Ryukyu East Asian Martial Arts Coalition Testimonials

Frank Fink

My students and I were guests of Mr. Tom Freeman of Sherman, Illinois this past May for a day-long kobudo and bunkai seminar featuring Seibushi Steve Stark and Koubushi Bill Gossett, senior students of Taika Oyata.  Mr. Freeman was a gracious host as always, and Seibushi Stark and Koubishi Gossett were dynamic and informative presenters.  Their approach was nothing if not unique and refreshing.  They simply displayed an extensive arsenal of Okinawan weaponry on the floor and allowed us to choose which ones we wanted to learn.  I sought to pick something completely foreign to me and settled on the tanbo, twin sticks approximately 24 inches in length.  As I am a rather slow and unremarkable learner, I decided to stick with that weapon and it's introductory form for the duration of the kobudo portion of the seminar.  Others, however, elected to explore other weapons and kata including jo (four-foot staff), Okinawan katana (didn't even know there was such a thing), and sai.  My younger students learned a nunchaku kata which they have since proudly taught to me and several other members of our dojo.  During an intermission, Koubushi Gossett, an accomplished caligrapher, produced several custom brushed kanji rice paper scrolls for any one who desired one.  I personally procured two for our dojo, one a custom translation of "koshiki", our dojo's name for a special combatives course I teach, and "If you sit on a rock long enough, it will get warm" a favorite saying of Koubushi's.  After the break, we resumed with kata bunkai. This consisted of very effective and often painful applications of tuite (joint locking) and kyusho jitsu (pressure point manipulation) derived from kata movements familiar to most everyone in attendance.  Afterwards, we shared a few very pleasant hours in fellowship at my favorite local sushi restaurant.  All my students reported having a wonderful time and learning a great deal. Personally, I felt I was in the presence of something quite different from anything I have experienced in my twenty-eight years of training in classical Asian martial arts.  Although both sensei are friendly, personable, and accomodating, one senses that below the surface lie the restrained spirits of true warriors forged by the tutelage of a real master.  A word of caution, both of these men are extremely serious about their commitment to following, to a some extent, the same pedigogy their teacher used with them.  That is to say that they will not spoon feed you; they tend to move fast and with relatively little explanation at first.  This approach, I believe, is to force the student to assimilate the movement rather than the fixed positions of the kata.  This enables the student, often through self-discovery, to learn the true meaning of the techniques embedded in the form much better than more methodical approach I am accustomed to.  Nevertheless, all are welcomed to sample what they generously offer (and it is overwhelming in breadth alone without even beginning to plumb the depths) and are made to feel valued as fellow karate-ka. I cherish the time I spent with them both and look forward to seeing and training with them again this spring.

Frank Fink
Rokudan
Okinawan karate
Kosho-kai Karate Dojo
Pekin, Illinois 

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Short Bio For Frank Fink: 

Frank Fink is a rokudan (sixth-degree blackbelt) in Okinawan Shuri-ryu and Goju-ryu karate with experience in judo, jujitsu, kosho kempo, and wing chun kung fu. He began his training at age fifteen in the Shuri ryu style of karate under Mr. Ron Rollins of Springfield, Illinois.  Mr. Fink is a five-time USKK national champion in kumite (sparring) and kata (forms).  He is a two-time medalist in European international competition and the second winner of the Trias Cup. In 2001, Mr. Fink became the thirty-third inductee into the Bushido International Society Hall of Fame.  He is a graduate of Western Illinois University with a B.A. in Education and a teacher's license from the State of Illinois. He currently teaches adult literacy and is the apprenticeship and college coordinator at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pekin.  Mr. Fink is also a combat veteran of the Persian Gulf War and a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve.  He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Modern Army Combatives Program.