Sensei Steve Burke (5th Dan)
Chief Instructor: T.S.K.A.
I first stated karate in 1974 at the age of six years at the South Bank Shukokai Karate Club. For those who remember, it often rained inside and was warmed by gas fires but this was one of the true homes of Shukokai Karate
in the North East. My first instructor was the late Colin Edwards, a pioneer of true Shukokai karate.
Over the years the club changed hands, first to Jim Dulson then to two brothers from Sheffield - Abdu and Said Shaher (both purple belts at the time).
By the late 1970's the North East (Middlesbrough) had become one of the top groups teaching Shukokai. This lasted for well over twenty years with clubs such as Grove Hill, Brambles Farm, Linthorpe, Whitby, Berwick Hills and
Wilton all playing a part in making my memories of North East Shukokai something positive to look back on.
As a youngster training through this period I can only say that on the competition front North East Shukokai was one of the best squads in the UK. As a kumite and kata competitor I was fortunate to be successful at National and Regional levels, winning many British titles as a cadet.
I trained along side local names such as Tony Trimble, David Robinson, Enrico Capaldi, Imran Khan, Karen Parkin and Mark Raistrick to name a few. On a national front I trained with Roy Stanhope,
Stan Knighton, Terry Pottage, Sensei Tani and Sensei Kimura - all names that helped form Shukokai.
In 1982 I joined the British Army and for the next ten years of my service opened clubs in Dortmund and Rheindahlen, Germany. Some will remember the international competitions in Germany with countries all over Europe attending.
Carl Lindley, John Gilliland, Peter Allen, Andy Buckley and Bruce Wingfield are names which many will remember.
In 1992 I joined the police in London and have continued to support North East Shukokai. I formed the T.S.K.A. in 1994 with the Whitby Shukokai club being the main foundation club.
I still oversee the development of Shukokai in the North East, and the networking of clubs within TASK, of which we are proud to be a part.
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