gichin funakoshi "True karate is this: that in daily life one's mind and body be trained and developed in a spirit of humanity, and in critical times, one be devoted utterly to the cause of justice." founder of Karate

Shihan Ray Wilson
Shihan Ray Wilson took up Karate in the late 1960's, and gained his first Black Belt under the Japanese Master Kanazawa

The Northern Karate Association is fortunate to have as its head one of the country's most respected Karate exponents - Shihan Ray Wilson 8th Dan.

In a similar tradition to preceding Masters, Shihan Ray Wilson has extended his style and added techniques from other Martial Arts; together with a number of Association Kata's. His blend of Karate has proved extremely successful over the years, and produced a long list of champions both male and female, seniors and juniors including several Young Sports winners; at local, regional, national and international levels.

So successful has he been that in 1991 the Sports Council completed a hat-trick of awards naming him "Coach of the Year" for Yorkshire & Humberside. The British Institute of Sports Coaches awarded him "National Coach of the Year," and Leeds City Sports Council bestowed the "Service to Sport" award for outstanding service to sport in the city.

Shihan Ray Wilson - accepting a "Sports Coaches" award from The British Instutute of Sports Coaches

In 1997 City & Guilds recognised his outstanding contribution to Coaching with the UK Gold Medal for Excellence. He has also achieved the first NVQ in the country, for Coaching at Level 3, and then Level 4.

Leeds Karate Centre is one of the oldest Shotokan karate clubs in Leeds with a unique fitness training method of self defence. The LKC excells in both Kata and Kumite.