Frank Woon-a-tai
| Frank Woon-A-Tai | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
May 22, 1950 Guyana |
| Residence | Toronto, ON, Canada |
| Style | Shotokan |
| Teacher(s) | Masatoshi Nakayama 10th Dan, Teruyuki Okazaki 10th Dan, Hidetaka Nishiyama 10th Dan, Yutaka Yaguchi 9th Dan |
| Rank | 9th dan |
| Website | http://www.internationalkaratedaigaku.com |
Frank Woon-A-Tai (b May 22, 1950), a ninth degree black belt in Shotokan Karate, is the chief instructor of the International Karate Daigaku, President of the Caribbean Karate College, Chief nstructor and Chairman of the Guyana Karate College, and Chairman of IKD Canada and IKD Guyana.
History
Frank Woon-A-Tai, 9th Dan, was born in Guyana in 1950, and began training in 1964. He holds a BA degree in Japanese Studies from the University of Toronto. In January 2011, he resigned from the ISKF as Chairman and Technical Director of ISKF Canada, and co-vice Chairman of the ISKF Technical Committee. In February 2011, Master Woon-A-Tai established the International Karate Daigaku (IKD).
Master Woon-A-Tai is Kancho (Founder) and Shuseki Shihan (Chief Instructor) of the IKD. Throughout his distinguished career, he served as first president of the Caribbean Karate College, and as chief instructor of Jamaica from 1976 to 1980. He is founder and chief instructor of JKA/ISKF Guyana, and the Guyana Karate College. He founded the Toronto JKA in 1981, and is Chairman and Chief Instructor of the Toronto Karate Daigaku, Ontario Karate College, and IKD Ontario.
After training in Japan in the early 1970s, he continued his training under the Master Teruyuki Okazaki, 10th Dan for 40 years. He also trained under Masters: Yutaka Yaguchi, 9th Dan, Hidetaka Nishiyama, 10th Dan, and the great Masatoshi Nakayama, 10th Dan – all JKA legends.
He was the first Canadian/Guyanese graduate of the JKA/ISKF Instructor Training Institute, and a 1978 Pan American kata champion. Master Woon-A-Tai is a recipient of the French Guiana Medal of Service for over 25 years of karate service in that country. In October 2011, he was made a Member of the Order of Guyana and received The Medal of Service from President Bharrat Jagdeo. In 2005, he was inducted in the ISKF Canada Hall of Honour. In 2009, he received the Mayor of Georgetown’s Award for his lifetime of service to the youth of Guyana. He produced two DVDs; Eclipse of Life (1997), and Soul of Kata (2000).
As a teacher, he has produced regional, national, and Pan American champions, and world karate champions. He hosted the 2008 ISKF World Shoto Cup in Toronto, and in 2010, the 11th ISKF Pan American Karate Championships in Guyana. This event was attended by President Bharrat Jagdeo and was co-sponsored by the Guyana Government. At the same event, His Honour, the Mayor of Georgetown, Hamilton Green presented Master Okazaki with the ‘Key to the City’.
Master Woon-A-Tai received his first degree black belt in 1971 from the JKA in Tokyo, his A class Instructor, A class Examiner, A class Judge licences and 8th degree black belt from Master Okazaki of the ISKF, and, as is customary with leaders of large international karate organizations, his ninth degree black belt by unanimous Resolution of the IKD Board of Directors and Shihan-kai (Masters Committee)in June 2011.
Championships and awards
Woon-A-Tai first gained international prominence when he won the Pan American kata championship in 1978.
Awards/medals
- Awarded The French Guiana Medal of Service in 1996 [1]
- Member of The Order of Guyana - recipient of the Medal of Service from Bharrat Jagdeo, President of Guyana, in October 2011.
Education
- JKA Instructor Training Program, 1989
- BA, University of Toronto, 2004, Japanese Studies