The Shotokan Karate Club of the College of William & Mary trains twice weekly when the College is in session, on Mondays and Thursday evenings between 7pm and 9pm in Adair Gym. The College is located in Williamsburg, Virginia, where it borders historic Colonial Williamsburg.

Informal trainings are held as announced on the mailing list (wmshotokan@yahoogroups.com). The Fall '09 club tested on 10/24/09 with good results, some photos are up!

Our sensei, Steve Pohle, has been practicing Shotokan since 1972. Sensei Pohle holds "shichidan" or 7th degree black belt and is a graduate of the I.S.K.F. Instructor training program under Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki, head of the I.S.K.F. Sensei Pohle continually participates in advanced instructor training and has several students of his own now in the program. He is an impassioned advocate of the martial arts as a path to physical, mental and spiritual well being. Sensei Pohle originally trained at Ohio State University under Sensei Greer Golden, who is now the head of the Mid-America Region of the ISKF. Sensei Pohle began teaching Shotokan Karate in Virginia at the Newport News YMCA in 1981. His dojo, Shotokan Karate of Hampton Roads, recently celebrated eight years of service to the Newport News and surrounding communities.

Several times a year we are fortunate enough to have Sensei Teruyuki Okazaki visit the Hampton Roads area, when we train and test with him. Master Okazaki holds tenth degree black belt and is the Chief Instructor and Chairman of the I.S.K.F. Mr. Okazaki is also one of the few remaining who have studied directly under Shotokan founder Gichin Funakoshi. He is a founder of the JKA and is internationally recognized as one of karate's finest masters.

We train in Adair Gym twice a week during the college semester. Anyone is free to come, just wear athletic clothes that you can move comfortably in. If you are not a student at WM or affiliated with the College, please check with Rec Sports on requirements as there are parking requirements and fees for visitors using College facilities. A uniform will be needed for testing, and once a student has passed an exam the gi must be worn at every training. Ranks earned are ISKF ranks, and are recognized in every ISKF club in the world, so you can pick up where you left off between semesters or after graduation. Many William & Mary students are now ShoDan (1st Degree Black Belts) or higher, continuing the collegiate tradition exemplarized by Sensei Pohle and the ECCKU. Mondays: 7:00-9:00 PM Thurdays: 7:00-9:00 PM

For information about informal trainings or the listserve please check the W&M Shotokan Karate Club at Yahoo Groups.