4th Dan Instructor - WSKO Squad Coach

I began my training when I was 8 years old under the tuition of Sensei Barrie Alison Rees who was with the Karate Union of Wales but being young my interests were everywhere either in football or rugby and l didn’t go back to karate for some years to follow.

I started back to karate in 1992 again under Sensei Rees who was now with the K.U.G.B. and gained my brown belt the club closed not long after that in 2001. During that time though we trained with some of the top KUGB instructors, but I have never trained with Eneoda sensei, he turned up to the course but didn’t train due to feeling ill. 

I then joined with the Karate Union of Wales and finally took my Dan grade in the November of 2003 under Sensei Mike O’Brien and as of yet it’s still the hardest grading I've ever done but not the longest that was my 3rd Dan, I took me 2 weeks to do ! It was done in a new class that had opened up and I was given a week’s notice that I was to attempt my 3rd Dan and I didn’t know if had passed or failed until the KUW grading’s a month later. When I asked at the end of the lesson if had passed Sensei Mike O’Brien simply laughed and walked off …. I have fought at various competitions all over Wales and represented the KUW team on many occasions.

Ystrad Shotokan opened up in the June of 2008 based in the Rhondda sports centre Ystrad. I parted company with the KUW in June 2010 and joined the WSKO. I’m extremely proud to be a part of the organisation and I'm sure there are good things to come for the club in the future…..

• Gained 1st Dan November 2003

• Gained 2nd Dan November 2007

• Gained 3rd Dan March 2010

• Gained 4th Dan April 2014