| Frank Woon-A-Tai | |
|---|---|
| Born | May 22, 1950 Guyana |
| Residence | Toronto, ON, Canada |
| Style | Shotokan |
| Teacher(s) | Masatoshi Nakayama 10th Dan, Teruyuki Okazaki 10th Dan, Hidetaka Nishiyama 10th Dan, Yutaka Yaguchi 9th Dan |
| Rank | 8th dan |
| Website | http://www.internationalkaratedaigaku.com |
Frank Woon-A-Tai (b May 22, 1950), an eighth degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, is the chief instructor of the International Karate Daigaku, President of The Caribbean Karate College, Chief Instructor and Chairman of the Guyana Karate College, and Chairman of both IKD Canada and IKD Guyana.
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Frank Woon-A-Tai, 8th Dan, was born in Guyana in 1950, and began training in 1964. He holds a B.A degree in Japanese Studies from the University of Toronto. In January 2011, he resigned from the ISKF as Chairman and Technical Director of ISKF Canada, and co-vice Chairman of the ISKF Technical Committee after a personal disagreement with ISKF to establish the International Karate Daigaku (IKD).
Master Woon-A-Tai is Kancho (Founder) and Shuseiki Shihan (Chief Instructor) of the IKD. Throughout his distinguished career, he served as first president of the Caribbean Karate College and as chief instructor of Jamaica from 1976 to 1980. He is founder and chief instructor of JKA/ISKF Guyana, and the Guyana Karate College. He founded the Toronto JKA in 1981, and is presently Chairman and Chief Instructor of the Toronto Karate Daigaku, Ontario Karate College, and IKD Ontario.
After training in Japan in the early 1970s, he continued his training, until recently, under the legendary Master Teruyuki Okazaki, 10th Dan for 40 years. He also trained under Masters: Yutaka Yaguchi, 9th Dan, Hidetaka Nishiyama, 10th Dan, and the great Masatoshi Nakayama, 10th Dan – all JKA legends.
He was the first Canadian/Guyanese graduate of the JKA/ISKF Instructor Training Institute, and a 1978 Pan American kata champion. Master Woon-A-Tai is a recipient of the French Guiana National Medal of Service for over 25 years of karate service in that country. In 2005, he was inducted in the ISKF Canada Hall of Honour. In 2009, he received the Mayor of Georgetown’s Award for his lifetime of service to the youth of Guyana. He produced two DVDs; Eclipse of Life (1997), and Soul of Kata (2000).
A dedicated teacher, he has produced regional, national, and Pan American champions, as well as world karate champions, all of whom have outstanding tournament records. He hosted the prestigious 2008 ISKF World Shoto Cup in Toronto, and in 2010, the 11th ISKF Pan American Karate Championships in Guyana. This event was attended by His Excellency President Bharrat Jagdeo and was co-sponsored by the Guyana Government. At the same event, His Honour, the Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green presented Master Okazaki with the ‘Key to the City’.
Master Woon-A-Tai received his first degree black belt in 1971 from the Japan Karate Association in Tokyo, and his eighth degree black belt from Masters Okazaki and Yaguchi in 2008. He also received his A class Instructor, A class Examiner, and A class Judge licences at the same time. In turn, he has produced thousands of black belt students ranging from first to seventh dan as well as several international instructors, examiners and judges.
One of his main goals is to continue service to young people helping them find direction in life and to break the cycle of crime and violence through the discipline of karate training.
Woon-A-Tai first gained international prominence when he won the Pan American kata championship in 1978.