About

About Sensei Steve Coleman 4th Dan

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Years Training in Shotokan Karate
20 years – from 1987 to present
Taught by Sensei Rob Hawkins – 5th Dan at Belvedere Karate Club.

Associations joined

  • Thames Karate – Chief instructor: Ray Fuller
  • BKMAF – Chief instructor: Carl Finn
  • BASKA – Chief instructor: Greg Wallace
  • TKA – Chief instructor: Joe Anderson
  • SHIKON – Chief instructor: Ian Cuthbert

Dan Grades Awarded       

  • 1st Dan Shodan – Ray Fuller / Thames, April 1991
  • 2nd Dan Nidan – Joe Anderson / TKA, May 1999
  • 3rd Dan Sandan – Rob Hawkins / Shikon, August 2003
  • 4th Dan Yondan – Joe Anderson / TKA, September 2007

Courses and Instructors Trained under 

  • Sensei Joe Anderson – Kata and Kumite course
  • Sensei Ticky Donovan – Kata and Kumite
  • Sensei Dave Hazard – Kata and Bunkai
  • Sensei Jullian Mead – Weapons course
  • Sensei Wayne Otto – Kumite Course
  • Sensei Rob Hawkins – Kata and Kumite course
  • Sensei Greg Wallace – Kumite course
  • Sensei Carl Finn – Weapons course

Competition achievements
I have competed in many competitions over the years, and had success in most competitions in both kata and kumite. My instructor Rob Hawkins always had a good breed of fighters and kata performers and was always recognised in competitions as the ones to beat. I always enjoyed competing for myself and club and took great pride in winning medals. I have won the BASKA National championships, represented TKA in the EKGB championships and the FUNAKOSHI World championships and numerous Open championships.

My Instructor Profile
I started teaching Karate to beginners under the watchful eye of my instructor Rob Hawkins at the age of 18. I started my first club in Erith Kent with only 2 pupils. The class quickly grew and become an established club with up to 30 students training 2 times a week. Once this club had grown I decided to open another club in Meopham Kent. This club was based in a sports centre and quickly grew in numbers. Both clubs produced students who become champions in competition and gained the grade of black belt. Both clubs now had over 60 students in them and were going well. I did however decide that I would give one club up. I passed the Erith club to Sensei Ian Dickson who was one of my black belt students. Ian still runs this club with Sensei Rob Jarvis with good success.

My concentration was now with Meopham Ken No Sen Karate Club where I teach 6 hours per week from beginners to black belts. I teach students the importance of karate training, technique and discipline and respect. There is a great atmosphere in my club and I feel both the students and parents respect me and my way of teaching and understand why they are training in karate. 

I have elite students, who I feel best show how much I have achieved through my teaching by showing commitment to their training and success in winning Open and International Championships.

The Meopham Open Karate Championships
I have been the organiser of the Meopham Open Karate Championships for over 3 years. The competitions are based in the sports centre where I work full time.
I took over the competitions from Sensei Rob Hawkins in March 2004, formally the Danson Open.  

Armed only with a computer compact disc which was given to me by Sensei Rob Hawkins I didn’t have much to go with for organising my 1st ever competition. How ever, with my experience of organising events in the sports centre, I quickly learnt how to organise the Karate event. 

The 1st competition went well and I had good support from clubs who attended Sensei Robs competitions and had great feed back.

The competitions are now recognised as a well organised event with over 150 students and 20 clubs from across the country attending. The competitors are at National and International level and use this as a good warm up competition for the bigger national events. This is also a great opportunity for beginners to get involved in competition.

I now run 3 Opens and 3 Association competitions per year and will continue to as long as the competitors and spectators continue to enjoy them. These are just some of the clubs who attend: Shuhari-Kai, Toyakwai, Yamaguchi Goju Kai, Seemaf, Hyo Do Gen, Kazen Central, Kaizen, Sdsma and Ishinryu.