Year started in Karate: 1967

Age when started Karate: 18

Why I started Karate: Two words sum up the reason I started karate, "Bruce Lee". Like most martial artists Bruce Lee blew me away. Bruce Lee was staring in the Green Hornet as Kato back in the sixty's, I always wanted to take Karate lessons but never did. When I saw Bruce Lee that was the inspiration I needed to get me going.

When I earned my Black Belt: I received my black belt in September of 1971. I started competing as a black belt in May of 1970.

My Instructor: My instructor was and still is Master Bill M. Ryusaki. I received my black belt in North Hollywood CA, which is where Master Ryusaki had his studio at the time.

When and where I open my karate studio:
After I had semi- retired from competition, I opened my first studio July 1, 1975, in Van Nuys, CA.
Why?: Because it was my destiny. Since my very first lesson, I knew what I wanted to do the rest of my life. Later, I knew I could teach karate because it was in my blood, it was a part of me. When my fighting career was over I was ready to teach full
time.


What style I learned: Hawaiian Kenpo? My instructors have a black belt in Shoto-Kan, Judo, and Kenpo.

About my style: My style is Hawaiian Kenpo, that's what it was when it left Hawaii. Since coming to California, Sensei Bill Ryusaki has altered the style somewhat. Now we have a combination of different styles, such as Shoto-Kan, Kajukenbo, Okinawa Te, etc. Each black belt has also altered the style in their own way, as in my school we have added KickBoxing, Jiu Jitsu, Grappling, more kicking etc.

When I started competing: I first started competing about a month after I started karate, my first tournament was at El Camino City College. I won my first two fights and lost my third. Tournaments in those days were at lot more fun than they are now.

About my teaching: I have been teaching since 1970. I taught from 1970 to 1975 for my instructor, and in 1975, I opened my school. Since July 1, 1975 I have 36 black belts. I know by todays standards that not a lot, but that's the way it is here at CPK. Teaching is something I knew I wanted to do since I took my first lesson, there is nothing else I would rather do than teach karate. The classes are not easy for the beginners, but the intermediate classes are much harder, and the advance classes are hard. I like to kick so we work on kicking quite a bit, but I also like to teach real life situation technique, such as chokes, techniques for when you are on the ground, grabs from the front and back, knife attacks, boxing, kickboxing, I like it when a kid comes in a wimp, afraid of his own shadow and leaves with confidence, mentally tough, and skills that last a life time.

Why I went Full-Contact: When the concept of full-contact first came about I was one of the first group of fighters to hear about it. The Professional Karate Association (PKA) had already chosen whom they wanted to use first.

I was chosen to do a trial fight just to see how it would look in front of an audience, no one had tried anything like this before so the promoters were somewhat apprehensive about putting on a show like that. Back in those days it was not much more than point fighting with hitting in the face. The rules were stupid also, a fighter could only throw only three (3) punches and then you would have to kick, if you threw more than three punches' points were<