More than 40 Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu karate students from five locations in Brevard County made it look easy as they sailed through rigorous semi-annual belt promotion testing at Boom Fitness in Cocoa Beach on Aug. 17.
Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu students from Cocoa Beach, Cocoa, Merritt Island, Suntree and Viera were tested while performing various “kata” or forms, which are self defense blocks, punches and kicks against simulated attacks, along with board breaking and yakasoku kumite or full power pre-arranged sparring.
Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu is traditional Okinawan karate as handed down by the Bushi warrior class and brought to the USA in 1962 by Grand Master Ansei Ueshiro, a four- time world champion.
The style focuses on the martial art of karate and teaches students honor and respect following the precept that “there is no first attack in karate.”
Ueshiro Shorin-Ryu has more than 20 member dojos and clubs around the world and is headed up by 10th degree black belt Hanshi Robert Scaglione, a resident of Viera and Shihan of the Viera Dojo.
He has been practicing karate for 41 years and is former New York City undercover officer and detective in the elite Special Investigating Unit featured in the film “The French Connection.”
Brevard students who earned promotion to the next level during testing include:
Cocoa Beach
Ni Kyu (brown belt) — Jean Chipman and Wade Parker.
San-Kyu (brown tips) — Larry Lyon.
Yon Kyu (green belt) — Stu Warren, Grace Kavenough, Jeff Tomberlin, Jordan Tomberlin, Helena Denemark, Kiani Mariani, Maleko Mariani and Anthony Clarke.
Ro Kyu (1 green tip) — Jeff Wells, Jeremy Wells, Logan Clifton, Paul DeCioccio and Jamisson Dettmer.
Suntree
San-Kyu (brown tips) — Avery Stahl, Rick Cupoli and Steve Quirion.
Yon Kyu (green belt) — Marissa Krienke, Makaio Krienke and David Laderwarg.
Go-Kyu (2 green tips) — Gabriel Gomez, Laura Wheeler, Marianne Idzi and Joana Cohen.
Ro Kyu (1 green tip) — Angelina Stahl, Kimberly Tallmadge, Eddi Torres, Lars Spangenberg and Kevin Hutchenson.
Viera
Go-Kyu (2 green tips) — Sydney Balgo, Sarah Balgo, Jonathon Strong, Gannon Avery and Jamel Aici.
Ro-Kyu — Greg Strong, Laura Wheeler, Brandon Strong and Justin Hernandez.
