Welcome to the OKC!

Welcome to the Ontario Karate College (OKC). The OKC serves as headquarters for the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF) of Ontario and Canada. Located at 2225 Gerrard St. East, this Upper Beaches locality is easily accessible via Public Transit. The chairman and chief instructor of the OKC, ISKF Ontario, and ISKF Canada is Master Frank Woon-A-Tai, 8^th Dan.

_{Instructors' Seminar Conducted by Master Okazaki, 10th Dan - April 2009, OKC Honbu Dojo}

     OKC programmes are based on the Dojo Kun philosophy of Character Development, Physical Education and Fitness, Self Defence, and Sport Budo (Martial Art Way). We offer International programmes for Kyu ranks, Dan ranks, Instructor, Examiner, and Judge ranks, as well as programmes for OKC Coaches, Tournament Strategy, Kata Bunkai, and Self Defence.

    We welcome both old and new members alike, and encourage inactive members to maintain their membership in the OKC Alumni Association.

OKC Student Spotlight - June 2010 

Sydney Tan,  Ni Dan

Sydney began studying karate long before she ever donned a gi. As a preschooler, she used to come to the dojo to wait for her father. She would sit quietly by herself and watch the class. Sometimes she was so tired she would fall asleep, clutching her teddy bear.

Those hours of sitting and watching, she would say, gave her a head start. She absorbed a lot of karate just by hanging around the dojo. One time, not wanting to be left out when the class was doing Bassai Dai, she joined in at the appropriate moment by letting out a kiai from the sideline.

Although Sydney showed great promise from an early age, she was not crazy about training. Kihon and kata she could put up with but kumite scared her. “I am only doing it, because I know you want me to,” she told her father.

On that score she was quite wrong. She wasn’t doing anyone any favour except herself. Rather than fret over the child’s indifference, perhaps the only thing possible a parent can do to encourage interest is to show why something is worth doing.

In this case, it was showing how deeply satisfying and fun learning can be. Instead of explaining with words, the message is conveyed through enthusiasm. Sincere effort takes a great deal of patience and self-sacrifice, concepts not readily understood by children. When kids see how preparation is valued, they begin to get the idea that the journey is just as important as the destination.

At the end of the day whether or not Sydney, a Grade 9 student at Agincourt Collegiate Institute, sticks with karate is really up to her. What is important is that she didn’t give up just because it was “too hard.” At least she gave herself a fair chance to decide if it is right for her. The turnaround in her attitude has been remarkable. These days she actually works on kumite and enjoys hard physical training.

What is Karate?

    Traditional karate is a means to character development attainable through hard training and sweat. This is achieved through the five guiding principles of character, sincerity, effort, etiquette, and self-control. These principles guide the karate-ka along the path to the art of karate-do. Karate is also an excellent form of physical education and fitness that promotes a balance between academic and physical education. This results in improved physical and mental conditioning including stress relief, confidence enhancement and an over all sense of well being.

    In sport, karate allows contestants to test their skill in competition. Although traditionally karate was practiced as a form of self defence, touraments allow the karate-ka to develop their skills against trained competitors thereby increasing the effectiveness of technique during combat scenerios. Shotokan karate specifically is a highly effective martial art that is being practiced in both the dojo and the octogon.

   Whether one is seeking physical, mental, psychological, or spiritual fulfillment, the art of traditional karate-do is the answer and is available at the Ontario Karate College or in any ISKF Ontario Dojo