Within the Hara Shotokan Karate Academy all of our instructors are committed and motivated to develop not only individuals, but also the Academy and themselves, which is why all of our instructors have many years of experience within martial arts.
It must also be acknowledged that the academy instructors, often sacrifice much of their own time to ensure the academy functions as well as it does and that students receive the best experience possible.
:: Ken Button :: Marc Stevens :: Andy McDonald :: Alan Hughes :: Anna Rose ::
:: Dave Todd :: Jan McDonald :: Rich Eyles ::
Ken Button started training in 1973, aged 18, at the Wado-Ryu Scunthorpe Sieken Karate Club, with instructors Eddie Wolverson, Geoff Beasley, the 'unforgettable' Tom Hayes and occasionally chief instructor Phil Milner. Ken passed all kyu grading's while in the International Budo Association, who's chief instructor was Meiji Suzuki and was entered into tournaments from white belt, "I was cannon fodder, never mind, it was good character building, we were told".
"My first tournament was at Bingley, near Nottingham, winning my first trophies, I had a fat lip and a sore nose, and can still see that green belts face today".
Ken trained rigorously over the next few years, doing grading's at the regular three month intervals, during which time sustaining a serious thigh injury, "Not being able to train and being a brown belt, looking for the coveted black belt was an awkward time", thanks to some very encouraging advice from Eddie [Wolverson], who had become something of a father figure after Kens own father died of a serious illness when Ken was 19.
Ken passed his 1st Dan in May 1976 under examiner sensei Phil Milner along with some very good friends and karateka's Roy Stapleton, Martin Waddingham and Ronnie Adams, who has sadly pass away, but will always be remembered.
The next big step was one evening when Ken went training; Ken was introduced to a Shotokan instructor called Brian Woods.... "Exit Wado Ryu, hello Shotokan". Over that week the whole Wado Ryu club changed to Shotokan, "Some man this sensei Woods was!".
In 1979 Ken moved to a small village called Scotter and started training at the local karate club run by sensei Richard Bird, who then asked Ken to be the club instructor two months later.
In February 1981 Ken passed his 2nd Dan, "Thank you Brian", under examiners sensei Kato and sensei Tomita in Grimsby, then became a member of the English Karate squad for seven years, five of which as team captain.
In January 1984 Ken successfully passed his 3rd Dan, under sensei Kato, then in 1985 Ken was involved in the team that visited Japan with sensei Kato and had the opportunity to train with the late great master sensei Nakayama in his own private dojo, "a one off chance, never to be forgotten".
In April 1987 Ken had a surprise in store, "What a surprise to me, after a training session in my own dojo, sensei Kato said", "Stand up Ken, you are about to take your 4th Dan", "very pleasing for my students, but panic stations for me". Ken, never the less passed.
In 1990 another change came in Ken's karate life, meeting sensei Steve Cattle and joining the newly formed English Shotokan Academy.
In 1993 Ken passed his 5th Dan under the panel of instructors sensei Kase, sensei Shirai, sensei Kawasoe and sensei Naito, then in 1999 Ken passed his 6th Dan through the advice and guidance of sensei Dirk Heene.
In 2000 Ken formed the Hara Shotokan Karate Academy, "Starting the academy was an interesting venture and one well worth continuing, I have made some fantastic new friends and found again some interesting old ones. The inspiration section of this site should contain all my students, as without them I would not be who I am."
Marc was born in Brussels, Belgium in 1965 and started karate training at the age of 12.
The competition career of Marc's lasted for 15 years, ten of which were as a member of the Belgian national karate team, Marc competed in both Kata and Kumite and won numerous titles as an individual and as a team member.
Marc's current grade is 5th Dan and he took this grade along with two other dan grades, under the scrutiny of sensei Kase and sensei Shirai.
Sensei Hiroshi Shirai is currently Marc's Sempai and Marc follows his teachings rigorously throughout europe, Marc runs the Kei Shin Kan dojo in Brussels and is also a senior member of the group run by sensei Shirai.
Marc's position in the Hara Shotokan Karate Academy, is that of a technical advisor and senior grading officer.
In 1972 Andy started training karate at the Preston Shotokan International Karate Club under the tuition of sensei Bob Hitchin.
In 1974 Andy joined the Karate Union of Great Britain, (KUGB), and passed all kyu grades under the examination of sensei Andy Sherry and B. Poynton.
From then on Andy trained hard and passed his 1st Dan in 1985 and his 2nd Dan in 1992 in Rochdale under the examination of sensei Masoa Kawasoe.
Andy's 3rd Dan was passed in 1995 under the examination of sensei Dirk Heene and after Andy joined the Hara Shotokan Academy in 2000 he graded to the level of 4th Dan, under examiner's sensei Ken Button, sensei Jim Martin and sensei Marc Stephens.
Andy recently passed his 5th Dan grading under the examination of sensei's Ken Button and Marc Stevens.
Andy is also EKGB level II coaching qualified.
Alan started training with the Karate Union of Great Briton (K.U.G.B.) at the beginning of 1974 under sensei Steve Cattle, and gained all grades under sensei Cattle except for Brown Belt, which was gained under sensei Kawasoe.
In 1981 Alan gained his 1st Dan, under sensei Enoeda.
In 1996 Alan joined Steve Cattle’s newly formed English Shotokan Academy (E.S.A.) and passed 2nd. Dan under Sensei’s Dirk Heene and Ken Button.
Alan passed his 3rd Dan in 1999 under Sensei Dirk Heene and the E.S.A. Technical committee and in 2002 Alan passed his 4th Dan under sensei’s Ken Button and Marc Stephens.
In 2008 Alan successfully passed his Godan on home turf in Southport under the examination of sensei's Marc Stevens and Ken Button.
Alan is Holder of National Governing Body coaching certificate, has been a member of the Southport Karate Team for many years and won numerous North West competitions including 3rd place in the British National K.U.G.B. Championships at Crystal Palace.
Anna started training in 1989 at the British sugar factory karate club in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, after being dared to do so by a friend who was already training (Helen O'Hagan).
Anna trained for about two months before she attained her first grading, which was examined by sensei Kato and her first competition was a local one in Scotter, Lincolnshire, "it was quite funny, there was only about half a dozen women in it, I do remember one women telling me she was getting married in a week and didn't want any injuries to her face, unfortunately we met in the final. I still think about it now, she had a few bruises to her face in the end, but so did all of us".
Anna's training was steady to start with, only twice a week, then as Anna graded more and more she started getting interested in going on courses, which were mainly in the UK.
Anna joined the newly formed English Shotokan Academy in 1990 and after a brief spell with the UKTKF Anna attained her 1st Dan in 1993 in London, under the examination of sensei's Kase, Shirai, Kawasoe and Naito.
During Anna's time with the English Shotokan Academy, she represented them at national and international competitions in both Kata and Kumite.
In 1995 Anna passed her 2nd Dan, with a very good friend and training partner Karen Button, under a panel headed by sensei Dirk Heene.
A lot of traveling and training in Europe was then undertaken, following the teachings of sensei Kase, "God bless him, may he rest and watch in peace".
"Before long the years were rolling by and all of a sudden it's 1998, and my instructor tells me to prepare to take my 3rd Dan, Liverpool is to be the venue and August the month". Anna passed her 3rd Dan on the 2nd August 1998, "A massive thank you to Ken [Button], Dirk [Heene] and never forgetting the late great sensei Steve Cattle".
In 2001 after a long and interesting time with the English Shotokan Academy, Anna decided to join the newly created Hara Shotokan Karate Academy, and during this year Anna passed her 4th Dan under the examination of sensei's Jim Martin, Ken Button and Marc Stevens.
Anna is currently training hard as usual.
Dave 'Toddy' Todd began training in 1980 at Scotter Karate Club under sensei Ken Button, who was then a 1st dan, at that time the Club was affiliated to the Kodokai organisation.
Dave passed all of his kyu grading's under sensei Kato and with the help of Ken [Button] and sensei Brian Woods, he passed his Shodan in 1986, under the examination of Sadashige Kato 8th Dan.
In 1990 Dave left Kodokai and joined the English Shotokan Academy and was introduced to the training of sensei's Steve Cattle and Dirk Heene.
Dave graded to Nidan in 1993, ("along with my fiancee, Samantha Burton, who I married a month later"), under the examination of sensei Steve Cattle and sensei Ken Button. He then achieved Sandan grade in 1996 under the examination of sensei Dirk Heene and sensei Ken Button.
Dave has, over the years, entered many tournaments, his first being at the Kodokai Nationals in 1981, "I came second in kumite, losing out to fellow club member and close friend Andy Statham, a good result for the small Scotter club".
"The high points of my tournament time have been, captaining the Scotter Kumite Team to winning our own tournament and the Kodokai nationals in 1987 and fighting in the kodokai England Team, along side Ken Button, "We Won"'.
In 2001 training took a break for Dave, due to work and family commitments, but began in January 2007... and continues to do so; Dave also has the title of being sensei Buttons longest training student.
Jan started training in 1984 at the Preston KUGB Karate Club and passed all of her kyu grades with sensei Andy Sherry and B Poynton.
Jan continued to progress in karate and in August of 1989 passed her 1st Dan in Lancaster.
After Jan joined the Hara Shotokan Karate Academy in 2000 she passed her 2nd Dan under the examiners of sensei Ken Button, sensei Jim Martin and sensei Marc Stephens.
Jan's hard training paid off this year, as she passed her Sandan under the examination of sensei's Marc Stevens and Ken Button.
Rich started training at the Barrow upon Humber dojo in 1996, "I was looking at a way of keeping fit and my two kids looked like they were enjoying it, so I thought why not? At this time getting a black belt seemed like climbing Everest."
Rich rose steadily through the kyu grades over the next few years including a four month recovery period following a broken ankle.
Rich achieved 1st Dan status at the Scotter dojo in September 2001, under the examination of sensei Ken Button. " By this time I realised that getting a black belt was not like climbing Everest, but more like setting up base camp in the foothills. At least you can see Everest from there!"
In February 2007, Rich progressed to 2nd Dan, under the examiners of sensei Ken Button and sensei Marc Stephens and also gained his instructors Certificate following an intensive training regime. "I’m really proud of this achievement but the thing that makes me proudest is the intense spirit and camaraderie of the club which reached a whole new level around this time.
"There aren’t many pastimes where you can be inspired by some of most inspirational people you’ll ever meet and try to pass on a bit of that inspiration to others.”