Traditional Karate North Central Region

Regional Representative of the AAKF for clubs in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

Category: Newsletters

2023 March Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

NCR Winter Shiai

March 25, 2023

The Traditional Karate North Central Region (NCR) is having a winter shiai on Saturday March 25, 2023 from noon-3:00pm hosted at the SKM dojo. This is your opportunity to test your kumite and kata skills with fellow katatekas and get feedback from the NCR judges.  Come to the winter shiai for fun and excitement, and support your fellow karatekas as they test their skills against their fellow athletes. Athletes and certified AAKF judges who are going to the 2023 AAKF National Championships in Washington, DC can use this shiai in preparation for the 2023 AAKF Nationals. Click here for more details on the shiai.

AAKF 2023 Seminar

April 21-23, 2023 – Mpls, MN

The 2023 American Amateur Karate Federation (AAKF) seminar will be held at the Van Cleve Recreation Center in Minneapolis Friday April 21 to Sunday April 23. There will be a dan and certifcation examinations Saturday afternoon. Click here for the online seminar registration link, schedule information, and hotel recommendation. Click here for the flyer. QR code to the registration link:

AAKF Annual Membership Renewal – March 31 Deadline

Final Reminder

The annual AAKF Membership Renewal deadline has been extended to March 31, 2023. Individual AAKF memberships expire March 31. If you renew your current membership before March 31, the cost is only $25. After March 31, your AAKF individual membership renewal is $35. For club renewal, the cost is $170.00. Check this out ->  Benefits of an AAKF membership.

Click here to access the AAKF registration form. Write a check following the instructions from your club’s sensei. Deliver your payment and registration form to your club’s sensei – he/she will then mail the documents to the AAKF organization. For club registration form, click here.

2023 AAKF National Championships

June 21-24 Washington, DC

The 2023 AAKF National Championships will be held in Washington, DC June 21-24, 2023. Whether you are a black belt or kyu level, you will be able to compete in either the adult or youth division. You must be an AAKF member to compete. Senior black belts wanting to judge at the National Championships must be an AAKF qualified judge. AAKF registration will be due May 30, 2023 with more details to follow. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2023 February Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

NCR Dojos – Winter Storm Warning Feb 22-23, 2023 (new)

The Midwest Karate Association, St. Paul, will be closed Wednesday February 22, 2023 and Thursday February 23, 2023 due to the upcoming winter storm warning.

For Shotokan Karate of Mn- Mpls MN (SKM), and Traditional Karate-do Academy at UMN, contact the club Sensei for their updated training schedule plan for this week regarding the upcoming winter storm warning.

NCR Winter Shiai March 25, 2023 (new)

The Traditional Karate North Central Region (NCR) is having a winter shiai on Saturday March 25, 2023 from noon-3:00pm hosted at the SKM dojo. This is your opportunity to test your kumite and kata skills with fellow katatekas and get feedback from the NCR judges.  Come to the winter shiai for fun and excitement, and support your fellow karatekas as they test their skills against their fellow athletes. Click here for more details.

January 2023 Kata Seminar Highlights

The 2023 Traditional Karate North Central Region (NCR) kata seminar was held Saturday January 28, 2023. The 25 students who attended the seminar had a great time learning new katas such as unsu, gojushihosho, and kankusho as well as indepth instructions on heian katas and tekki. Thank you to SKM for hosting the event. Also, thank you to the instructors for sharing their indepth knowledge of the katas and demonstrating some of the kata’s bunkai: Al Kotula, Darren Marr, Jon Hodapp, Dave Pinske, Laurie Elliott, Mike Ching, Gerry Ramacher, and Art Wong. Advanced katas challenged students to apply new principles to the kata that would be part of their next exam.

Click here for NCR Facebook photo album on the NCR kata seminar and click here for additional posts.

Click here for photos from Mike Ching

AAKF 2023 Seminar – April 21-23, 2023 – Mpls (update)

The 2023 American Amateur Karate Federation (AAKF) seminar will be held at the Van Cleve Recreation Center in Minneapolis Friday April 21 to Sunday April 23. There will be a dan and certifcation examinations Saturday afternoon. Click here for the online seminar registration link, schedule information, and hotel recommendation. Click here for the flyer. QR code to the registration link:

AAKF Annual Membership Renewal – March 31 Deadline

The annual AAKF Membership Renewal deadline has been extended to March 31, 2023. Individual AAKF memberships expire March 31. If you renew your current membership before March 31, the cost is only $25. After March 31, your AAKF individual membership renewal is $35. For club renewal, the cost is $170.00. Check this out ->  Benefits of an AAKF membership.

Click here to access the AAKF registration form. Write a check following the instructions from your club’s sensei. Deliver your payment and registration form to your club’s sensei – he/she will then mail the documents to the AAKF organization. For club registration form, click here.

2023 AAKF National Championships – June 21-24 Washington, DC

The 2023 AAKF National Championships will be held in Washington, DC June 21-24, 2023. Whether you are a black belt or kyu level, you will be able to compete in either the adult or youth division. You must be an AAKF member to compete. Senior black belts wanting to judge at the National Championships must be an AAKF qualified judge. AAKF registration will be due May 30, 2023 with more details to follow. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2023 January Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

CardioPulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). Are you ready to give aid?

Karate is a fun and exciting activity. But, as in all sports, there are risks that may require emergency aid.  If a person is not breathing and there is no pulse detected, administering Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) may be required. It is important to know the CPR procedure.  There are many CPR classes an instructors and adult students can attend to get familiar with the CPR procedure.  Besides attending a CPR class, access to the CPR protocol information is available online.  Click on the following American Red Cross links:

If the person is in cardiac arrest and you have access to an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), use the AED as part of your CPR protocol. Click on the following American Red Cross links:

Consider laminating the 1-page CPR and AED documents back-to-back as a quick reference for the dojo and at home. Remember, always call 911 immediately to help save a life.

Kata Seminar January 28, 2023 Noon-2:00pm – SKM Dojo

Let’s get 2023 jumping with a kata seminar to help strengthen your foundation in karate. We will be conducting a kata seminar on January 28, 2023 from noon to 2:00 pm. at Shotokan Karate of MN in Mpls. The kata seminar will broaden your understanding and refine your knowledge of karate fundamentals while strengthening your skills in the art. The poster below provides the kata seminar details. Get in-depth instructions from different Senseis while having fun with your fellow karatekas.

Reminder: AAKF Annual Membership Renewal – March 1 Deadline

Individual AAKF membership expire March 1. If you renew your current membership before March 1, the cost is only $25. After March 1, your AAKF individual membership renewal is $35. For club renewal, the cost is $170.00. Check this out ->  Benefits of an AAKF membership.

Click here to access the AAKF registration form. Write a check following the instructions from your club’s sensei. Deliver your payment and registration form to your club’s sensei – he/she will then mail the documents to the AAKF organization. For club registration form, click here.

2023 AAKF National Championships – June 21-24 Washington, DC

The 2023 AAKF National Championships will be held in Washington, DC on June 21-24, 2023. Whether you are a black belt or kyu level, you will be able to compete in either the adult or youth division. You must be an AAKF member to compete. Senior black belts wanting to judge at the National Championships must be an AAKF qualified judge. AAKF registration will be due May 30, 2023 with more details to follow. NCR will hold a regional eliminations for athletes to qualify and represent our region at the 2023 AAKF National Championships. More details to follow on date and time of the regional eliminations.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 December Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

Madison Tournament Highlights

On Saturday November 19, 2022, the Madison Japanese Karate Club held a karate tournament at West High School in Madison WI.  With help from his club officers, chief instructor Sensei Vassil Peytchev, did a fantastic job in running the tournament.  The tournament was well attended, (see photo below).  The judges insured the proper tournament procedures and rules were followed to minimize injuries while maintaining a budo spirit (fightung techniques and intention) throughout the tournament.  The students were enthusiastic and developed strong comradery throughout the tournament.

Congratulations to Jethro Harding from the SKM dojo in Mpls, MN for taking first place in both Men’s kata and Team kata.  The North Central Region (NCR) provided six certified AAKF judges to help with the Madison tournament, see photo below.  Congratulations to all the participants that medaled in their event.  A special thank you to the hosting club, students, and judges for putting on a successful and well attended tournament.

Click here to see more photos and videos.

2022 Nov 19 Madison Japense Karate Club Tournament in Madison, WI
NCR judges – Art Wong, Mark Abeln, Al Kotula, Laurie Elliot, Trung Le, Mike Ching
Jethro Harding First Place in both Men’s kata and Team kata

AAKF Annual Membership Renewal – March 1 Deadline

Individual AAKF membership expire March 1. If you renew your current membership before March 1, the cost is only $25. After March 1, your AAKF individual membership renewal is $35. For club renewal, the cost is $170.00. Check this out ->  Benefits of an AAKF membership.

Click here to access the AAKF registration form. Write a check following the instructions from your club’s sensei. Deliver your payment and registration form to your club’s sensei – he/she will then mail the documents to the AAKF organization. For club registration form, click here.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 November Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

2022 October 17-22 WTKF World Championships – Highlights

The World Traditional Karate-do Federation held the 2022 World Championships in Natal, Brazil on October 17-22, 2022. A two-day refresher course seminar for the judges and coaches was held to review rules and procedures, and conduct model matches in preparation for the championships.

The 1st WITOLD KWIECINSKI International Open Individual Cup was held on Thursday 20 October. This event gave judges and contestants an opportunity to sharpen their skills for the World Championships before the eliminations and finals on Friday and Saturday, respectively.

Thank you to Mark Abeln for photos from the 2022 WTKF World Championships. Due to his judging commitments, Mark could only take a few photos and videos. Click here to see Mark’s photos and videos on the NCR Facebook (FB) site. A few of Mark’s photos are also posted below.

Additional photos and videos can be found on the Polish Team Facebook site. Click here for photos. Click here for video of the Polish team training on a beach in Brazil.

For Natal, Brazil city and club photos and videos, click here. More photos/videos from the 2022 WTKF championships may be available in the near future.

Kwieciński Sensei discussing judging principles
2022 October, WTKF World Championships – judging seminar October 18-19 at a local hotel.
USA group having dinner
US delegation at the 2022 WTKF World Championships
2022 October 21 – Nélio Dias multi-sport gym; Tournament floor
Mark Abeln corner judging a kumite match at the 2022 WTKF World Championships in Brazil

Traditional Karate-Do Academy U of Mn Club Tournament – Highlights

The Traditional Karate-do Academy U of Mn Club recently held their annual karate tournament at the Van Cleve Recreation Center near the U of Mn campus. Sensei Trung Le’s club did a fantastic job hosting the event. His students put in long hours and considerable effort to make the event run smoothly. There were 41 competitors from the U of Mn club, Shotokan Karate of Mn, Madison Japanese Karate Club, Midwest Karate St. Paul, Macalester College, and the Hudson WI clubs. And, ten judges helped manage the ring events. Click here for tournament results list.

Click here to see photos from the event.

2022 Nov 5 U of Mn tournament

In Memory – Charlie Gohmert

Charlie was an avid karateka under Sensei Fursaro. He competed in many local and national events. He taught many classes for Sensei Fusaro. He will be truly missed.

Published on November 6, 2022

“Gohmert, Charles L. 72, beloved brother, family member and friend died Oct. 28th after a short illness. Charlie was born in Minneapolis and lived most of his life on the North Side. He graduated from North High School in 1967. He was a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve. Charlie became active in Shotokan Karate in 1968, in which he continued training and teaching for most of the rest of his life. He achieved a fifth degree black belt. Charlie was an avid reader and enjoyed watching movies and especially The Game of Thrones. He loved having many dogs and cats throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his parents Marjorie and Frederick and brother David. He is survived by sisters Susan, Kathryn, and Martha, nieces and nephews and many cousins and friends. An informal celebration of his life will be held Tuesday, Nov. 8, at 11:00am at the Cremation Society of Minnesota, 7110 France Ave. S., Edina. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Arthritis Foundation at arthritis.org. “

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 October Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

2022 NCR October Shiai Highlights

Traditional Karate North Central Region (NCR) held a shiai at the Shotokan Karate MN (SKM) dojo on October 15, 2022. SKM did a great job hosting the event at the dojo. The kids, teens, and adults all had a good time doing their katas and demonstrating their kumite skills. Click here to see photos from the shiai event.

Sensei Trung Le and his students from the Traditional Karate-do Academy U of M club will be hosting a tournament November 5, see details below.

Give to the Max Day – 2022 November 17!

Are you looking for a worthy cause for that year-end tax deduction? We’ve got one! The Traditional Karate North Central Region (NCR) sponsors events and activities that support our general membership, athletes, judges and clubs. Our young students and adult students truly enjoy these challenging activities and fun events. Participation helps strengthen their self-esteem and build a strong community spirit. We rely entirely on volunteers and the Leadership Tteam works hard to keep event costs affordable for individuals and families. But costs such as insurance, utilities, and rental space have risen significantly over the past few years.

The Traditional Karate North Central Region is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and your contribution is fully tax deductible. Many companies offer a corporate match to encourage employee giving. Check with your organization to find out if you can double your impact!

Two easy ways to give!

1.     Send a check directly to the NCR!

Make your check payable to Traditional Karate NCR and mail it to Midwest Karate, St. Paul, 762 East 7th Street, St. Paul,MN 55106

2.     Online contribution at GiveMN.org.    Click here to go directly to the “Traditional Karate North Central Region” online donation webpage.

Help us keep our organization financially healthy so we can continue our excellent work on behalf of our membership! 

Reminder: University of MN Tournament 2022 November 5

Hosted by Traditional Karate-do Academy UofMN club. Sensei Trung Le is holding his annual, traditional karate tournment on Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 11:30am – 5pm. Location: Van Cleve Community Center Gym in Minneapolis. Come and participate at this fun event. See flyer for more details.

New Shotokan Books Available

Two of our AAKF senior instructors have recently released books highlighting the artful side of traditional martial arts with an exploration of budo in daily life. Learn more about these books below. Both are available from Amazon.

The Science and Philosophy of Martial Arts builds a vision of practice that elevates physical performance, awareness, decisiveness, and strength of spirit

Through the practice of martial arts, a person can realize their full potential–not only in body, but in mind and spirit. The Science and Philosophy of Martial Arts shows readers how. Author, sensei, and biomedical scientist Alex W. Tong delves into the physical, mental, and spiritual components of martial arts and integrates contemporary sports psychology, kinesiology, and neuroscience into a nuanced and illuminating understanding of what martial arts practice can be.

Structured into three sections, Tong discusses:

  • The Mind: The dao of martial arts, mental tranquility, contemporary neuroscience, and warming up the brain
  • The Body: Posture and stance, breathing in martial arts, and the physics of mastery and effort 
  • The Spirit: Soul, spirit, and moving zen; nature and manifestations of the spirit
  • Blending traditional and contemporary approaches, ,each section includes observations on martial arts origins, physiology, and tangible results on martial arts training.

Karate-do: the Art Beyond Techniques offers a unique insight into the history, culture, and philosophy of martial arts, and in particular how karate-do training applies to daily life. In this modern era of karate-do training, students of the art are more engaged in perfecting their technical skills and forgetting the philosophical principles that seeks to perfect the character of the person. In this thought-provoking book, Albert Cheah engages newcomers to the art as well as advance karate-do students to explore and understand the deeper meaning behind the art. Beyond the cliché of learning martial arts for fighting, self-defense, or competition, “Karate-do: the Art Beyond Techniques” takes the reader into understanding the etymology of budo, karate, and the significance of how training can be applied in daily routine.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 July Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

Get well Anita Bendickson

Anita Bendickson Sensei suffered severe injuries during a biking accident while on vacation with Joel Ertl Sensei in Custer, SD. Anita is now back home recovering. The following is a Caring Bridge link on her accident and her current status – https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/anitabendickson/journal. 

Even though Anitia’s medical care has been great and she is slowly recovering, her medical expenses are astronomical. Her injuries and long recovery time have severely impacted her income as well.  Vince O’Connor and Meghan Wilson, Joel Ertl and Anita Bendickson’s daughter, have put together a Go Fund Me page to help Anita with her growing medical expenses. Go to this link and contribute to this effort https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-anita-b-recover.

AAKF 59TH National Championship – Highlights/Results

The 59th AAKF National Championships were held in Dallas, TX July 21-25, 2022. Congratulations to Cassie Le! Cassie placed 2nd in kata and kumite events.  Also, congratulations to Camila Cedeno (1st place) and Mateo Cedeno (2nd place) on their performance in their individual youth divisions.

Photos of the championships can be found by clicking here. These photos were taken by professional photographer Michael Shay of the Northwestern Region ©2022 Michael Shay Polara Studio

Videos of the championships can be found by clicking here. The videos were taken by Mark Abeln, SKM dojo.

Soolmaz Abooali and Cassie Le. ©2022 Michael Shay Polara Studio
Group photo of athletes and judges. ©2022 Michael Shay Polara Studio
North Central Region judges and other AAKF judges at the 2022 Nataional Championships

New Yondan in our region

Tom Meagher achieved the rank of yondan at the 59th AAKF National Seminar in Dallas, TX on June 23, 2022 in front of the AAKF Technical Committee under Tabassi Sensei. Tom had a very good test resulting in achieving the rank of yondan. This is not an easy achievement. Tom spent many years of training and teaching to achieve this goal. Congratulations to Tom!

Continue Growing our Ranks

Congratulations to Chris Anderson, Jim Harrell, Megan McMann, and Kara Winter for passing their Nidan exam. Also, congratulations to Jethro Harding for passing his Shodan exam on July 23, 2022 at the St. Paul dojo as well.  They all worked very hard to achieve their new rank. The COVID pandemic made it even harder to prepare and then wait for exam date. They all focused their efforts to push on in their training to accomplish their new dan rank.  The day of the test was hot and humid. Taking the exam was physically and mentally exhausting. Their many hours of training, strong stamina, and mental discipline helped them to overcome the obstacle and achieve their goal. Again, congratulations! to Chris, Kara, Meghan, Jim, and Jethro for passing their dan examination!

Jethro Harding (Shodan); Kara Winter, Megan McMann, Jim Harrell, and Chris Anderson (Nidans)

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 May Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

AAKF 2022 Spring Seminar – Highlights

AAKF held their 2022 spring seminar in Madison, WI. in April. The AAKF community members came together to train and get reacquainted with each other after a long COVID hiatus.   In this year of rebuilding the karate community, many new students attended their first AAKF seminar taught by Sensei Tong and Sensei Kageyama. The Senseis introduced new ideas and worked on new training drills for the new karatekas while reinforcing key principles and strategies for the senior karatekas. Everyone had a good time during the seminar and an opportunity to relax and reflect during the the evenings. Click here for photos and click here for videos highlights from the 2022 spring AAKF seminar. Click here for additional photos posted by the Traditional Karate-do Academy at UMN club.

AAKF 59TH National Championship – June 21-25, 2022

The 2022 AAKF 59th National Championship is just around the corner – June 21-25, 2022 in Dallas, TX.  The athletes, adult black belts, youth levels, and adult kyu levels, are excited about participating at the championships and representing our region. NCR will be sending numerous certified kata and kumite judges to assess the athletes’ performance during the championship. The AAKF championship event will also host an international camp and judging seminar, and hold dan rank tests and certification examinations.  Best wishes to the NCR athletes participating at the championships.  Click here for more details.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 April Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

Having Fun while testing ones skill – kata shiai results

Traditional Karate North Central Region (NCR) held a kata shiai at the Shotokan Karate MN (SKM) dojo on Saturday March 26, 2022. All the competitors had a great time at the kata shiai and received feedback from the judges on their performance. Trung Le brought a large group of students from the UofMN Traditional Karate-do Academy club.  The SKM club and the Midwest Karate Association (MKA) club were both well represented. Also, the judges were able to sharpen their kata judging skill in preparation for the June 2022 AAKF Championships in Dallas, TX.

Click here to see photos from the shiai event. Additional photos were contributed by the UofMN club and can be viewed here as well.

AAKF Spring Seminar reminder – April 22-24, 2022 Madison, WI

The annual 2022 AAKF Spring Seminar will be held in Madison, WI on April 22-24, 2022. This is your opportunity to expand your understanding of karate as you see and participate in the drills from the AAKF Technical committee senseis.  The seminar will also include dan examinations and certification examinations.  This is your chance to make new friends and get reacquainted with past karatekas. Click here to register online. Click here for seminar schedule, participation fees and registration, and waiver form.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan

2022 March Traditional Karate North Central Region



Traditional Karate North Central Region Newsletter

Kata Shiai SKM Dojo – March 26, 2022

Start the spring season by joining us for our annual kata shiai at the Shotokan Karate MN dojo on March 26, 2022 from noon-2:00pm. Parents and friends come and support the athletes. Senior black belts come and help judge the athletes and provide feedback to the students. We will need help at the registration table and event table. For registration form click here. For SKM’s online registration click here.

The Science and Philosophy of Martial Arts

by Sensei Alex Tong

Available on Amazon, click here
During training, we typically center our thoughts on improving posture, breathing and connection—essential elements for kata and kumite.  In Sensei Alex Tong’s new book, The Science and Philosophy of Martial Arts, we are guided to also develop our Mind and Spirit! Sensei Tong accesses his biomedical and neuroscience background as he discusses the nature and manifestations of the spirit as well as mental tranquility and “warming up the brain”.  Reading this book will help us develop awareness, decisiveness, and strength of spirit in addition to physical performance.
Review by B. Young

2022 AAKF National Tournament

Let’s get summer started with a big event. The 2022 American Amatuer Karate Federation (AAKF) National Tournament is scheduled for June 21-25, 2022 in Dallas, TX. The AAKF National brings the best karatekas in United States to compete in kata and kumite. The event is open to qualified NCR athletes — the best athletes from NCR eliminations and/or athletes selected by the North Central Regional director and senior council members. The event will include a 3 day seminar, dan test, rank examiner and judging test, plus a kyu level competition for kids and adults. More details will be posted by March 15, 2022. Click here http://aakf-nationals-2022.com.

Upcoming Calendar of Events and Registration

  • NCR upcoming events
    • Shiai – SKM dojo – March 25 at SKM noon-3pm – Click here for more details.
  • AAKF/WTKF upcoming events
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2023-AAKF-Seminar-QR-code-800x676.png
QR Code to online registration
  • AAKF 2023 National Championship June 21-24 Washington, DC. Click here for more details on the AAKF National Championships.
    • WTKF
      • Pan-Am tournament – 2023 – more details to follow.
      • WTKF calendar  – Click here for this year’s events.

Click here to see past event videos and click here for past event photos from the NCR video and photo Library.  Click here for additional photos from the U of Mn club photo library.

Dan Examination Schedule

  • NCR and AAKF dan exam schedule
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) Friday July 21, 2023 6:00pm St. Paul dojo
    • NCR dan exam (Shodan-Nidan exams only) fall- more details to follow
    • AAKF April 21-23 2023 Spring seminar – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
    • AAKF June 21-24 2023 National Championships – dan exam (all ranks) and certification exam
  • Dan examination testing requirements shodan-sandan – click here
  • Dan rank registration required when you pass your dan exam – click here

Traditional Karate North Central Region Subscription

Art Wong – Traditional Karate North Central Region Director, Godan




subscribe to our newsletter

director@ncr-aakf.org