CHITO-RYU KARATE-DO NEWSLETTER SUMMER <strong>2007</strong>O-SENSEI AND DOMETRICH HANSHI THROUGH THE YEARSAT THE INTERNATIONAL AND U.S. HOMBU DOJOO-Sensei and Dometrich Hanshi at the InternationalHombu Dojo, Kumamoto, Japan 1971O-Sensei and Dometrich Hanshi at the U.S.Yoseikan Hombu Dojo 1967O-Sensei at National Test Board U.S. YoseikanHombu 1982O-Sensei visits the U.S. Yoseikan Hombu Dojo 1967O-Sensei and Dometrich Hanshi during O-Sensei’s visit tothe U.S in 1967UNITED STATES CHITO-RYU KARATE-DO FEDERATION PAGE 10
CHITO-RYU KARATE-DO NEWSLETTER SUMMER <strong>2007</strong>AAU NATIONAL KARATETOURNAMENTFor several decades Hanshi and I have attended the AAUState, Regional and National tournaments. Although wehave had to miss a few National Tournaments we havealways tried to support Sensei Mirza, The Chairman ofAAU karate. Since Hanshi was diagnosed with Parkinson’sincluding Jim O’Hara from Chicago, Dave Williams fromOhio and Willie McIntosh from North Carolina. I donot have all their names, this is just a few of who attended,I am sure I have neglected to mention a few seniors, so Iapologize. Sensei Mirza made the statement that thesepioneers came before his generation to pave the way forthem. Now he hopes the next generation will be there tohonor his generation, “it’s something to think about”.Hanshi went to the field house every day to support thosethat were competing, as well as the excellent referee andjudging staff. Hanshi said he felt that the competingstudents were much improved over the past several years.Older senior students were there competing, training,coaching and assisting the younger students that were lessexperienced than they. These veterans set a good examplefor future generations. Veterans like Barbara Chinen, ElisaAu and George Kotaka, just to name a few.Left to right: Shojiro Sugiyama, WilliamDometrich, Doug Perry, Paul Godshawlast year so we did not do much traveling, but I happenedto see an article in “Masters magazine” that Hanshi was toreceive an award at the Nationals being held in WinstonSalem June 25 through the 30 th . While Hanshi and I werediscussing whether we could go or not we received aphone call from Jim O’Hara from Chicago inviting us toattend. Ultimately we made arrangements and drove toNorth Carolina.We arrived on Monday afternoon and checked into thehotel. Since we had stayed there on other occasions wewere familiar with the area. Hanshi went to register andwas given an invitation for a banquet dinner that was to beheld on Tuesday evening at the hotel, our daughterDevorah was in Durham, NC holding a kobudo seminar soshe came and met us to attend the dinner. The dinner wasto honor the following pioneers with Lifetimeachievement awards: Shojiro Sugiyama Shotokan fromChicago, William J. Dometrich <strong>Chito</strong>-<strong>ryu</strong> from Kentucky,Doug Perry Goju Ryu from NC, and Dan Ivan Shotokanfrom California. Sensei Ivan was not able to attend forhealth reasons, he is hospitalized with terminal bonecancer. His student Paul Godshaw accepted the award forhim, it was very emotional for Paul and all the otherseniors in attendance. Sensei Ivan’s history goes back tothe mid forties. He is the oldest U.S. pioneer still alive.At the banquet it was a who’s who of karate, besides thefour pioneers receiving awards Fumio Demura, ChosinKotaka, Chuck Merriman, Tomohiro Arashiro, DanSmith, Del Sato, Seiji Nishimura and Takuyuki Mikami,representatives from different regions of the AAUWilliam Dometrich and Fumio DemuraWhile in Winston-Salem Sensei Pochinski, and his wifeTu, who live and run a <strong>Chito</strong>-<strong>ryu</strong> dojo at Ft. Bragg, camewith several students to attend the opening ceremonies ofthe tournament. We were able to have a nice lunch andvisit before they had to drive back home. Victor Moore, aformer student of Hanshi’s from back in the sixties, cameto see Hanshi. Before we left to travel home we wereinvited to the home of Jim and Kathy Matthews, who runa <strong>Chito</strong>-<strong>ryu</strong> dojo in Kernersville NC, for a spaghettidinner. Thanks Kathy great meal. Leaving town we weresurprised to drive through the home town of AndyGriffith. Aunt Bee’s restaurant was closed.Thank you, Sensei Mirza , for inviting us to such aprestigious event.By: Barbara E. DometrichYoseikan HombuUNITED STATES CHITO-RYU KARATE-DO FEDERATION PAGE 11
Change language