Old School and New Ways

[Walter Alfred]

Has anyone heard of:

Thomas DeFelice (head instructor of our club in Palisades Park, New Jersey many years ago)

Don Nagle (ran another school in N.J. - Jersey City I think)

Grand Master Frank Ruiz (met him a couple of times in Florida)

Wilfredo Roldan (attended one of his seminars held for Sifu Edwin Pagan

Sifu Edwin Pagan (nephew of G.M. Frank Ruiz)

Steven Berkowitz (trained with many an Oki boy especially in Ohio/Pennsylvania area)

Black Cat Benitez (my friend Eric DelValle trained under him in N.Y.C.)

Taika Oyata (my friend Phil Dickey visits him for training occasionally in Missouri and/or Kansas).

That was the kind of stuff I was raised on. During my travels through life, I've dabbled in a variety of other arts. Finally, I found myself in Shawnee, Oklahoma. Looking for someone to train with. I met Mr. Soliday's nephew who encouraged me to search for his uncle online, and bingo.

[Scott Carr]

Hi Walter!

Although none of them sound familiar to me, I really cannot be considered an "old timer"... of course, Mr. Soliday would be able to tell you better as to if he knows them.

I'll mention to Mr. Soliday that you are in Shawnee - and see if he has any suggestions! It may be a bit of a drive, but Haggerty's Karate in Midwest City may end up being the closest... it is a traditional Okinawan Goju Ryu school - which will be slightly different in some area's than the traditional Japanese Goju ryu karate that Mr. Soliday teaches... but as everything we do is rooted originally in the Okinawan, its still all Goju!! :)

Of course, any time you can make it up to Sapulpa on a Tuesday night - let us know!! You are welcome to come work out with us!!

[Walter Alfred]

Thank you for the response. I will check into Haggerty's. I prefer a smaller school, but I can learn there as well I am sure. I am glad to hear that Goju is still alive and kicking (pun intended).

Though my roots are in Goju (I still have photocopies of kata/form instructions with pictures of Frank Van Lenten doing forms on the rooftop in Okinawa), I have trained a variety of other "styles" from boxing, to grappling, to Capoeira, to Indonesian and Filipino arts. Wilfredo Roldan (current master of INTERNATIONAL NISEI GOJU-RYU KARATE-DO) has also trained in the Filipino arts (with a master/professor Vee).

Keep me posted on upcoming events. I am looking forward to meeting. Thanks again.

Peace,

Walt

[Scott Carr]

Hi Walter!

Hey - well if you are interested in something sooner rather than later... in Broken Arrow, the Shotokan Tigers are hosting an All Male tournament on Friday night, Feb 27th... click here for the flyer... http://www.earlgilkey.org/022709shotokan_tigers.pdf

(Hopefully my link shows up as a real link)

Anyway - of course there will be a lot of different styles at this tournament, but its a nice tournament and always with unique trophies. As the name is "Blades of Glory" I have a feeling there will be swords for trophies!

As Shotokan is a Japanese style, we usually like to get out and support them... unfortunately we are attending an awards banquet in Springfield, MO that night for an association we belong to that direction, and going to their tournament the next day.

-Scott

Walter Alfred said:

Keep me posted on upcoming events. I am looking forward to meeting. Thanks again.

[Walter Alfred]

Yes the link worked swimmingly.

Shotokan - House of Shoto. Wasn't that the pen name for Gichen Funakoshi? Yes, we had a picture of him on our wall also. I found a wonderful flow chart family tree type history. Need to find it again and post the link.

Strangely enough, I really enjoy the Filipino arts. They are really raw (organic - basic). They also flow (some of Karate's moves can be choppy - especially when learning). The other arts I have studied helped me with that flow (mostly Capoeira for legs, Filipino for the rest - knife tapping, lock flows, hubad, etc.).

I attended an IMB (International Martial-arts and Boxing) while in Florida (first started training with one of the advanced students in town, then went to the school in Orlando). They incorporated boxing, wrestling, grappling, muay thai, kali, escrima, arnis, Lee's Jun Fan Gung Fu, etc. The followed the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do (way of the intercepting fist) but they are NOT a JKD school (should be no such thing - it is a form without a form, a philosophy not a martial art).
http://www.imbacademy.com/

It is good to know a variety of styles (be familiar with them, their strengths and weaknesses, add what works for you, discard the rest - JKD). Karate provides a firm foundation. I am thankful for that foundation.

Thanks for the heads up on the tournaments. I'll try to get the family out for one. I'll hopefully be back in time for the one you sent the flyer for (have to go to Iowa to sell a mobilehome).

[Walter Alfred]

Wilfredo Roldan (Nisei Goju-Ryu)
http://www.niseinyc.com/NISEIMAINPAGE.html
He has incorporated arnis into the system with the help of Professor Visitacion [ Florendo MaCalruz Visitacion (VEE ARNIS JITSU)]
http://www.veearnisjitsu.com/

Here is a wonderful resource for Filipino curriculum.
http://www.fcskali.com/

I know several of their instructors.
Ray Dionaldo is the originator of FCS. I have met him a few times years ago before FCS was what it is today. I met him at Mark Edward Cody's Wado Ryu school in Winter Haven/Auburndale. Lakan Guro Ray would use the school once a week. I attended a couple classes, but life got in the way. Here's Mr. Cody's myspace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&am...

Marrese Crump is quite impressive. He incorporates Capoeira into his repertoire.

Rico Cortes is also a Lakan Guro (chief instructor). He is also a bible teacher:
http://www.wisdomintorah.com/

Look for him on youtube. You'll enjoy I'm sure. I've never really seen a big man like him move so smooth and fast. I have been his uke several times. He is the real deal (like the others mentioned above). It is good to meet and experience real artists. Ones that you can train with that have enough technique to easily defeat you, but enough control to not hurt you.

I have recently talked to Lakan Guro Cortes who would be more than happy to come teach a seminar. I can probably arrange with Mr. Holland in Chandler to host it. If you know of anyone interested, please let me know. I haven't locked him into a date yet, but he sounds very interested in coming.

I guess you could say I am far from a purist, but I know where my foundation is.