Kobe Osaka International
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Kobe Osaka International (KOI) is an international organization dedicated to teaching the Shukokai style of Karate. Founded by Tommy Morris in 1991 in Scotland, KOI has affiliates and member dojos in more than 40 countries worldwide[1] and is a member of the World Karate Federation. KOI is self-described as a non-political organisation that’s primary goal and focus is to spread the “practice and enjoyment of karate-do through international co-operation and friendship amongst people regardless of race or creed, by means of international seminars, training camps and competitions.[2]
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[edit] History
Tommy Morris, Scotland's first karate black belt, is the acknowledged founder of organised karate in Scotland. After participating in close combat courses as a part of his Royal Marines Reserve training, Tommy Morris began learning Karate from books and manuals, spending two years training alone and unsupervised. In 1963, he began training with the Shotokan teacher Henri Plee in Paris, France and opened an informal Karate school at Osaka Judo Club in Glasgow, Scotland. In 1965 Tommy Morris received a rank of shodan from visiting Shukokai teacher Yoshinao Nanbu and took leadership of the newly formed Scottish Karate-do Association. In 1967 he travelled with Yoshinao Nanbu to the dojo of Chojiro Tani in Kobe, Japan, where he was introduced to Shukokai Karate and engaged in intensive training with Shigeru Kimura and Chojiro Tani until he was promoted to the rank of sandan.[3]
With the Kobe Osaka clubs in Scotland spreading into greater Europe, and Tommy Morris becoming Scotland’s first and at the time, only International Karate Referee (and later being appointed by the European Karate Union as Vice Chairman of the European Referees Commission), Kobe Osaka’s popularity, and the popularity of Karate itself continued to grow. In 1977, Tommy Morris was elected Chairman of the World Union of Karate-do Organisations (W.U.K.O) Rules Committee (the predecessor to the World Karate Federation.)
Earlier in 1973, the Kobe Osaka Dojo broke away from the Scottish Karate-do Association and Tommy Morris spearheaded the creation of the Scottish Karate Board of Control, and was then awarded the rank of godan by Chojiro Tani and Shigeru Kimura. Kobe Osaka International was formed in 1991 in Scotland with representatives from nine countries. In 1999, Tommy Morris was appointed Chairman of the World Karate Federation’s Sports Commission, and in 2003 he was awarded the rank of hachidan by the WKF.[4]
[edit] International Organisation
In KOI’s beginning, Kobe Osaka Russia was responsible for taking out a lot of medals in international competition, however more recently other regional sub-organisations have began to take larger part including Kobe Osaka Norway, Kobe Osaka United Kingdom and Kobe Osaka Italia. Another large sub-organisation within KOI is Kobe Osaka Australia, with three clubs in Victoria, Australia.
Kobe Osaka International holds yearly training camps, Instructor seminars and is also responsible for holding the KOI World Cup that is held yearly at different Kobe Osaka clubs and locations worldwide. 2008 will see the 17th KOI Championships and training camp held at Latina, Italy.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Kobe Osaka International Members at KOI website
- ^ Kobe Osaka International
- ^ The Kobe Osaka Story-The Early Years on KOI website
- ^ KOI - The Kobe Osaka Story - The Early Years
