Tokushin-Kai - Olney Karate Club
In this month's edition of the Phonebox we are taking a look at Olney Karate Club, the longest established Karate Club in the local area.
Olney Karate Club, now in its 14th year in the town, is affiliated to the Shotokan Karate Kanazawa Ryu International Federation (SKKIF). SKKIF takes its name from its Chief Instructor, the legendary Japanese karate master, Hirokazu Kanazawa (10th Dan). Kanazawa Kancho (chief master) as he is referred too, visited the Olney club in November last year, spending three days in the town. During his stay he also visited the Nipponzan Myohoji Temple, which is adjacent to the Peace Pagoda in Milton Keynes.
Kanazawa Kancho's association is the
largest single style karate organisation in
 exibility, endurance, self-awareness, discipline and stress relief. Research has also indicated that training in martial arts such as Karate, helps children to improve their ability to concentrate, which has beneficial effects on other areas of their learning and development2.
The club was given its
Japanese name
Tokushin-Kai by Kanazawa Kancho and means "group with deep moral spirit". The club instructors (sensei's), Mr Chris Gillies (4th Dan) and Dr Jim Rafferty (4th Dan), have both trained and taken their Dan (Black Belt level) grades in Japan under Kanazawa Kancho. In the recent (May 2005) SKKIF UK National
 the world, with approximately two and a
1
countries . As a pupil of the founder of
Shotokan Karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi and later as a student of his successor, Masatoshi Nakayama, KanazawaKanchoisanauthenticmaster in the traditional Shotokan style. As a
half million members in over 105
great privilege to welcome him to Olney and everyone at the club is looking forward to his next visit.
Karate - Do (meaning "the way of the empty hand") is an activity that appeals to all kind's ofpeople and apart from the obvious training in self defence; offers benefits m maintaining  tness,
PAGE 56 THE PHONEBOX
presided over by Kanazawa Kancho, Mr Gillies took second place in both the Dan grade Kumite ( ee fighting) and Kata (correct forms of techniques) competitions. In addition, Mr Gillies' son, Ryan, took second place in the Kumite and third place in the Kata competitions in his particular category.
For more in rmation why not visit the club  web site at www. tokushinkai. vze. com or telephoneJRa r  on O1234 71114  or C Gi ies on O1908 317836
PictureofSenseiGillies,KanazawaKanchoandSensei Ra r  at the club Dojo in the Olney Centre.
The club trains on Monday and Thursday evenings in the Olney Centre. Classes on Monday are from 7.30pm to 9.00pm (all junior and senior graded students) and on Thursday from 7.00pm to 8.00pm (beginners' class) and 8.00pm to 9.00pm (all graded students).
New members are always welcome.
 Picture ofclub members with Kanazawa Kancho.
world-renowned instructor, it was a Championships held in Watford and
So, if you are someone who has always thought, "I would really like to try Karate", but never got round to it, then you have an excellent club with a great pedigree on your doorstep. Karate is for all ages and it is never too late to learn! The founder of Shotokan Karate, Master Gichin Funakoshi, was renowned for telling his students, "you must believe that if others can do it, you can do it too". This message is as relevant today as it was then, so what are you waiting for? •
Footnotes:
SKKIF HQ, Windsor, Berkshire
2 L es K D and Hoyt WT (2004), "Promoting SelfRegulationThrough School Based Martial Arts Training", Applied Developmental Psychology, Vol. 25, pp.283 - 302.