Over a century ago, in the small village of Chan, on a small island in the south pacific, a boy was born. One day he would become a Karate Master whose art would reach beyond the shores of Okinawa and spread across the globe.
“Dragon Man” of Isshin Ryu, Shimabuku Tatsuo Sensei
(September 19, 1908 – May 30, 1975)
Isshin Ryu Karate will be offered at University Park campus this fall as part of the Penn State Campus Recreation’s Fitness & Wellness instructional fitness classes. Registration is now open. There is a cap of 40 students for the fall semester.
The Isshin Ryu instructional fitness class registration is open to all Penn State students, and faculty/staff/community-members with Penn State Recreation Memberships*. You must be registered for the class to participate. Remember to bring your PSU ID or Recreation Membership pass. No previous experience is required.
https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/campusrec/membership-access
This 90min class meets on in IM Bldg on Tues/Thurs/Sun. Tues 7:30-9:00pm, Thurs 8:30-10pm in Rm 7, and Sun 7:30-9:00pm in the Room15 (mat room). Tentative start date 9/25.
The new student club will be holding its first meeting on:
Monday 9/10
5:30 pm
103 Osmond
It will include a presentation of the 2018 Okinawa Karate International Tournament’s Opening Ceremonies including Okinawan Karate history, music/dance/cultural demonstrations.
Contact Ian James Wietecha-Reiman for more information: ivw5030@psu.edu
A schedule for the Isshin Ryu Karate classes offered through Campus Recreation’s Fitness & Wellness program will be announced in the near future.
We’re getting a lot of great interest in Karate classes this fall!
Penn State Karate will be offered among the Penn State Campus Recreation programs. A fall 2018 schedule and additional information will be announced soon.
Keep our website bookmarked and check back periodically for updates.
Look for the Penn State Karate Club table at the Fall 2018 Involvement Fair. The Involvement Fair is one of the best opportunities to get involved in campus life at Penn State. Student Organizations set up displays and have members on site talk to visitors one on one about what their organization does on campus. Involvement in co-curricular experiences is one of the most important parts of having a successful college career! You will make friends, learn all about Penn State, and develop invaluable skills you will use in life beyond Penn State.
Date: Wednesday, August 22, 2018
Time: 11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Location: HUB Lawn
https://studentaffairs.psu.edu/involvement-student-life/get-involved/involvement-fair
https://okinawa-karate.okinawa/en/
Hai sai gu su-yo-chu-uganabira.” (Hello everyone.）
I would like to say a few words regarding The 1st Okinawa Karate International Tournament.
“Okinawan Karate”, one of the representatives of Okinawan culture, has been brought up in the environment of Okinawa where peace and observance of courtesy are highly valued, and passed down until today as a martial art which aims to strengthen one’s body, skills and character.
Preserved and handed down generation after generation, we have inherited karate from our ancestors. Today it is practiced across the world and will be included in the events in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Okinawa Prefecture has been striving to preserve, pass on and develop Okinawan Karate, and has also established the “Okinawa Karate Kaikan” as a symbolic facility providing information to both Japan and abroad. It opened to the public on March 4th.
We have decided to utilize the Okinawa Karate Kaikan for “The 1st Okinawa Karate International Tournament” in August 2018.
We hope that through this tournament Okinawan Karate enthusiasts can gather and build connections to properly inherit and develop the skills and spirituality of Okinawan Karate, which was systematized and handed down by our ancestors, and to further promote the development of Okinawa Traditional Karate and Kobudo.
I hope many karate enthusiasts will join the tournament from around the world, learn the essence of Okinawan Karate as well as properly pass on and develop Karate.
Gusu-yo-nui menshe-ruku twuu machiso-ibin.
(We look forward to welcoming everyone sincerely.)
2017 March
The 1st Okinawa Karate International Tournament Executive Committee Chairperson
Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga
PSKC members volunteered to help with the Summer 2018 Special Olympics Track & Field events at Penn State in June.
Isshin Ryu Karate was primarily spread to the U.S. by members of the armed forces stationed in Okinawa after WWII. Isshin Ryu founder Master Tatsuo Shimabuku welcomed anyone that was sincerely interested in learning his style of Karate. The Penn State Karate Club was fortunate to be generously helped by two such service members: decorated Vietnam Veteran Captain Stuart Dorow USMC and Major Carol Liskai USMC. Sensei Dorow was one of the first to earn the rank of 9th Dan – Hanshigo in Isshin Ryu, and Sensei Liskai was the first woman to achieve 8th Dan – Kiyoshigo in Isshin Ryu. Sensei Liskai has the additional distinction of being one of only two women known to train with Master Tatsuo Shimabuku and was the only woman to ever be promoted to 3rd Dan by Master Tatsuo Shimabuku himself. Master Shimabuku passed away May 30th, 1975. Sensei Dorow and Liskai passed away in 2000 and 2005, respectively. All students of our associated Karate clubs dedicate their continuing training to the memory of Sensei Dorow and Sensei Liskai.