The weekend was a huge success from start to finish with good, honest and genuine traditional Shotokan karate on show.

It all started with the SSKI USA six-monthly Dan Grading where the Coons brothers, Sam, Joel and Josh all passed their shodan exam in real style at the honbu dojo of SSKI USA which is at Springfield Athletic club. The examiners for this very strict and tough test were, Malcolm Phipps 7th Dan and Worldwide Chief Instructor to SSKI, Tony Bunting 6th Dan and Worldwide Assistant Chief Instructor to SSKI, Jeff Carson 4th Dan and International Chief Referee to SSKI, Jeff Sanders 3rd Dan and Randy Bodey 3rd Dan who are both SSKI USA senior instructors.

Next up on the Saturday was the annual seminar which was taken by Sensei Malcolm Phipps and Sensei Tony Bunting and was held in the Urbana Junior High School gymnasium.  The first session was taken by Tony sensei with Malcolm sensei taking the afternoon session.  Both sessions were really excellent and very well attended, with the dojo packed with students from: SSKI USA, SSKI UK, the Cincinnati Japanese Karate-Do dojo of Sensei Sonny Kim, the Traditional Karate-Do dojo of Sensei Chuck Kerrigan and the Springfield, Illinois dojo.  Everyone was buzzing with enthusiasm after this seminar and many lifelong karate friendships were made.

This was followed by a cookout and fun at Sensei Randy Bodey’s house, which was a wonderful way to finish a very exciting and a very hot day.

Finally, on the Sunday, the first annual Ohio Ippon Traditional Tournament was held at the same venue as the seminar.  The camaraderie was amazing and the competition was of an excellent standard and the results can be seen below this article. A brilliant weekend came to an end with everyone saying their goodbyes and looking forward to meeting again in 2012 at this same event.  True Shotokan karate at its very best.

That same evening another wonderful evening was held at the home of Barry and Lori Hassler and his family where again much fun was had.

Tony sensei went back to his home in England on the very next day with the black-belt Carson family of, Jeff, Sue, Dougie, Ross and Thomas following suit a day later. Malcolm sensei would be staying for another week and a half teaching at the SSKI USA dojos in Springfield and Mechanicsburg. What a great and very successful weekend and one to be remembered for a long time to come.

GOOD JOB!!!!