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Calgary Gojukai

Ranchlands Karate Club has been in existence since September 1992, formed by Rob Richardson Sensei and Brent Regan Sensei. It has seen and influenced many students during this time. It began as a family oriented club, and still maintains this atmosphere, as very often parents will train alongside their children. Most parents joined the club in order to do an activity as a family, but soon found that they were staying because of their love of Karate-do even after their children decided to pursue other activities. Other members joined on their own and coming to love the art brought their friends and family members to experience what Goju-Ryu has to offer.

At the time of it's creation Ranchlands Karate Club followed a curriculum that was based in Goju-Ryu but was also heavily influenced by other martial arts. Then in 1996 Rob and Brent Sensei decided to pursue the more traditional methods of Goju Ryu and applied for membership in IKGA Canada. In October 1997 they traveled to Japan to receive instruction directly from Goshi Yamaguchi Saiko Shihan. Ranchlands Dojo continued to operate during this time, with classes being run by Carlos Tesler-Mabe Sensei and Rob Heisler and Kyle Heisler Sempai assisting.

After Rob Sensei's return to Canada in 1998, Ranchlands Dojo was accepted as a full member in IKGA Canada, and continued to grow. Ranchlands Dojo also applied and was accepted as a member dojo in Karate Alberta, part of the National Karate Association as Calgary Gojukai. With the introduction of Yamaguchi Style Goju Ryu a fresh and exciting element was brought into the training in Calgary. Today new students and old are able to receive some of the best training in Goju available. Past students continue to return to the Dojo and are challenged with the fresh approach to training. Students are encouraged to challenge themselves, both with their own progression in Goju-Ryu, and also in competition with other traditional Karate-do through Karate Alberta. We view competition karate to be separate from Traditional Karate-do, but complementary in that students are challenged to train harder and smarter at all levels. No one has to sacrifice their training in Goju-Ryu to be competitive, they just have to train hard and focus on achieving their goals.

Calgary Gojukai contributes to IKGA Canada as well as IKGA North American Bloc, by participating in and hosting seminars for all our members to attend and share in IKGA Gojuryu Karatedo. These seminars are a fantastic way for all our members to get together and practice and learn karatedo, and to see that the karate world is a lot bigger than just the four walls of the dojo. We encourage all our members to participate in these seminars as much as possible as it helps to see just how much depth there can be in the study of Karatedo.