Shotokan Karate
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Shotokan Karate |
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Karate History at South Alabama
Mr. Takayuki Mikami
(8th Dan) has served as the technical director for the program since 1965. He is the founder, Chief Instructor and the Chairman of JKA American Federation.
Mr. Mikami is the highest JKA ranked master in the United States, and holds the position of JKA Senior Technical Advisor, which is the second highest technical position after JKA World Federation Chief Instructor.
He is the first-ever graduate of the JKA Instructor Training Program, created by Master Gichin Funakoshi and Master Masatoshi Nakayama.
After becoming All Japan Kumite and Kata champion and grand champion over several years, he began concentrating on instruction overseas. The JKA is approved by the Japanese Ministry of Education for the study of Shotokan Karate. The university tradition has been a dynamic base in the promotion of Shotokan Karate throughout the world. This numbered photo lithograph, entitled Shotokan Tiger, is from a pen and ink drawing created by Mobile artist Les Thompson. This rendition comes from a mural created by the same artist. The mural was dedicated to Dr. James M. Boyles on November 12, 1995, in appreciation of his thirty year contribution to the art of karate-do. The original can be seen in the Karate dojo at the University of South Alabama. Return to Top |
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University of South Alabama Home Page Date last changed: Monday, January 18, 1999 08:22:24 PM URL:http://www.southalabama.edu/karate/khistory.html |
Our karate program started as a Student
Government Association sponsored club in March, 1965. Because interest in karate
spread beyond the range of activities sponsored by the SGA, the School of Continuing
Education agreed to administer courses taught by Dr. James Boyles. In 1976, the
program became academically successful, the College of Education agreed to grant Physical
Education Activity credit toward scholastic university requirements.