Leeds Shotokan Karate Club

Randolph Williams Personal Profile:

Started training at Leeds Shotokan Karate Club, under club instructor Sensei Bob Rhodes in 1975. My reason for taking up martial arts was simply to get some sort of discipline into my life, also during the 70’s and 80’s Kung Fu was all the rage at the Movies. I was totally hooked by the way arms and legs were been used as weapons both to defend at attack. AMAZING.
I only lasted 6 months on my 1st attempt; it certainly was not as easy as it looked on screen. In fact, I was surprised at the amount of hard work and dedication that was needed.

After rejoining the same club in 1978, I have continued to this present day. In 1982 I travelled down to the “Red Triangle Dojo“ in Liverpool with 2 of my club mates for squad selection, that meaning selection for the National Squad.

Members from other clubs attended, they too wanted a place on the squad, we all had to fight each other in order to be selected. Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Andy Sherry took the training and selected only 2 people from those that had attended. I was unlucky, on this occasion I wasn’t picked. I went away pleased with my performance, and Sensei Enoeda explained had they need 3 fighters I would have been the third, not bad for a Brown Belt.

In 1983 I was selected and became a member of the K.U.G.B. National Squad. My first ‘away’ outing was at E.S.K.A. Championships held in Munich, Germany. I fought in the team, we battled our way to finish 3rd place in the event. I also represented the British Team at the World Championships held in Cairo, Egypt that year. Team members included brilliant karate exponents such as Bob Poynton, Steve Cattle, George GodFrey, Frank Brennan to mention a few. Although we did not win anything on that outing we had a good time.

My ‘home’ debut was at Crystal Palace at the National Championships in 1984. In those days the K.U.G.B. always had an international friendly match. I can remember feeling extremely nervous, had it not been for Frank Brennan who was also on the team, giving me a few words of advice from his own experience which helped me to ‘chill out’ I don’t know what would have happened. After that I was fine, we won the Friendly event.

I kept my place on the National Team for a period of Eight years in that time I was fortunate to travel all over the world, places like Sweden, Turkey, Switzerland, Belgium, Holland that come to mind. My fondest memory was the trip to California in 1987 just before the E.S.K.A.

Championships, which were to be held in Sunderland of that year. Headed by Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Sherry the squad included the likes of Frank Brennen, Ronnie Christopher, Gary Harford, Ian Roberts, George Best and Miles Draper, not forgetting the women Karen Finley, Jane Naylor and Julie Holdsworth. We all had a good time, trained every day for the time we stayed out there and amused ourselves in the evening. Needless to say, the whole experience brought the team spirit to its maximum as we then went on to become Team Kumite winners at the E.S.K.A. Champs that year.

Over the years that I have been training I have met a lot of people and made a lot of friends. I have trained with some of the world's most outstanding competitors, in the early years, people like Terry O’Neil, Steve Cattle, Billy Higgins, before they retired. The team of the eighties renowned fighters like Ellwyn Hall, George Best, Gary Harford, Ronnie Christopher, and the most talented competitor, in my opinion, is Frank Brennen.

I have trained under many senior Japanese instructors, Sensei Enoeda, Tanaka, Tabata and Case Sensei. British instructors, Sensei Sherry, Terry O’Neil, Bob Poyton, Billy Higgins, Frank Brennen and not forgetting my club instructor and mentor Sensei Bob Rhodes who I have trained under from day one. All these people have had a hand in all my achievements.

As a competitor at international level, a lot of my success is down to the coach and squad members who motivated and encouraged me to do well. At national and domestic level again success was due to a lot of encouragement from teammates and club members. To mention a few, past and present, Norman Gommersall, Geoff Fletcher, Kevin Rushworth, and good friends Sarjeet Singh, and Wilburt Liburd.Then there are Nick Heald and Mat Price who have both gone on to be senior internationals and run their own clubs.

After becoming the K.U.G.B National Individual Champion in 1996, I decided it was the right time to retire from individuals competition, and just be available for the team for the next 4 years.