The JKA

By Tracy Warrener Van Kruistum

The Japan Karate Association was founded in 1949 by a group of Gichin Funakoshi’s senior students; Isao Obata, Masatoshi Nakayama,and Hidetoka Nishiyama who served as the Chief Instructors with Funakoshi serving as the Supreme Chief instructor. In 1957 it was recognized by Japan’s Ministry of Education as an association for the promotion of Karate Do- an honour bestowed to only a small number. Its purpose was to create an organized association for Karate Do that would provide unified education, research, promotions, and events. Throughout the years, the JKA has produced one of the highest levels of training programs world wide.

The 1st JKA All Japan Karate Championships were held in Tokyo in 1957.This event helped to set motion for an Annual Championships. With the growing popularity of the JKA, the organization flourished with many branches of affiliated schools. The highly trained instructors of the JKA were sent out into different countries to help promote the JKA by setting up schools. These branches still exist in countries around the world today.

The JKA went through many changes over the years like most organizations do. The passing of Master Funakoshi, the change in chief instructors, legal battles, divisions in the organization all contributed to this. However in 2000 the JKA purchased its first building and created a new headquarters in Tokyo to help propel it into the 21st Century. The newly invigorated JKA still provides the highest caliber of instructors and continues to be a highly respected and recognized organization for Karate Do world wide.

Tracy Warrener has been fortunate to have been raised within the Martial Arts since the age of 4 years old and is a 4th Degree Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate. She has had the opportunity to study with some amazing Martial Artists. Sensei Richard Kim, Sensei Peter Urban, Professor Don Jacob, Sensei Jim Wilson, Professor Wally Jay, just to name several. Of course her main Sensei is her father, Sensei Don Warrener. Throughout the 40 plus years of her involvement in the Martial Arts, she has worked her way from being a student of the martial arts to a Martial Arts Sensei ,teaching hundreds of students. She has ran and managed martial arts schools teaching students of all ages, worked within the community teaching at fitness centres, schools, businesses and Women’s Shelters, the benefits of Karate. One the causes close to her heart is teaching and empowering young girls and women the importance of self defence and awareness. Her program called Look Strong! Act Strong! Be Strong! focuses on easy self defence techniques and mind self defence techniques. In 2013 she was awarded The Silver Lifetime Achievement Award in the Masters of the Martial Arts Hall of Fame in California for her contribution to Women in the Martial Arts. She is also a Certified Reflexologist and Reiki Master. She has starred in three of her own DVDs produced by Rising Sun Productions on Reiki, Reflexology and her Look Strong ,Act Strong ,Be Strong Self Defence Program. tracy.warrenerentertainment@gmail.com

http://www.warrenerentertainment.com/jka-box-set-4...