Paul Coleman (karate)
| Paul Coleman | |
|---|---|
 Paul Coleman | |
| Born | January 6, 1956 Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford |
| Died | August 31, 2023 Katharine House Hospice, near Banbury |
| Residence | Oxford, England, United Kingdom |
| Style | Goju-ryu Karate |
| Teacher(s) | James Rousseau, Morio Higaonna, George Andrews, Len Sim, Leo Lipinski, Shuji Tasaki, Seiichi Fujiwara, Akira Shiomi |
| Rank | 8th dan Sewakai, 7th dan goju kai |
| Children | Aaron Coleman, Orla-Rose Soraya Coleman, Blade Marshall Coleman, |
| Notable students | Paul Enfield, Jamie Edmonds, Vitor Gomez |
| Website | http://www.oxfordkarateacademy.com |
Search Paul Coleman (karate) on Amazon.
Paul Coleman is a British Karate practitioner best known for his contribution to establishing Goju-ryu and Goju-kai karate in England. Coleman currently holds a 8th Dan blackbelt in All Japan Karate-Do Seiwakai, a 7th Dan in the Japan Karate Federation Goju Kai and a Kyoshi certification in addition to his Shihan honorific title. Coleman is based in Oxford, England where he runs Oxford Karate Academy and is a Japan Karate Federation Goju Kai International Examiner. Coleman is well known for hard training, technical skill and upholding tradition. Over 100 blackbelts have trained under him, including Paul Enfield, who went on to be one of the most respected Western experts on the art[1].
Early Years[edit]
Coleman began training in martial arts in the 60s and took to Goju-ryu Karate in 1974 under James Rousseau[2], who was a 5th Dan at the time representing the group under Morio Higaonna, who would form IOGKF five years later in Poole, UK.
Summertown Dojo[edit]
Coleman would train and teach at the first Oxford Karate Academy, which was located in Summertown. Initially George Andrews[3] taught at the Oxford Karate Academy regularly on Wednesday nights during the mid 70s, along with additional Wednesday night visits after Sensei George Andrews by Sensei Len Sim. Paul Coleman taught the Monday sessions before taking full responsibility for teaching in the 80s. The Summertown dojo continued to be an important IOGKF dojo up until Coleman closed it in 1992 to move to a new full time location in Glanville Road, in the Cowley area of Oxford.
Glanville Road Dojo[edit]
In 1992, Coleman became a full time karate instructor and opened his own dojo on Glanville Road with support from Tatsuo Nakamura, a 4th Dan Kyokushinkai champion[4] and local osteopath.
Oxford Karate Academy[edit]
Following a period of dissatisfaction with EGKA, Coleman left IOGKF. Coleman helped form GKI before joining JKF Goju-kai, training under Leo Lipinski[5] until Lipinski's death on Jan 1st 2018. Responding to the need for more classes in more geographical areas, Coleman began teaching at various locations around Oxford and closed the Glanville Road dojo.
Competitive History[edit]
Coleman has competed and judged many events at national and international level. These include[6]:
- 1975 BKCC All styles, Belle Vue, Manchester Official
- 1980 Leopoldsburg Belgium Silver Team WUKO kumite
- 1981 IOGKF World Championships Okinawa Japan Silver Team WUKO kumite
- 1981 EKF Championships at Aston Villa Silver Team Kata
- 1982 Italia Coppa Internazionale Miyagi Chojun Italy Silver Team WUKO kumite
- 1982 All Styles Open Tournament Gold individual Kata
- 1982 B.K.K. Knockdown Crystal Palace Competitors medal (I got disqualified!)
- 1983 Campionato Europeo Karate Goju-Ryu Italy Bronze Team WUKO kumite
- 1984 Coupe Miyagi France Gold Team WUKO kumite
- 1984 All Styles Open Tournament Gold individual Kata
- 1989 Miyagi Chojun Festival San Diego California USA Gold individual Iri-Kumi[7]
- 1990 Miyagi Chojun Festival San Diego California USA Gold individual Iri-Kumi
- 1990 Miyagi Chojun Festival San Diego California USA Silver Team Iri-Kumi
- 1991 Mid-West Karate Tournament Bronze Team Kata
- 1991 Mid-West Karate Tournament Gold Team WUKO kumite
- 1991 IOGKF World Championships Okinawa Japan Gold individual Iri-Kumi
- 1992 IOGKF, European Championships France. Silver Team Iri-Kumi
- 1992 IOGKF, European Championships France. Bronze individual Iri-Kumi
- 1997 EKGB National Children’s Championships Kata judge
- 1998 EKGB National Senior Championships Kata judge
- 1998 EKGB National Junior Championships Kata judge
- 1999 EKGB National Senior Championships Kata judge
Coleman coached the Oxford University Karate Club for 12 years.
Coleman currently coaches the The Seiwakai England / JKF Goju Kai Great Britain Karate Team[8] as well as members of Oxford Karate Academy[9][10]
Illness and Death[edit]
Coleman was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2013. He kept the illness at bay for many years, teaching at seminars until the May seminar in Lisbon in 2023, and teaching classes around Oxford until mid July 2023. He was admitted to Katharine House Hospice, near Banbury, on 16 July 2023. After a short period in the Critical Care Unit of the Horton Hospital in Banbury, he returned to Katharine House Hospice where he spent his final days. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by close friends and family at 13.20 on 31 August 2023.
His funeral was held at North Oxfordshire Crematorium and Memorial Park on 28 September 2023, where he is buried. It was followed by a wake at the White Hart Public House in Wolvercote. Wolvercote. Oxford Karate Academy continues to be run by his former students.
References[edit]
- ↑ "Oxford Karate Academy Blackbelt Honour Roll". Oxford Karate Academy. Oxford Karate Academy. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ "Shihan James Rousseau". Wokingham Karate Academy.
- ↑ Andrews, George. "The Early Days". OTGKA. Okinawan Traditional Goju Ryu Karate-do Association. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ "The 9th All Japan Open". Geelong Karate. Geelong Karate. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ Mahamud, Fernando. "Organisation Chart". Surrey Karate Academy. Surrey Karate Academy. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ Hang Hong, Richard. "An interview with Shihan Paul Coleman". Seitou Ryu Karate. Seitou Ryu Karate. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ O'Neill, Terry. "Miyagi Chojun Memorial Martial Arts Festival". "Fighting Arts International" #62 (Vol 11, #2). Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ "The Seiwakai England / JKF Goju Kai Great Britain Karate Team". TKF Nationals. TKF Nationals. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ "KARATE: Oxford club land huge medal haul". Oxford Mail. Oxford Mail. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
- ↑ "MARTIAL ARTS: Oxford Karate Academy youngsters in gold medal haul on Italian adventure". Bicester Advertiser. Bicester Advertiser. Retrieved 2 December 2018.
This article "Paul Coleman (karate)" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical and/or the page Edithistory:Paul Coleman (karate). Articles copied from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be seen on the Draft Namespace of Wikipedia and not main one.
