Yamakai - Black Belts

Welcome

Chief Instructor Jim Ross has been involved in Karate since 1975, training with some of the best known Japanese and British Instructors. Jim spent over 10yrs training with Sensei Eddie Welsh, during this time he represented Scotland at Association level with both the S.K.I. International and Roy Stanhope’s Utd Kingdom All Styles Karate Organisation. Competitively Jim won many awards over a 20yr period, but in 1994 he won both Regional & British U.K.A.S.K.O. under 75 kilos kumite titles. Since retiring he has started his own Association, gaining membership to the governing body and watching his members win national and International awards with four members representing Scotland at World & European level. He also achieved his 5th Dan Black Belt in September 2004. Jim Ross 6th Dan Peter joined the group in the early ninety’s initially in the original Chapelton club. He progressed through the ranks passing his Shodan in 1993, Nidan in 95 Sandan in 99 and is currently Yondan (4th) which he gained in 2005.Peter is now the Assistant Instructor mainly in the East Kilbride class and holds a SKGB Coaching level 3 qualification. Peter is involved with the Associations refereeing squad and gets to as many events as possible. In the 1994 UKASKO Regional championships, Peter reached the final of the under 75 kilos kumite winning a silver. Peter is also a member of the Association Dan Grading panel. Peter Reeks 5th Dan Terry has been involved with the Association for almost twenty years. She is now the Assistant Instructor of the Rutherglen class holding a level 3 governing body coaching qualification. In the past Terry was extremely active with the competition squad, winning the 1995 UKASKO Scottish female kumite title. She was also a part of the Yamakai Female team which won three association titles in a row (93,94,95) Terry is now actively involved with the Associations referee squad. Terry Martin 5th Dan Julie-Anne Graham is our Association Kata coach with over 25yrs in the sport. Julie began as a child with Sensei Eddie Welsh, along with her sisters Claire & Stephanie where they all gained their Black Belts. The three girls would go on to win numerous Kata and Kumite awards during spells with UKASKO and the K.U.G.B. It was during their K.U.G.B. days Julie started competing at various International events, as well as winning the British Team Kata title at the BKF Championships in Swansea. Julie also represented Scotland in both Kata and Kumite attending World & European Championships. Julie gained her 4th Dan in December 2007 and by doing so became part of the Yamakai Dan Grading panel. Julie-Anne Graham 4th Dan John started Karate in the late eighties in the East Kilbride club, gaining his Black Belt in 1991. Not long after that he got the chance to take over the Eaglesham Club from Wallace Cameron while the club was still part of Eddie Welshs Katsura group. From there John took the club into the K.U.G.B. during this period his three daughters stared to dominate the Kata scene both within the K.U.G.B and also at Governing Body level where they won both Scottish and British team Kata titles as well as travelling the world to various International events with both Association and National Squads. While with the K.U.G.B. John gained his second Dan. In 2003 John brought the club into the Yamakai Association and in 2005 passed hisThird Dan and all being well will attempt his fourth Dan next year (2009) which if successful with automatically promote him into to the Association Dan grade panel. John Graham 4th Dan Stephy is the youngest of the three Graham girls, she started Karate at 4yrs old and passed her Black Belt with Eddie Welsh in 1991 when she was just eight. She gained her 2nd Dan whilst with the K.U.G.B at sixteen. Along with her sisters she won many individual and team kata wards. On top of that Stephanie also won at British under 60 kilos Kumite title at the BKF Championships in Wales in 2000. Stephanie is now part of our Association team Kata coaching team along with her sister Julie, as well as helping with coaching the kids at the Eaglesham club. Stephanie Graham 4th Dan Information will be available shortly. Stephen Duff 4th Dan Ross joined our Chapelton class in 1996 at around the same time we left UKASKO, to form our own Association sitting his first grading in November of the same year. Ross continued through the ranks gaining his Shodan in December 2004 and is currently training towards his Nidan. Ross is still very much involved with our Association Kumite squad winning a bronze medal at this years Commonwealth Karate Championships in Edinburgh. Since passing his Black Belt Ross has been involved with the coaching of the kids in the Strathaven club and is now working towards his S.K.G.B. coaching Licence. Ross has also become involved with the Associations Refereeing squad, flag judging and Refereeing at the Associations League matches. He also attended this years Chojinkai Youth tournament in Penrith where he gained vital Refereeing experience. Ross Leeper 3rd Dan John has been with the Association since 1998 have trained with Sensei Ross Frame for many years, gaining his Third Dan and competing in events through out Britain as well as events in Holland,Belgium & Russia. John has been the main Instructor in Uddingston for nearly 20yrs along with Robert McGurk and more recently with Liam Coakley. John is the Association Chief Referee having been promoted to Referee A at last years Scottish Karate Championships (2008) in Edinburgh. John organises the training for our competition officials. John was awarded his 4th Dan in December 2008 and is now a part of the Association Dan grading panel. John Latta 4th Dan Liam originally trained with Sensei Chris O'Mato during a period when Karate in Scotland was massive. He was part of the old Karate Union of Scotland South, and would regularly train with the top Japanese Instructors of the time. Liam was one of the youngest to pass his Black Belt in Scotland when he was just eleven, which was ungeard of at the time. He later had to re-sit a Senior Black Belt in May 87. After some time away from Karate, Liam returned to our Uddingston club, when his son showed an interest in try the sport. Liam is now the Assistant Instructor at the club and only last year (08) passed his Second Dan at the Associations Dan gradings in Chapleton. Liam is currently doing his Coaching modules for his SKGB Coaching qualification, as well as being part of our Refereeing squad. At last years Scottish Karate Championships Liam was promoted to Judge B. Liam Coakley 3rd Dan Davie began karate with Sensei Eddie Welsh in the Greenhills Sport Centre gaining his Black Belt in February 1988 while the club was with Roy Stanhope's UKASKO. Davie was a late starter to Karate, but had some competition success mainly in the Junior Grade male kumite events. Due to some injuries Davie took some time out, but returned in 2003 training with Chief Instructor Jim Ross. Since coming back Davie has went on to pass his 2nd & 3rd Dan Black Belts, complete his Level 2 SKGB Coaching Qualification and more recently become one of the Associations Refereeing squad, officiating at Association and Open Karate Events. Davie helps out with coaching the kids at the Chapelton class on Wednesday & Saturdays. Davie Lauder 3rd Dan Jim started training with the Association in 1995 at the Chapelton Club, but has always enjoyed training at any club within the Association. Jim made steady progress through his gradings passing his Shodan in December 2005 and his Nidan in December 2007. Competitively Jim picked up awards at various events, at the AMA North west 2004 Championships Jim took gold in the Junior grade Kumite u/75k kilos. Jim is one of our SKGB qualified coaches and helps out in all of our clubs through out the year teaching beginners. Jim is also part of our Association Refereeing squad attending competitions where and when he can. David started karate in 1981 and trained under Alex Zachary and Drew Burnett in Blantyre until 1988 when he moved to the Burnbank Karate club under Bobby Carroll. In 1998 I decided to start my own club, The Eurokai Karate Club which is in Blantyre. I still had an association with the Burnbank club until April this year when i decided to break away and join the Yamakai association. I passed my 1st Dan in 1995. 2nd Dan was 2003 and 3rd Dan was 2006. With over 30 years experience in Shukokai Karate, we are the only club of this style in the association.