Who is the Guy behind the Chief Instructor of AGKK? Tell us a little about yourself...

I am the youngest of five children. I was born in Camden, N.S.W, Australia. I have always liked sports and physical exercise. I am devoted to my wife Sharon, and our four beautiful children: Karl, Alexandra,

I enjoy observing elite athletes in action, it could be athletics, world cup soccer, rugby league, mountain climbers & so on. I enjoy doing simple things in life. I like to fix & repair things around the house, selecting & planting plants for my Japanese garden.

I like to go camping & fishing especially on Moreton & North Stradbroke Islands. I like to prepare & cook good healthy meals especially dishes from Asia. I am interested in anything to do with physical fitness, health & well-being. I enjoy the outdoors & beautiful landscapes.

What do you do in your spare time to relax?

Taking time out is very important. I recommend that all people should do so. I like to spend time with my family.

I enjoy relaxing at the beach & swimming in the surf, where I can experience the raw power of nature. I like music, it is a good vehicle of expression. I like & enjoy good food & mixing with others. I like to go for a run in the cool parts of the day where I can unwind, think, and experience solitude. Being close to the water--seeing it & hearing it--helps me to relax. Meditation is an important part of my day, it allows me to focus & relax.

When did you first take an interest in Martial Arts, and how did Martial Arts first inspire you?

Even at a very young age, well under the age of 10 years, I was impressed by what I saw on television & how a Martial Artist was able to defend themselves by what seemed humanly impossible. I was particularly interested by how a smaller person, who was trained in Martial Arts, could defend themselves against a much larger attacker—-and usually, more than one attacker. I was also impressed by the respect the Martial Artists gained.

I grew up & lived in the tougher western suburbs of Sydney. Just before my thirteenth birthday, I was in a self-defence situation with a man 8 years my senior. I only got one punch in and as the situation ended the attacker beat me repeatedly. After that experience I went to see my father and said I wanted to learn Martial Arts. Dad eventually said yes, so that is how I first started my Martial Arts training.

There was only one school reasonably close to where I lived; it was a Kung-fu school. Some Kung-fu schools are very good. Being a novice I did not know anything about Martial Arts--especially what a good Martial Arts School was. As time progressed I eventually discovered ‘Goju Kai Karate’. By the time I was eighteen, I was

very impressed by what this traditional Martial Art had to offer. It was explosive, extremely effective, and promoted the pursuit of excellence. I was inspired by the respect & dedication to training all the students showed – especially the higher grades. I would travel all over Sydney to train six days a week & twice on Saturday. I respect my first sensei, who laid my foundations in Goju Kai Karate. He required perfection and challenged me to improve myself and overcome my weaknesses. I thank my first teacher for this.

Goju Kai Karate inspired me to continually improve myself. It made me appreciate that to achieve anything in life it requires much dedication & self-discipline. Karate has inspired me in everything I do in my life; whether it be in training, relationships, work & every aspect of my life.