In the world of karate, has earned more black belts than most others who are alive and kicking.

The Surrey resident, a master of the martial art, has practised karate for more than five decades, and still teaches at a dojo in Langley.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檝e been at it since 1965, so we含羞草研究社檙e looking at around 54 years now,含羞草研究社� Owens recalled.

As a rare ninth-degree black belt, or , with and others, he含羞草研究社檚 still at the top of his game.

含羞草研究社淚n this organization, the JKA,含羞草研究社� he said, 含羞草研究社渢he highest at one time was a ninth-degree black belt, because you can含羞草研究社檛 get your 10th until you die, so I don含羞草研究社檛 want the 10th,含羞草研究社� he explained with a laugh.

含羞草研究社淪ome of the rules have changed a bit, but ninth, to me, is the highest while you含羞草研究社檙e still alive.含羞草研究社�

During his 71 spins around the sun, Owens has also earned a significant number of certificates, awards and accolades from several karate associations around the globe, and has learned from some masters of the martial art.

Twice a week, as chief instructor, Owens brings those Shotokan karate skills and knowledge to a dojo in Langley operated by , in the .

It含羞草研究社檚 a long way from East Vancouver, where Owens was raised, grew to love karate and also worked as a police officer, starting in 1981 and ending with a 28-year career with the VPD.

含羞草研究社淚 was about 33 when I joined the police force,含羞草研究社� he explained, 含羞草研究社渟o when I got out of the academy, I started the police dojo a year later, around 1982.

含羞草研究社淚 just wanted to get the police (officers) involved, and a number of them joined and worked their way through, right up to black belt,含羞草研究社� Owens added, proudly.

In those days, he worked in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside, among other beats, and grew familiar with the gangs and thugs who frequented the area.

Earlier, on the mean streets of the mid-含羞草研究社�60s, learning karate was a no-brainer for Owens.

含羞草研究社淲ell, I grew up in East Van 含羞草研究社� that says it all right there,含羞草研究社� he said with a laugh. 含羞草研究社淲e got into lots of scraps and so forth, so I started off looking for a better way. I was always successful but you know, you always get hurt somehow when you含羞草研究社檙e fighting people, but I was looking for something where maybe I didn含羞草研究社檛 get hurt so much, you know. I looked at everything 含羞草研究社� kung fu, different karate styles, but they didn含羞草研究社檛 really suit my personality, but then I found my instructor now, Hiroo Yamashiro, and that was it.

含羞草研究社淭he interesting part is,含羞草研究社� he added, 含羞草研究社淚 was fortunate to train with some of the great masters that started the JKA, like (Jun) Sugano and , the head of it, and with , their technical director. Most people may not know these names but, you know, anybody in the karate world sure does.含羞草研究社�

Today, Owens is vice-president of World Japan Karate Association, and takes seriously his role of teaching others.

含羞草研究社淵ears ago an instructor said to me, you have to understand that you含羞草研究社檙e getting older and you have to pass it on and take that responsibility,含羞草研究社� Owens explained. 含羞草研究社淎nd really now I understand that relationship, as a senior person you need the credentials to be able to grade people and have them respect it. I started to accept that over time.含羞草研究社�

At age 71, Owens remains active in the dojo but, like anyone, he含羞草研究社檚 not as young as he used to be.

含羞草研究社淚 thought I was 21 the other day so I含羞草研究社檓 limping a little bit today,含羞草研究社� he said recently.

含羞草研究社淚 still have a group of students,含羞草研究社� Owens continued, 含羞草研究社渁nd one thing I always tell them is, it含羞草研究社檚 great to have all the accolades and certificates and be accepted by your peers 含羞草研究社� wonderful, actually 含羞草研究社� but karate is the practice, and so I still practice every single day. I have a small dojo upstairs in my house, and so I含羞草研究社檓 there a lot.

含羞草研究社淎s for teaching, the rule is, for every hour you teach you should put two hours of practice in, going over it, and you have to do that. I still put in an hour every day, but sometimes I end up doing two hours or more, just because you get into it, and I love it. You have to learn, because you can get sloppy. I have a group of friends and we still get together and practice, and every week one person has the job to criticize everybody else, and we all have input. The problem is, once you get to my rank, nobody wants to criticize you. That含羞草研究社檚 just the culture of karate.含羞草研究社�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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