Autobiography of a Style Head
Style Head (Kaicho), Shorei-ryu Karate, D.O.B. August 16, 1947
It has been my good fortune to have had excellent martial arts teachers. My mother taught me to shoot, box, and fence during the first five years of my life. In 1961 Robert A. Trias began teaching me Shorei-ryu Karate and Kodokan Judo. Mr. Duk Sung Son taught me the Tae Han school of Tae Kwon Do during 1965 - 1966. Intensive study of Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo and Jojitsu along with Shinkage Ryu Iaido in Japan occurred during the early 1980's. Mr. Jeff Cooper instructed me in the use of handguns in combat at his American Pistol Institute in Paulden, Arizona in 1986. Since then, my studies have included Philippine Martial Arts and Fukiya Jutsu.Shortly before his death in 1989, O-Sensei Robert A. Trias appointed me Style Head for Shorei-ryu Karate. His daughter and heir, Dr. Roberta Jane Trias-Kelley confirmed this appointment and assigned me to the position of Regional Director of the United States Karate Association, a position held until the Association's dissolution on January 1,1999. My dojo in New Mexico has been in operation since 1987, but karate practice and instruction have been a part of my life since 1961.
Two degrees and numerous post-graduate courses from the University of Arizona (B.A. 1969, M.Ed. 1972) have provided me with the credentials to counsel, administer, and teach in public schools. To date, my career has included teaching social studies, special education, and English conversation, administering a junior high school and counseling at secondary and elementary schools in the American Southwest and Japan.
Students from Arizona, California, Ohio, Holland, Germany, and Wisconsin have participated in seminars in New Mexico. Kondo No Shokai dojo operators in California, Ohio, North Carolina, and Wisconsin have allowed me to train with their students and put on seminars.
Please visit the Kondo No Shokai website for more information on hosting seminars and visiting the Shorei-Ryu Honbu.
Seminar topics have included:
- Escrima single, and double sticks, and knife techniques
- Iaido, Iaijutsu, tanto jutsu, jodo, jojutso, tanjo jutsu
- Suparinpe, Matsuhiga no Tonfa, Tozan no Kama, Shirotaro no Kon
- All Shorei kata
- Certain legal firearms
- Knife, hatchet, tomahawk, shaken, and shuriken throwing instruction
This autobiography was taken from the Kondo No Shokai Website with permission from Terry B. Sanders