow and achieved nidan (second degree black belt)​

From 2011 to 2013 I trained at Doushikan Nagoya and took my shodan (first degree black belt) under the Japan Karate Federation (JFK). I had already obtained my black belt under sensei Max but the JFK required new member to retake the grading.

From 2001 I moved to Shropshire and trained at Shrewsbury Wadoryu under Sensei Frank Johnson (achieving Wadoryu 4th kyu)​

From 1994, my first adult experience of karate was at Hitachinaka Kyokushinkai where we regularly attended seminars with Sensei Matsui (I achieved Kyokushinkai shodan)​ and fought in many regional tournaments. Kyokushinkai is very focused on kumite and competition. At this time in Japan K1 was hugely popular and and some of the top fighters came from a Kyokushinkai background. Kyokushinkai became a household brand and many clubs experienced a boom in the number of students.