This is a fun photo. Four of the Karate Institute of America’s “Tried & True” don the new Kiado-Ryu baseball caps during class on 21 April 2016.

Front row (all by his lonesome): Fifth Dan Master, Kim “Cultivator” Thomas

Second row (left to right): Blue belt Zemia “Barracuda” Garrett. First Dan Black Belt James “Psycho” Griffin.

The Karate Institute of America has been extremely blessed throughout its thirty-seven year history with wonderfully generous people who have given their time, energy, skill, and support to ensure its success. Without question, the one individual whose generous endowment blessed the KIA with its own studio in the early 2000s is second dan Black Belt, Jeff “Boa” Norman—the sixty-first Black Belt of the Kiado-Ryu.

In 2001, the KIA was without an indoor facility. Jeff’s brother, Todd—also a second dan (Black Belt #51), invited us to hold classes at his Cutting Edge sports facility in Lake Forest, for which all the students were extremely grateful. Next, Jeff offered to pay for a “build out” of a room on the second story to house the KIA, stating that it was his gift based on all the KIA had done for him and his business. That wonderful facility lasted until November 2010 when it finally fell victim to the global financial crisis of 2008. There was simply not enough business to keep it or the Cutting Edge afloat. Yet, that studio, made possible by Jeff Norman’s generosity, was a great home for the KIA during those years. Jeff Norman was recognized and honored for his exceedingly generous gift on 28 August 2006.

Wolverines are powerful, solitary, tenacious predators. Highly aggressive and fearless, they’re blessed with such great fighting skills that bears, big cats and wolves avoid confrontations with them.

The Karate Institute of America has its own Wolverine, Tejas Maniar, the 57th Black Belt of the Kiado-Ryu. Wolverine earned his 1st Dan rating on the 23rd of January 1998, eighteen long (or is that short?) years ago. How fast time flies!

Need a good accountant? Robert “Bob” Barnhart, owner of Barnhart Accounting in San Clemente, has been the official accountant of the Karate Institute of America for over thirty years. The reason? Bob is an excellent accountant, honest and personable. He does great work at a reasonable fee. If you need or are looking for a competent person to handle your tax needs, Bob Barnhart is a great choice. He’s easy to talk to and will give you excellent service. The KIA recommends him, so give him a call.

Our KIA feature of the week highlights another National Forms Champion who is also Founder and CEO of a very successful business enterprise.

Steve “Coyote” Vertun, Kiado-Ryu Black Belt #39, received his 1st Dan rating in December of 1995.

With a determined, relentless, never-give-up mindset, Coyote won the Brown Belt Forms Championship in 1993, a competitive circuit of thirteen major United States cities. Steve is one of four Karate Institute of America students to win a coveted national martial arts championship hosted by the North American Sports Karate Association (NASKA). The other three are Doug Krause, Steven Ho and Steve Maynock.

Here’s a wonderful flashback to the early 1980s and a Saturday morning KIA kids class with instructors Greg “Maddog” Bendel and Rose “Renegade” Hoberg. Rose became the 12th KIA Black Belt; Greg the 14th.

How cute these kids were! And they could never be tired out! The ages of these children were 5 to 7. Simply adorable.

A couple things of note:

1. This photo was taken at the main studio on the corner of Lambert and Aspen streets in Lake Forest.
2. Notice the blue bags on the floor. We still have them, although they’re quite worn. Real troopers.
3. The only Black Belts at the time were Steven “Widi” Ho and Jerry “Bones” Gentry, both 2nd Dans as is noticeable by the two red stripes on their Black Belts hanging above the mirror (Ho’s is the grey gi top in the foreground; Gentry’s the black gi top with the red bandana he used to wear). The KIA now has 64 Black Belts on its distinguished Wall. With an average of six years training time from white belt to Black Belt, one can appreciate how challenging it was and still is to ascend to the Black Belt level. It is an elite group, to be sure, representing 2% of all Karate Institute of America students throughout its continuing journey to date (March, 2016).