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Club HistoryShihan James RousseasuThe GKI Badge The Wessex Karate Academy comes from a strong lineage that can be traced back to the head of our association Shihan James Rousseau in a few generations of instructors. Shihan James Rousseau James Rousseau began his karate training in 1960/1961 and after training in Japan gained his Shodan in 1963. In 1966 he met Sensei Morio Higaonna and became hooked on Okinawan Goju-Ryu karate. He came to the United Kingdom in 1974, as a 5th Dan, and established two Dojos in Oxford before returning to South Africa some six months later. After Sensei James returned to South Africa , his brother, Peter, led the British Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Association (BGKA). The BGKA was the forerunner of the English Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Association. (EGKA) which was formed under the guidance of Sensei James Rousseau. In 1978 he returned to the United Kingdom and settled in Bournemouth where he began studying Chiropractic. In July 1979, along with Sensei Higaonna and Teruo Chinen, he founded the International Okinawan Goju-Ryu Karate-Do Federation (IOGKF) in Poole Dorset. One of his students from the Bournemouth Karate club was Sensei Craig Nevitt, who took over the running of the club. Sensei Craig Nevitt, with the help of Sensei Steve Legg began the Dorchester Karate club. One of Sensei Craig's students was Sensei Mark Caples who set-up Weymouth Karate club and began a children's club in Dorchester and then took over as the instructor of all adults and children in Dorchester Karate club. He taught many students to a very high standard. His first black belt was Charles Dolan and Peter Thompson his second. A week after attaining his first Dan Sensei Peter was suddenly in charge of all the classes for several months, when Sensei Mark broke his leg. Now with plenty of teaching experience, Sensei Peter was encouraged to take over the children's classes in Weymouth and then open a new club in Portland. When Sensei Mark's urge to see the world meant he left to travel it was a natural step for Sensei Peter Thompson to become senior instructor for all the clubs. Sensei Peter has run the clubs ever since. Initially each club was separate as Dorchester, Weymouth or Portland Karate club but we have now come together under the banner of the Wessex Karate Academy and have expanded to include a club at Milborne Saint Andrew. Sensei Peter currently holds the grade of 4th Dan black belt. To The Top Of The Page The GKI Badge  The central square shape of the badge reflects hard, strong direct techniques and is stylized Kanji "Go" hard character. The circle represents subtle, yielding, turning, "Ju" soft techniques. The "Go" is surrounded by the "Ju" in a simple shape, emphasizing that good karate training will develop your characters to have a gentle, flexible exterior built around inner strength, determination, honesty and clarity. To The Top Of The Page |