Norm Robitza, 6th Dan, is the Instructor of Sackville Shotokan Karate, formerly Mount Allison Shotokan Karate. He reopened the defunct MTA JKA in January 2002 when he was a brown belt. Later that year he would be promoted to Shodan by Master Teruyuki Okazaki.
He would be promoted to Nidan in 2007 by Master Frank Woon-A-Tai, following a failed attempt with Master Yutaka Yaguchi. He would continue through the ranks receiving his Sandan from Master Hiroyoshi Okazaki in 2010, Yondan (2013), Godan (2017) and Rokudan (2022) with Master Frank Woon-A-Tai.
Sensei Robitza and Brad Carruthers built the 1st Amherst JKA website in 1999. He would go onto to be the web designer for the ISKF Canada, Maritime IKD and International Karate Daigaku.
A member of the IKD Kenshusei Program, Sensei Norm received his D Level Instructor in 2017 and D Level Examiner in 2019. In 2020, he completed his C Level Instructor and C Level Examiner in 2021. All with Shihan Pyke. In 2023, he completed B Level Instructors with Shihan Maureen Woon-A-Tai and his B Level Examiners in 2024 from Shihan Frank Woon-A-Tai.
He has been a tournament competitor and judge, on the local level, since he was a white belt. He has several top three finishes throughout the years. He has also competed and judged at the National and International level, winning bronze medals at the IKD Canadian Championships in 2013 (New Brunswick) and 2016 (Quebec). He earned his C Level Judge qualification in 2013, B Level in 2016 and A Level in 2023. In 2018 at the IKD World Cup in Barbados, he was a competitor, official and coach.
In 2023, at the IKD Canada Cup in Moncton, NB, Sensei Norm was shocked to be awarded with the IKD National Medal of Service. He also aided Team New Brunswick to win the Canada Cup with two silver medals.
For years, Sensei Robitza would teach at the Amherst dojo when Shihan David and Shihan Janice Pyke travelled to the karate camps in Ontario or Philadelphia. In 2016, that changed when he attended his first IKD World Camp in Haliburton, Ontario. He would attend the camp each years following, except for when it was cancelled due to COVID-19.
Sensei Norm is a passionate karateka. He has spent time researching about the art. He boasts a library of martial arts books, magazines and videos that range in the 1000s. He wrote a Karate Blog called Senshin: The Enlightened Mind and hosts a YouTube Channel called The Shotokan Chronicles.
Norm’s wife and daughters have all taken karate as well. His oldest daughter, Katilyn received her shodan in 2003. His wife, Jolene who also assists with the Sackville club, received her Sandan in 2019. Their youngest daughter, Rachel has done some basic training. Sensei Norm hopes to train his grand daughter when she is older.
Sensei Robitza is a former Private Security Officer. He supplied security services for concerts and special events. He was one of the first graduates of Responder Training’s Officer Safety Tactical Defense Program. When he worked in this field, he was able to utilize his karate training while providing security for some of the most famous performers in the World including U2, Metallica, ACDC, Bon Jovi, Kiss, Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Ozzy Osbourne, Elton John, NickelBack, Bruce Springsteen and many many more.
Dojo:
Qualifications:
- IKD Kenshusei (Instructor Trainee)
- IKD Web Designer
- IKD Multi Media Department
- IKD International Instructor (B Level)
- IKD International Examiner (B Level)
- IKD International Judge (A Level)
- IKD Distinguished Service Awards:
IKD National Medal of Service 2023 - The Shotokan Chronicles
- Senshin: The Enlightened Mind