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A HISTORY OF THE SHREVEPORT KARATE CLUB FROM AN INTERVIEW WITH BILLY GOLDEN IN 1985 By Glenn Taylor The late William C. "Billy" Golden formed the Shreveport Karate Club in 1961 as a self defense club. A year later, in the spring of 1962, Billy switched the training from emphasizing self defense to Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do Karate. Training continued in the art of Moo Duk Kwan Tang Soo Do until 1963. In 1963 an Air Force Colonel, who taught Judo at Barksdale Air Force Base, called Billy to let him know that "the best Japanese karate instructor in the world" was in Kansas City teaching karate. This Japanese karate instructor was none other than our own Mr.Takayuki Mikami.
Billy contacted Mr. Mikami and persuaded him to come to Shreveport for a clinic. After this session Mr. Mikami would come to Shreveport for one week each month and conduct training. This training lasted for hours without breaks of any kind. After training the students, Mr. Mikami and Billy would remain at the gym for even more training. It was at these training sessions that Billy decided to train strictly in the Shotokan way and gave up Moo Duk Kwan Tan Soo Do Karate.
Sometime in 1964 Billy contacted Doug Abadee in New Orleans to tell him about Mr. Mikami. Doug Abadee, who taught self defense at the time, and Billy Golden decided to relocate Mr. Mikami to New Orleans. So the two of them put up the money to bring a replacement instructor from Japan to Kansas City and to relocate Mr. Mikami to New Orleans. New Orleans was the city of choice because they felt the market would be better there for Mr. Mikami.
Some very important karate people have visited the Shreveport Karate Club over the years. In 1965 Mr. Nakayama visited for a one week training session. Mr. Koinai, Mr. Enoeda and the Council General of Japan were present at the Holiday in Dixie Karate Tournament in 1967. In 1969 Mr. Miyata, Vice Chief of JKA, taught for the first time outside Japan in Shreveport. Mr. Nishiyama spent four days with the Shreveport karateka in 1966.
In 1966 they held the first ASKF tournament in Shreveport. At this tournament, competitors from eight states participated. The Shreveport Karate Club started the Holiday in Dixie Karate Tournament. This tournament is still in operation each year. However, another style of karate presents it now. The Shreveport Karate Club held the first ever Southern AAU tournament in Shreveport.
Over the years the Shreveport Karate Club has operated extension clubs in various locations. Karate clubs were formed in Marshall, Texas, Nacogdoches, Texas, Lufkin, Texas, Minden, Louisiana, Natchitoches, Louisiana, Maumelle, Arkansas and Bossier City, Louisiana. In each of these locations Billy Golden would travel and teach karate until he could send black belts from the Shreveport Club to teach. In this way the Shreveport Karate Club promoted the art of Shotokan Karate to a wider area.
Mr. Mikami, Billy Golden and Pat Harrington designed the ASKF patch (logo) in Natchitoches, Louisiana. The half moon and rising sun on the patch represent Japan, karate's origin. The eagle on the patch is the American eagle and represents America.
Over the years more than two thousand students have trained in the Shreveport dojos and fifty-eight of those have attained the rank of shodan. Thirteen have made nidan. Three have made sandan and one, Billy Golden, made yodan. In 1997 the Shreveport Karate Club began hosting the fall ASKF camp. This camp has become an important annual event for the ASKF with attendance increasing each year.
Our instructor and friend, William C. "Billy" Golden passed away in 2000 after a lengthy illness. He always, even in sickness, encouraged the karateka of Shreveport to train their hardest, attain their best and have the best of character. After Billy's death, and at the request of Billy, the ranking black belts assumed leadership of the Shreveport Karate Club. These dedicated black belts continue to teach the art of Shotokan in the spirit of Sensei Golden and Sensei Mikami. |
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