Category: Meet the Maritime IKD

The Maritime IKD has a vast experience of karate instructors. The Maritime IKD covers three provinces with 4 dojos in the region. Nova Scotia is home to the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy headquarters of the Maritime IKD. New Brunswick features the Moncton IKD and the Mount Allison University Shotokan Karate club. Prince Edward Island is home to the PEI Shotokan Karate Daigaku. Each dojo has more than one instructor teaching or assisting with classes. This month we would like to highlight the chief instructors of each dojo in the Maritime IKD, especially our Regional Directors, Shihan David and Shihan Janice Pyke. Maritime IKD Directors - Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy Our regional organization is lead by Shihan David Pyke, 8th Dan. Shihan Pyke started training at Mount Allison University in 1980…

Adam and Connor Dickinson started training in September of 2018 at the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy. Both father and son are fairly new to the art of karate and each hold the rank of 8th kyu or Yellow belts. They received the rank in December 2018 from Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai during the Maritime IKD Fall Clinic. "We have trained mainly with Shihans David and Janice Pyke and with Sensei Norm Robitza." Adam and Connor have not competed in any tournament yet. "We want to get a little more experience and training before we try it." Connor was looking for an after-school activity that could be fun, physical, and teach him new skills. He gave karate a try and he liked it so much that Adam decided to join as…

Michel Gaudet started karate, way back when he was 12 years old, in 1982. "I always loved to watching martial art movies and I had a friend who asked me to join karate with him. I said sure I'd love to." Karate did not come naturally to him and his friend decided to quit. He told his mother that he also wanted to quit but she didn't let him. "It was probably the best thing my mother ever did for me. I guess, beside giving birth to me." He quickly made more friends and started competing. Again this was not natural for Michel at all. "The only thing I wanted to do was kumite." At that time, Michel competed in karate NB tournaments. They had three Grand Pre tournaments to…

Jeff MacDonald started training in 2001 in Halifax with Senseis Tony and Danny Tam. He took long breaks from training but karate was always on his mind. "Karate was always something I missed when I wasn't training so I'm very happy to be back." Jeff had the opportunity to test with many different examiners. His yellow belt was with Sensei Danny Tam, he then graded a few times under Master Okazaki as well as Master Woon-A-Tai, when he was a member with the ISKF. Jeff also examined for his first kyu under Master Dacosta and graded for his Shodan ranking under Master Woon-A-Tai. Jeff has trained under Senseis Tony and Danny Tam, Ron and Daphne Gill and most recently Roy Stuart and Doug Dennis at the PEI Shotokan Karate Daigaku…

Michel Nader began training at the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy in September of 2008. His parents enrolled him in karate to help boost his confidence and to get him active in the community. "Ever since the first week I started I’ve loved karate, and I’ve never stopped." Michel is currently a Sandan. He was tested in June 2017. He earned his 2nd Dan in June 2014 and his 1st Dan in 2012. Each of his black belt tests were conducted by Shuseki Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai. "I’ve trained mostly at the Amherst Karate Academy with the whole maritime karate community under instruction of Shihan David and Janice Pyke." During the summers, Michel travels to Lebanon. While there, he trains under Sensei Ghaith Al Rahi and Sensei Hala Khoury. Also on occasion,…

Dale Sherwood began his training in January 2016 at the Mount Allison Shotokan Karate club in Sackville, NB. He has always been fascinated with the art of karate since he was very young. He decided to search for a karate club in Sackville and was excited to find the Mount Allison club.  “Life slips by quickly and so do our dreams if we don’t take action. I decided it was finally time to take action and make karate a priority and commit to learning the art,” he said. Dale enjoys the complexity and discipline of the art of karate. He also is happy that he has meet so many great people from training. He trains very hard and attends classes both in Sackville, under the instruction of Senseis Norm and…

Courtney began here training during the 2018 March break camp at the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy. She is currently an 8th Kyu. "I went for my yellow belt on June 23. The examiner was Sensei David Pyke with Sensei Janice and Sensei Norm." She trains at the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy with Sensei David Pyke. Courtney has not competed in a tournament but hopes to do so in the future. Courtney joined karate because it looked fun and challenging. She is 9 year old and attends Spring Street Academy where she is in grade four French immersion. When Courtney is not practicing karate she likes to do Gymnastics, reading and art. Then there is her love of Polar Bears. "I adore polar bears and I want to grow up and…

Fumairia from Amherst, NS, officially started training at the age of 15 at the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy March Break Camp (March 12 – 16, 2018). She would borrow karate handbooks from the dojo library and “train” in her basement, but it was definitely less informative training compared to now. "I still borrow the books and continue to do my training." Fumairia tested for her 8th kyu with Shihan David Pyke on June 23, 2018. She has yet to compete in a tournament but hopes to at the next Maritime Championship. She started her training because karate is something that she has always wanted to do. "It’s kind of hard to explain because there isn’t really anything that stands out about why I want to do it. I often thought karate as…

Timi Levy's first class was on the 13th of January 2015 at the Amherst Shotokan Karate Academy under the tutelage of Shihan David Pyke and Sensei Janice Pyke. "I remember being so excited about it," she said. "I started my classes in the basement of the dojo and I remember feeling so proud of myself being able to join the class upstairs. I'm 'good enough' to be with higher belts." Unlike most, Timi's road to karate training was a little different. She didn't decide she wanted to train and found a dojo. Her daughter, Anita was training at the Amherst Dojo. She holds the rank of Nidan. "I was the chauffeur for her, I was sitting on the bench waiting for her class to finish. I did that for a…

The 2018 IKD World Cup will take place this month in Barbados. There are members of the Maritime IKD traveling to the World Cup to represent 2 of the 3 provinces in our area. The team has been hard at work preparing for this event for several months. Fundraising began last year when the team had 50/50 draws during gradings, a hamburger fundraiser, a cookie dough fundraiser, an online auction, yard sales and much more. Many of the students, parents, family and friends supported the team during this time. Thank you to all that helped during these events. Meet the Coaches & Officials   Shihan David Pyke, 8th Dan, will be heading to Barbados as a tournament official. Shihan David has been coaching the team in Amherst for the past several…