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Current and Upcoming Events
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- February 18-19 - Cabin Fever Karate Championships. This is the PKC Region # 1 (Our region) season opener and maximum points tournament. It is hosted by Kyoshi John Venson (Region # 1 Director) and Just for Kicks Karate of Chicago. For promotional video, cleck here.
- Our annual Supreme Way Challenge karate tournament will be held on March 10. It will be held in Pekin this year at the Moose Lodge. All students should plan to attend. Even if you're not going to compete, there are plenty of opportunities to help out. We need volunteers to set up mats and trophies before the tournament, help with concessions, run awards, and score-keep during the tournament, and break down the mats, clean up and set the mats back up at the dojo after the tournament. Set up will happen the night before the tournament at about 6:00. Clean up will begin immediately after the tournament at approximately 4:00 p.m. If you are available to help at any of these times, please contact Mr. Fink, Mrs. Fink, or Miss Switzer.
- Good News! Lincoln's Challenge has agreed to provide a team of cadets for score keeping and time keeping for our tournament March 10. This is a tremendous asset to us as it frees us from having to enlist the aid of unsuspecting parents who come just to watch their children compete, not work all day. Support of this type from Lincoln's Challenge is a tradition Mr. and Mrs. Fink began in 2005 when they started hosting their tournament at the LC Academy gym in Rantoul, IL. This year we decided to hold the tournament in Pekin. LCA graciously agreed to put a team of cadets on the road to continue this ongoing relationship. In addition, LCA will provide an honor guard team to conduct opening ceremonies. This adds a touch of class to our event not typical of most martial arts tournaments. We are grateful to LCA and its director, Mr. Peter Thomas, for their tremendous support. For more information about Lincoln's Challenge Academy and their mission, click here.
- The January – March 2012 Session begins soon. Sign up is the week of January 30 – February 3. Rank testing will also be held at regular class times that week. The session dates are as follows:
Juniors & Adults: 2/7, 2/9, 2/14, 2/16, 2/21, 2/23, 2/28, 3/1, 3/6, 3/8, 3/13, 3/15
Teens: 2/6, 2/8, 2/13, 2/15, 2/20, 2/22, 2/27, 2/29, 3/5, 3/7, 3/12, 3/14
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March 10, 2012. We hosted our annual dojo party. There was food and games and a lot of fun. This year we incorporated a "parents' night out" concept which was very well received. There were over forty students and guests in attendance. Everyone had so much fun playing games and socializing, we ran out of time for the movies we planned. Mrs. Fink received rave reviews on her Pasta e Fagioli soup. The unexpected highlight of the evening was Mr. Dyke's set of physical challenges. The party was preceded by a four-hour black belt class. This was the first time all active Kosho-Kai Dojo yudansha have gathered together for a training event. Black belts in attendance were: Mr. Swearingen, Mr. McLeod, Miss Fink, Mr. N. Shults, Mr. L. Shults, Miss Switzer, and Mr. Miller. Pictures coming soon!
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| L-R Mr. Fink, Mr. Freeman, Mr. Rhoades, Miss Switzer, Mrs. Fink, Miss C. Fink |
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November 17, 2011. Mr. Rhoades became the twenty-ninth karate-ka to be awarded Mr. Rollins's purple belt. The tradition was begun by Mr. Rollins himself in the early 1980's. He would recognize particular students who possessed an above average measure of a certain mix of qualitiies by awarding them his purple belt to wear until they earned their brown belt. Those qualities included intensity in training and competition, seriousness, and devotion to the dojo and to the art of karate-do. Mr. Thomas Freeman, Mr. Rollins's senior student, inherited the belt and has decided to continue the tradition believing Sensei would not want his obi to be retired as long as his students continue to produce worthy candidates. Mr. Freeman himself recommended Mr. Rhoades for the honor after observing him at the Supreme Way Kids and Teens Tournament in Pekin this past July. It was Mr. Rhoades's etiquette and character, not merely his competitive spirit, that caught Mr. Freeman's eye. As he stated at the presentation Thursday evening at the Kosho-Kai Dojo, "If Mr. Rollins could be here to see Mr. Rhoades, I am sure he would find him to be the kind of person to wear his belt." The Kosho-Kai Karate dojo has produced a number of students who have been proud wearers of the belt. They are in order of award: Mr. Richard Hayes, Mr. Eric Swearingen, Miss Larisa Stott, Mr. Mike McLeod, and Miss Tarin Switzer. Miss Switzer, the last recipient of the belt, along with Mr. Freeman, made the presentation. The belt, which is over thirty-five years old, has become too tattered and frail to wear, so Mr. Freeman has crafted a beautiful wooden display case to preserve the belt in. In addition, each honoree receives a certificate to commemorate his or her selection for the award. To date, only a handful of the twenty-eight previous holders of the belt did not go on to become yudansha. It is worthy to note that Mr. Rhoades is the first recipient of the belt to have not personally met Mr. Rollins. May his spirit be kept alive by the second generation of his students. Cogratulations, Mr. Rhoades!
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Fifth Annual Kids Tournament a Huge Success
July 30, 2011 - The Kosho-Kai Karate Family Martial Arts Center hosted its fifth kids only tournament at the Calvary Baptist Church gymnasium in Pekin Illinois. The event is conducted each year to bring together young martial arts competitors from the local area and beyond. The tournament is known for its fun, safe, and friendly atmosphere. This year the event was attended by over fifty competitors and their family members from diverse locations all around the state. Schools represented included Academy of Okinawan Karate, Springfield Unante Kenkyukai, Kook Sool Won of Pekin, Sho Go Tae Academy of Joliet, Shinko Niyotte Karate of Equality, and Springfield Karate-do Budokai. Competition was held in forms, sparring, self-defense, weapons forms, and combat sword fighting. Participants tested their skill at a shuriken throwing booth where they popped balloons with throwing stars to win prizes. This year's theme was "Winning is not a skill; it's an attitude". The event was very successful and Mr. and Mrs. Fink would like to thank all who competed, judged, cooked and served concessions, or helped out in any capacity.
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Three Students Join the Black Belt Ranks
June 26, 2011. Joe Miller, Tarin Switzer, and Mitchell Sandlin became yudansha numbers eight, nine, and ten respectively after passing a grueling five-and-a-half hour promotional review. The three completed the newly revised twelve-week long yudansha training and conditioning program, and the two adult candidates (Mr. Miller and Miss Switzer) completed a fifty question essay exam in order to qualify to take the review. The board consisted of Mr. and Mrs. Fink, Mr. James Price (7th Dan), Mr. Randy Lloyd (7th Dan), Mr. McLeod (2nd Dan), Miss Christina Fink (Junior 2nd Dan), Mr. Nathan Shults (Junior 1st Dan), and Mr. Loyd Shults (1st Dan). The three newly promoted black belts were required to wear their obi's for twenty-four hours following the test. On Thursday, June 30, they were presented certificates and ceremonial swords to consumate their recognition as yudansha. Congatulations on an awesome accomplishment.
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End of an Era & A New Beginning
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In August, 2004, then fifty-three year old Loyd Shults and his six-year-old son Nathan became among the first new students to join the club after its move from San Jose that same month. In the four years that followed, the two established themselves as model students and as indespensible assets in the dojo. From taking care of school grounds, to competing in tournaments, to teaching classes, to helping with all club projects and events, the Shultses set the example of what good dojo citizenship really means. So much so, in fact, that they inspired the creation of and became the first recipients of the Kosho-kai Karate Dojo Spirit Award. They set the bar so high, it became difficult for others to follow. Their exceptional dedication to training (four nights a week) prompted Mr. and Mrs. Fink to establish the Yudansha-kai (black belt club), an inner-dojo society for students who make becoming black belts their goal. In September, 2009, the two began the twelve-week Yudansha Training Program in preparation for their black belt test. The program, a decades-old tradition begun at Mr. Keeney's Koma-kai dojo in Anderson, Indiana, and passed down to us by Sensei Ron Rollins, was modified to follow a Crossfit approach to conditioning. The Shultses were the first ever to complete this revised scientific and highly intense training program. The Shultses achieved a number of other firsts in the Kosho-kai. On December 19, 2009, they passed a gruelling eight-and-a-half hour review, making them the first two members from the same family outside of the Finks to attain shodan. In addition, Loyd is the oldest to make black belt, and Nathan is the youngest. Loyd recently accepted a new job in southern Illinois requiring him and his family to move outside of commuting distance from the dojo. On Thursday, February 25, 2010, the club held a farewell workout in honor of the Shults family. After the workout, Mr. and Mrs. Fink presented Loyd and Nathan with a bonsai tree, the traditional Okinawan symbol of peace and prosperity. Mrs. Shults was presented with a pink belt as an enduring symbol of her unwaivering support of her "men" and the dojo over the years. It was a tear-filled goodbye as the Shultses will be greatly missed. Loyd and Nathan intend to continue their training with Mr. Gary Walker of Elizabethtown, Illinois and may possibly open their own dojo someday. Furthermore, they have been charged by Mr. and Mrs. Fink with coordinating with Master Thomas Black of Carbondale to form a southern Illinois federation of schools and organize a regional tournament in their area.
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Fabulous Spring Season for Pekin Karate School
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Pekin Daily Times, August 5, 2009. Eighteen students and instructors from Pekins Kosho-kai Karate Dojo competed in seven area tournaments this spring. The tournaments were held in Chicago, Metamora, New Lennox, Carbondale, Peoria, and Merrilville, Indiana and were sanctioned by one of two national organizations, the United States Karate-do Kai and the Professional Karate Commission, or by independent promoters. The participants competed in kata (forms), kumite (sparring), kobudo (weapons), and self-defense events. Each event is divided into age and rank divisions. Altogether the eighteen club members brought home one hundred sixteen tournament trophies, plaques, and medals. Pictured above from left to right are instructor Patricia Fink four firsts; Taylor Bentson four firsts; Robert Fink three firsts, three seconds, one third, one fourth; Christina Fink seven firsts, two seconds, one third; Timmy Glass three firsts, one third; Mitchell Sandlin five firsts, one second, two thirds; Tarin Switzer twelve firsts, two seconds, one grand champion; Nathan Shults eight firsts; Loyd Shults one third; Kenton Haynes three seconds, one third, one fourth; Chase Howard four firsts, one second, one third; Mikayla Howard six firsts, one second, one third; instructor Frank Fink two firsts, one grand champion. Not pictured are Alex Hill two seconds; Alex LaFleur one first, one third; Bradi LaFleur one first, two seconds, one third ; and Shane Rhodes honorable mention. Patricia Fink, Christina Fink, Tarin Switzer, Nathan Shults, Mitchell Sandlin, Mikayla Howard, and Chase Howard were honored at the USKK National Awards Banquet at the Pere Marquet Hotel in Peoria June 13 for winning national champion status for the 2008-2009 season. Five members will be competing at the World Championships in New Orleans August 1-2.
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| L-R Kenton Haynes, Robert Fink, Nathan Shults |
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Kosho-Kai Students Win Young Authors Awards
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| Makayla Howard |
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March 15, 2009 Three elementary school age members of the Dojo received the Young Authors Award for excellence in writing. The three were among 150 winners selected from over 1,900 entrants in the district-wide contest. The participants get to demonstrate their creativity with story writing and artwork. Nathan Shults, a ni-kyu and third grader won with his book, How a Song Made a Friendship. Kenton Haynes, a rokyu and third grader won with his book My Dogs Sassy and Patches. Robert Fink, a rokyu and second grader won with his book Joey and Lefty. All three attend C.B. Smith Elementary School in Pekin. The boys were honored at an awards ceremony conducted at Washington Intermediate School in Pekin. Last year another Dojo member, Makayla Howard, a rokyu and then third grader won the Young Authors Award. We honor these students' academic acheivements and hold them up as an example of how the actions of Kosho-Kai karate-ka reflect credit upon themselves, their dojo, and their community.
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November 29, 2008 Sensei Tom Freeman from Sherman, Illinois and his son Kyle taught a kobudo seminar at our dojo. They presented kata with jo, tanbo, and nunchaku. Mr. Freeman's kobudo is from Taika Seiyu Oyata's lineage. It is passed to him by Taika Oyata's senior students Seibushi Steve Stark and Koubushi Bill Gossett. Participants included Mr. Fink, Mrs. Fink, Mr. Michael Fink, Mr. McLeod, Miss Fink, Mr. Sims, Mr. Robert Fink, and Mr. Sandlin. All who participated had a great time and learned a lot. Mr. Freeman will host a seminar featuring Seibushi Stark and Koubushi Gossett in Sherman in the May timeframe. We will pass on more information as it becomes available. Kosho-kai Karate would like to thank the Freeman's for their time and generous sharing. We look forward to future interaction with Mr. Freeman and his students!
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April 5, 2007, Metamora, Illinois Several of our members competed in the first ever Metamora High School Open Martial Arts Tournament. The event was fun, fast, and efficiently run. We did well with most of our students placing in at least one event. Congratulations to all who competed!
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| L - R Back Row: Loyd Shults, Tarin Switzer, Michael Fink, Ben Norwood, Paul Sims, Middle Row: Sensei Patricia Fink, Christina Fink, Mitchell Sandlin, Josh Franklin, Ryan Howard, Chase Howard, Front Row: Nathan Shults, Mikayla Howard, Robert Fink, Harley Fuelberth |
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March 29, 2008, Pekin We hosted our 5th annual Supreme Way Challenge Kids' Tournament at the Calvary Baptist Church in Pekin. The event brought over fifty competitors from Pekin, Joliet, Jacksonville, and Springfield. The tournament featured kata, team kata, kumite, chanbara (sword fighting), and self-defense. All competitors received a trophy with their name on it. The objective of the kids only tournament is to provide entry level competition for children of all ages and to foster the values of being a real winner: learning, meeting new people, giving your best effort, and having fun.
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| Sensei Frank Fink explains chanbara rules as Nathan Shults and harley Fuelberth demonstrate |
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| Mitchell Sandlin performs Wansu at the 5th annual Supreme Way Challenge Kids' Tournament |
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| Nathan Shults watches as Kenton Haynes performs Anaku |
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| Timmy Glass runs Taikyoku san as spectators and judges look on |
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| Mr. and Mrs. Fink pose with their Grand Champion awards. Also pictured are David Morgan (2nd place) and Tim Delille (4th place) of Florida |
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January 27, 2008, Cocoa Beach, Florida The Finks and the Shults's competed in the Space Coast Karate Championships hosted by Master James Webster. They competed in kata, kumite, kobudo, chanbara, and self-defense. Mr. Fink won first place Masters Kata and Kumite and Grand Champion Kata and Kumite along with $250. Mrs. Fink won first place Blackbelt Women's Kata and third place Grand Champion Kata along with $100. On hand was seminar presenter Bill "Superfoot" Wallace. The crew celebrated with a week of fun in the sun at Disney World, Universal Studios, and Sea World. It was a great time!
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| Nathan Shults with Superfoot |
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November 2007 Members of the Kosho-kai Karate Dojo had a busy November traveling and competing on three consecutive weekends. For complete article click image below. For more information about the Lincoln's Challenge Program.
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| Sensei Frank Fink looks on as Paul Sims attempts a break. |
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March 24, 2007
Martial Arts for St. Jude
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| Paige Arseneau demonstrates self-defense with Nathan Shults |
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The Kosho-kai Karate Dojo hosted a Martial Arts Day for St. Jude fund raiser event at the Calvary Baptist Church in Pekin. Eighteen Kosho-kai students and members from the Academy of Okinawan Karate and the Harrison & Dorris College of Martial Arts participated in a day of competition and fun. Events included self-defense, board breaking, shuriken throwing, sparring, forms, weapons forms, and weapons sparring. Competitors ranged in age from six to fifty. The day concluded with nine participants collectively executing over 7,000 kicks in a half-hour Kick-a-thon. Altogether, the event raised $1,450 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Local businesses who contributed raffle prizes and food were Fast Dragon, Applebee's, Menard's, Schnuck's, T-Shirt House, Wal-Mart, Peoria Chiefs, and Peoria Riverman. Mr. and Mrs. Fink thank all who competed, contributed, and volunteered their time to make the event a success.
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June 17-18, 2006 Eleven members of the Kosho Kai Karate Dojo were honored at the United States Karate-do Kai's twenty-first annual national awards banquet at the Pere Marquet Hotel in Peoria, Illinois. The honorees were presented with plaques and patches for being the season's national champions in their respective divisions for kata, kumite, or kobudo. Michael Fink won the distinction of becoming the club's first member to become a triple champion, winning first in kata, kumite, and kobudo. Together, the eleven accumulated more total points than any other USKK dojo! Quite an impressive feat for such a small school. Mrs. Fink was presented the prestigious Mel Wise Award making her both the first female and the youngest person ever to receive the award. The award is for outstanding dedication to karate and has been in existence since 1978. Mrs. Fink is the seventeenth recipient of the award. On Sunday, thirteen club members competed in the USKK International Championships at the RiverPlex Sports and Fitness Center. The following are the results - Mighty Mites: Kenton Haynes 2nd kata, 3rd kumite; Nathan Shults 1st kata, 4th kumite; Harley Fuelberth 3rd kata, 2nd kumite; Mini Pee Wee Novice: Eli Sanchez 2nd kata, 1st kumite; Mini Pee Wee Advanced: Christina Fink 3rd kata, 3rd kumite; Pee Wee Novice: Brandon Svendsen 3rd kumite; Paul Sims 4th kumite; Light Weight Novice Men: Joey Miller 1st kata, 4th kumite; Junior Novice Girls: Teresa Fornoff 1st kata, 1st kumite; Junior Advanced Girls: Larisa Stott 3rd kata, 3rd kumite; Heavy Weight Novice Men: Loyd Shults 3rd kata, 3rd kumite; Black Belt Men: Eric Swearingen 2nd kumite; Black Belt Women: Patricia Fink 2nd kata, 2nd kumite, 2nd ($250) Trias Cup. Congratulations to all who competed! Pictured below are the 2006 national champions with their awards.
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| L-R Top Row: Loyd Shults, Teresa Fornoff, Mr. Fink, Michael Fink, Larisa Stott Middle Row: Brandon Svendsen, Paul Sims, Christina Fink, Mrs. Fink Front Row: Eli Sanchez, nathan Shults, Harley Fuelberth Not Pictured: Eric Rice |
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January 29, 2006 Ten members of the Kosho Kai Karate dojo competed in the Space Coast Karate Championships in Cocoa Beach, Florida. Together they brought home nineteen trophies, five medals, and $100 prize money. The team then took a much deserved week-long vacation at Disney World.
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| Standing L-R Master Webster, Mrs. Fink, Master Koeppel, Mr. Fink, Mr. Fink (Michael), Middle L-R: Loyd Shults, Paul Sims, Christina Fink Sitting L-R: Eli Sanchez, Nathan Shults, John Primm, Harley Fuelberth |
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For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12
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