“Britain’s Lion Of Martial Arts”

Andy Sherry 1943 –

Andy Sherry is one of the most senior British practitioners of karate and the chief instructor of the KUGB.

Born in Liverpool, Andy Sherry showed an interest in the martial arts as a young man. Initially training in judo and jujutsu, he soon took an interest in karate, starting his study of the art in 1959.

In 1966, Sherry became the first person to pass a grading in the UK for a black belt in Shotokan karate, having trained with JKA instructor Keinosuke Enoeda. He graded alongside his Red Triangle clubmate Joseph Chialton with Jack Green earning his blackbelt later that year.

Sherry, alongside Jack Green and Eddie Whitcher were also the first to be graded 2nd Dan in the United Kingdom, gaining their grade in 1967 at Crystal Palace.

In 1966, Sherry won the first British all-styles championship, beating competitors from all of Britain's karate styles. He went on, in 1968, to become European champion in kumite, an achievement he repeated in a number of subsequent years.Andy dominated the early KUGB karate championships, winning the kata competition for the first four years running (1967–1970) and the kumite in 1968 and 1970.

Retiring from competition in 1977, Sherry continues to coach the KUGB international competition squad to this day, and now runs his own karate club, the Liverpool Red Triangle.

Sherry earned 9th dan making him Britain's highest ranking Shotokan karate practitioner in February 2013.