Rob Copeland began training in karate in 1979 at the age of 19 under Sensei Selwyn Gould, at The Rising Sun School of Karate, in the docks area of Cardiff. He was graded to black belt in 1982. He was a natural Kumite competitor and has enjoyed many competition successes, his first in 1982 when he came third in The Welsh Championships and his last before his competition retirement at the Central England Open in June 2006 winning the Mens Masters Kumite event. He has competed at top level events including the famous 10K Karate Clash, captained The Welsh Karate Federation team, attended Three European Championships: Paris '84, Oslo '85 and Madrid 86, the FBSKU Internationals, and the Gichin Funakoshi World Shotokan Championships. He was awarded The Vale of Glamorgan Sports Personality of the year award in 1998.

 

In 1999 the Karate Union of Wales awarded Rob his 5th Dan.

 

In October 2000 Rob left The Karate Union of Wales and set up The Vale of Glamorgan Karate Organisation which has gone from strength to strength and has become one of Wales' most successful Karate organisations boasting several Welsh Internationals and Welsh and British Champions. He has also been a very sucessful coach, in April 2002 Rob was appointed Assistant Welsh National Coach, (a post he resigned from in July 2003). In November 2008; Rob was awarded the prestigious 'Coach of the Year' title by The Welsh Sports Council in recognition of his work with Children with Special Needs. His students have represented Wales at international level; at the 2009 European Karate Championships in Paris, the 2009 World Championships in Morocco and the 2010 European Championships in Turkey.

 

In March of 2007; Rob became a full-time professional karate instructor. He now teaches karate in after-school sessions in schools all over Cardiff and the Vale as well as being extremely busy with the Vale's evening and weekend classes, and the ongoing development of Vale Karate.

 

In July 2010, at a surprise 50th Birthday Party held in his honour, Rob was stunned to be presented with a Diploma marking his promotion to 6th Dan, presented to him by The Welsh Bushi-Kai Chairman Nigel Taylor and signed by Rob's Senior Graded students and a number of legends of Welsh Karate.

 

Details from: http://www.valekarate.com

 

Sensei Copeland was the special guest instructor at the 4th USKW Annual Course, 2012.

Sensei Jonathan Mottram is a member of the Ishinryu Karate Associates and his Sensei is David 'Ticky' Donovan OBE.

 

Sensei Jonathan runs his own club Barking Abbey Ishinryu and is the current National Kata Coach for the English Karate Federation.

 

A successful Instructor, a successful Coach and successful Competitor.

 

3 x Commonwealth Champion

2 Silver & 2 Bronzes medals at Europeans Karate Championships

15 x English National Individual Kata Champion, 9 Team Kata and 4 x Kumite Champion

11 x British National Individual Kata Champion and 5 x Team Champion

Over 30 international titles

Only English male in 43 years to win a Kata medal at Senior Europeans

Has competed in over 400 competitions

England's most successful Kata competitor.

 

From: http://barkingabbeyishinryu.co.uk/instructors.htm

 

Sensei Mottram visited Yoshitaka in December 2012 for the First USKW Winter Course.

Sensei A. Camillini (4th dan) has a very long career in Martial arts as he started in judo when he was 19 years old (now he is 70). He has accomplished the grade of 2nd dan Judo. Within Judo he had numerous competition successes and was one of the best competitors in his home country of Italy. However, he switched to Shotokan Karate and has been diligently training ever since! Sensei is a very accomplished karate-ka, with a wealth of teaching experience.

 

Sensei Agostino Camillini was our guest at the club. The course held was on 7th March 2009, at Tycoch College - please see our YSKC First Annual Karate Course page for more details.

Derek began his karate training in the late 1970's in Merthyr Tydfil. Training in those days was far less controlled than the teaching sessions we experience today, and most of the classes culminated in the Accident and Emergency Unit of the local hospital. However, this did not deter the more hardened individuals, and Derek was one of them. He attained his 1st Dan black belt in 1982 from Sensei Enoeda. Derek continued his affiliation to the Japanese Karate Association, training with the most revered Japanese instructors at the annual summer courses held at Crystal Palace, until the death of Sensei Enoeda in 2005.

 

Whilst developing his own club in Brecon, Derek forged strong links with neighbouring karate clubs in Abergavenny, Abertillery and Blaenavon. Inter-club competitions were a regular occurrence and it was from these roots that Brecon SKC began to earn its reputation of being one of the most successful kumite clubs in Wales. Local club success grew steadily to national recognition and to date Brecon SKC has trained over thirty students to black belt standard, many going on to achieve Welsh squad selection and Welsh and British National championship titles.

 

Although Derek follows the traditional teaching style of Shotokan karate, he often mixes his classes with street fighting and effective self-defence techniques, the origins of which began with his training alongside the likes of Terry O'Neill and Billy Higgins. Derek has travelled thousands of miles over the years to train with the senior instructors of the Karate Union of Great Britain, striving to improve his knowledge and constantly update his training techniques. The result of his effective teaching style has also been reflected within his family, all of whom have trained to black belt and competed on the national circuit. However, the successes of his children Matthew and Nikki Jayne have superceded even Derek's expectataions.

 

Sensei D. Stockham was our guest at the club. The course was held on 21st November 2009, at Sketty Primary, - please see our Kumite Course 2009 Course page for more details.

Started training in 1988.
1992 - Passed 1st Dan Grading.
1995 – Passed 2nd Dan Grading , Won the North West Open Boys Kumite Championship and became the British Shotokan Cup Kumite Champion.
1997 – Won the Welsh under 21 Kumite Championships. Selected for the Welsh National Kumite and Kata squads. Represented Wales in the European Championships in Prague as the youngest member of the Men’s Senior Team. From 1997 to date has been a member of the Welsh Senior Kumite Squad for individual and team Kumite competing in European and World Championships.
1998 – Retained the Welsh Under 21 Kumite Title.
1999 – Joint 5th European Championships, Cadiz, Spain. Lost to eventual Champion.
2001 - Passed 3rd Dan Grading. Joint 3rd Senior Kumite Champion in Grand Slam International Tournament.
2002 – Welsh National Kumite Champion.
2005 – Ranked in top 5 British Senior Men’s Kumite.
2006 – Runner up Welsh National Kumite Championships.
2007 - Ranked in top 8 European Senior Men’s Kumite.
2008 - 3rd Senior Male Kumite UK National Championships
2009 - 3rd Senior Male Kumite 4th Senior Male Kata Welsh Regionals, 3rd Male Team Kumite. Awarded Best Senior Male Trophy.

 

Sensei M. Stockham was our guest at the club. The course was held on 21st November 2009, at Sketty Primary, - please see our Kumite Course 2009 Course page for more details.

Sensei M. Fanelli (2nd dan) is 36 years old and was born in England. His family moved to Italy when he was very young. As a Shotokan karate-ka Sensei Fanelli has had a very successful kata competition record. He has won two national youth kata titles, and in all twenty four competitions he has entered in kata he has never placed lower than 3rd. He currently trains with Sensei A. Camillini at the Yoshitaka Karate Club in Urbino Italy.

 

Sensei Metello Fanelli was our guest at the club. The course held was on  7th March 2009, at Tycoch College - please see our YSKC First Annual Karate Course page for more details.

Sensei S. Bronchini (2nd dan), also from Italy, is a very experienced Sensei, dedicating over 15 years to the practice of Shotokan Karate. He is a inspirational Sensei who has two very successful clubs in the Pesaro area of Italy.

 

Sensei Sandro Bronchini was our guest at the club. The course held was on  7th March 2009, at Tycoch College - please see our YSKC First Annual Karate Course page for more details.