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Katie Carr, 2nd DAN - Sensei of the Mannford Institute of Karate, along with Mr. Scott Collins, 7th DAN - Sensei of the Sand Springs Institute of Karate both brought students to compete in this year's Weapons of the Night Tournament! Ms. Katie Carr, 2nd DAN with her students competing in their first karate tournament event! Also pictured is Ms. Carr's assistant instructor, Purple Belt Kassie Carr!

Two UGKA schools had a strong showing at the The Weapons of the Night 18th Annual Shotokan Tiger's Karate Tournament in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma! Mr. Scott Collins, 7th DAN, of the Sand Springs Institute of Karate brought three students to compete in the tournament. Ms. Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, of the Mannford Institute of Karate brought four students to compete, in addition to Katie Carr competing herself! Katie Carr took 1st Place in Forms Competition as well as 1st Place in the Fighting Competition. Katie also waited for the male advanced division to complete its brackets and she took on the winner of that bracket in an exhibition fight! As usual, it was filled with hard hitting and hard kicking action! Each of the instructors of these UGKA schools are Soliday Black Belts, and continue the Soliday style of teaching traditional Japanese Goju Ryu Karate. By the end of the tournament, both UGKA schools brought home trophies or recognition with their respective students competing hard within their divisions! Both Mannford and Sand Springs schools' competitors and Sensei's await the start of the tournament!

Katie Carr, 2007 American Karate Association National Champion, returned to the Natural State Classic and won 1st Place in Fighting as well as 1st Place in Forms Competition. Katie was able to have an exhibition fight with one of the adult black belts from Joey Perry's Elite Martial Arts team, and Katie also would go on to compete in the 12-17 Black Belt Grand Champion competition! Soliday Purple Belt, Scott Carr, also competed in the Natural State Classic. Because of a recent injury, Scott only competed in Forms Competition, taking 2nd Place. Shihan Keith Bly of Bly's Martial Arts Academy in Jacksonville, Arkansas, one of the Promoters for the Natural State Classic and a strong contributer to the AKA, was nice enough to have his picture taken with Katie Carr, 2nd DAN. Mr. Bly had some generous comments to share with Katie about his observations of her as he's watched her competing within the American Karate Association. Katie was very thankful for the feedback, and appreciative of the time Mr. Bly took to speak with her! Katie also had the opportunity to briefly visit with both Mr. Bly and the other promoter of the Natural State Classic, and one of those within the AKA that has offered her support and encouragement, Mr. Jamie Yowell, 4th DAN of Yowell Karate in Jacksonville, Arkansas.

UGKA Blackbelt Katie Carr with her 1st Place trophies Katie Carr with AKA Tournament Promoter, Shihan Keith Bly

White Belt testing for Soliday White Belts Damian and Karysn took place tonight at Mr. Soliday's Sapulpa Institute of Karate. UGKA Black Belt Instructor Katie Carr put both of the white belts through their basics and verified they had competently aquired all of the skills necessary for their respective promotions. Karsyn was promoted by Mr. Soliday and received her second green stripe! Damian was promoted by Mr. Soliday to Yellow Belt! Both students are showing themselves well equipped and able to move on towards their next rank. In other areas, Soliday Purple Belt Steve Lemley taught beginner white belts their basics. Soliday Green Belt Chelsea Boen faced off against Katie Carr, 2nd Dan. Purple Belt Christian faced off against Green Belt Chase, and of course both Karsyn and Damian faced each other as part of their test.

Katie Carr, 2nd DAN - Soliday Blackbelt and UGKA Instructor at the Mannford Institute of Karate, traveled to Springfield Missouri to compete in the MMASC's 2008 Midwest Rumble! The MMASC has continued their gracious hospitality towards making the UGKA a welcome part of their tournaments as well as members within their association. Katie Carr was greeted by both Grandmaster Osborn Sr, 9th DAN, as well as Mr. Osborn Jr, 7th DAN who both were nice enough to inquire about Katie's school and her students. Katie Carr was one of six Blackbelts competing in Forms Competition. The Forms competition within the MMASC is among the strongest Katie has been in, with all styles exhibiting excellent technique and power. Katie tied for third place, and in the subsequent tie-breaker, was able to win the 3rd Place Trophy against a very accomplished competitor! Katie Carr competed in the Fighting Competition, and in a close match took 3rd Place. Katie also fought an exhibition match in the Adult Women's Blackbelt division, which she also won. After Katie's competitions finished up, MMASC Promoter and head of TigerTKD, Mr. Richard Osborn Jr was nice enough to have his picture taken with Katie!

Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, won 3rd Place in Forms, 3rd Place in Fighting Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, with MMASC Promoter Mr. Richard Osborn Jr, 7th DAN

Katie Carr, Soliday Black Belt and instructor of the Mannford Institute of Karate, competed in Sifu Ray Hildreth's Tulsa National Kung Fu Tournament held in Tulsa, Oklahama. Katie Carr took 1st Place in Forms competition as well as 1st Place in Fighting. Different from point sparring competition, the fighting competition in this Kung Fu tournament is continuous fighting with competitors needing to win 2 out of 3 rounds. Each round is 2 minutes each.

Class Tour

Traditional Japanese Goju Ryu provides the context for building skills, experience, and self-confidence. View pictures from a class in action as students train under Mr. Soliday.

Gallery

Mr. Soliday's picture gallery Pictures from the past and present.

Ted Soliday started in Japanese Goju in 1966 with Ed Williams. On October 1, 1972 while training under Darrell Maggard at the Sapulpa Institute of Karate, he earned his black belt and received his rank from Hanshi Lou Angel. Mr. Soliday started his first karate school in 1967, teaching hundreds of students over the years the traditional form of karate he had learned. Later, Mr. Maggard turned over his school, the Sapulpa Institute of Karate, to Mr. Soliday where he has taught for many years. Mr. Soliday received the rank of Hachi Dan (8^th Dan) on March 9, 1996 from Mr. Lou Angel, (10^th Dan) Hanshi of Tenshi Goju Kai and head of the National College of MartialArts (NCMA) out of Joplin, Missouri. Mr. Soliday has been recognized and certified by 10^th Dan, Grand Master, Masayuki (Azato) Ward, Russelville, Arkansas, head of the Japanese-Okinawan Karate Federation. On July 27, 2002 Mr. Soliday received the rank of KYU DAN (9^th DAN) from Mr. Bill Briscoe and Mr. Bob Kinney who head the Wild Bunch Karate Association in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Mr. Soliday organized the United Goju Karate Association in January, 2002. Darrell Maggard, Gary Boyd, James Keys and Bill Briscoe have agreed to act as a consulting board of directors for the organization giving the board over 100 years of combined experience in the martial arts. All of these gentlemen are from the "old" Japanese Goju schools of the early 1960(s), bringing to this organization the traditional Japanese Goju karate teaching values and methods.

Events Get the latest information and action of Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre, 3rd DAN Goju as he competes in the World Combat League! Get more info and see more of Thomas at www.tkick.tv!!