The Saint Lucia Shotokan Karate Association has recently celebrated its 25th Anniversary.
The Kevala Taj Dojo, the home of the Saint Lucia Shotokan Karate Association (SLSKA) situated at Harmony Suites in Rodney Bay is headed by Sensei and founder Patrick A. Edward - 5thDan. The Association, which is affiliated internationally to the International Karate Daigaku (IKD), headquartered inCanada and regionally to the Caribbean Karate College (CKC)situated in Trinidad & Tobago, has been in existence since 1993.
Sensei Patrick A. Edward started Karate in the school year 1983/84 at the Castries Comprehensive Secondary School at the age of 16. In 1992 he connected with the International Shotokan Karate Federation, the Pan American representative of the Japan Karate Association, Head Quartered in Philadelphia, Pa and headed at that time by Master Teriyuki Okazaki – 8th Dan, revered by many, as the best Technical exponent of the modern art of Karate.
That brought 20+ years of affiliation and training from the Organization’s Annual Master Camps, World, Pan American & Regional Tournaments, where training was received from some of the worlds leading instructors of the art of JKA Shotokan Karate.
Over the past 25 years, the Association’s ethos has been the development of excellent Traditional Karate. The Association has since inception, always been pre-occupied with providing its members, with the best Karate instructions available in the world today. The 25th Anniversary is a significant milestone, signifying the beginning of the commemoration, celebration and reflection on this awesome journey with the view to refining and creating a better SLSKA.
The last major activity in 2018 saw Team 758 comprising of 20 persons, 13 athletes and 7 parents from the SaintLucia Shotokan Karate Association (SLSKA), participating in the 3rdIKD 2018 World Cup, at the Sir Garfield Sobers Sports Complex, in Barbados. The team from Saint Lucia made a very good showing, winning a total of five (5)medals. All of the athletes had a great experience, this being the first international tournament for many.
The celebration of the 25thAnniversary saw the organization SLSKA hosting of Fuku Shihan W Dexter Shim – 8thDan, who conducted the SLSKA/IKD 57thGrading Exercise at the Gros Islet Secondary School Auditorium.
The Association also congregated at the St. Joseph the Workers Church in Gros Islet to give thanks for the past and seek divine intervention for more blessings for the future. After the church service they proceeded to the Harbor Club on the Rodney Bay Marina for a small celebration.
On this special occasion the SLSKAacknowledged a few achievements that assisted in the development path that they continually strive for.
Appreciation was shown to the instructors for their outstanding contributions towards the technical development of the organization. They also congratulated their newly promoted black belts and gave tokens of appreciation to persons within the association that have contributed to the development in one way or another.
TheSLSKAhas a number of activities planned as it continues to celebrate in 2019, the 25thAnniversary of this prestigious organization. The first activity, to take place in the very near future will be the re-branding of the organization with the launching of a new website as the focal point of this activity. The SLSKAwill also be seeking partnerships with other organizations and establishments as they look to expand and grow their membership and in so doing, contribute to the positive development of individuals in the society.