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Hanshi Steve Arneil

Hanshi Steve Arneil was born in South Africa in 1934. At the age of seventeen he became a black belt in Judo, as well as being reasonably versed in both Kenpo and Karate. In 1962 he travelled to Japan to study karate under Kancho Mas Oyama.

By the time he left Japan in 1965, he had gained the rank of 3rd dan and had been the first person to complete the 100 man kumite after Mas Oyama. Steve Arneil was "adopted" by Mas Oyama, in order to allow Steve to marry a Japanese woman.

After his marriage, Steve Arneil travelled with his new wife to Great Britain in 1965. In the same year, he and Shihan Bob Boulton (now resident in Australia) founded the British Karate Kyokushinkai (BKK) organisation. The first full time dojo was located in Stratford, in East London. The number of clubs expanded such that today there are between 65 and 70 throughout Great Britain.

During the period spanning 1968 and 1976, Steve Arneil was the team manager and coach for the All Styles English and British Karate team which became the first non-Japanese team to win the World Karate Championship in 1975/76. In 1975 the French Karate Federation also awarded him the title of the "World's Best Coach".

In 1991, Steve Arneil and the BKK resigned their 25 year long membership with the Japan based International Karate Organisation (IKO) and founded the International Federation of Karate (IFK) which currently has a membership of over 100,000 in up to 19 different countries. He currently is the President of the BKK and head of the IFK. He held the rank of 8th dan for many years, which was awarded to him, not by Japan or Mas Oyama and Kyokushin, but by the entire British karate community for his services to karate in Great Britain. Hanshi Steve Arneil now holds the rank of 9th dan which was awarded to him by all the International Federation of Karate (IFK) country representatives from arround the world.

Steve Arneil has authored a couple of books on karate and a book outlining the kihon techniques and sequences thereof required by the IFK syllabus.

	Alex Kerrigan (6th Dan) Shihan Alex Kerrigan is the longest serving BKK 5th Dan. He began his career with the BKK in 1971 (as a 2nd Dan in Wado Ryu). He did however begin his Martial Arts training in 1961 studying Judo. Through the `980's he served on the BKK Executive Committee. Shihan Alex has a high technical standard and ability in all aspects of Kyokushin and is a karateka of high International reputation at many levels. He is currently the BKK and IFK Chief Referee for Knockdown. Shihan Alex was, for many years, the Chief Instructor at Oldham Dojo. He was graded 5th Dan in 1992.
	Roy Banton (5th Dan) Shihan Roy Banton began his career with the BKK at Harringay Dojo in 1973 and was Chief Instructor for many decades at Leyton Dojo (whilst still training at Harringay). Shihan Roy was, during the 1970's and early 1980's, one of the BKK's most talented heavyweight knockdown fighters, culminating in him representing the BKK at the World Tournament in Japan in 1984. He was a BKK Executive Committee member for many years through the 1970's and 1980's. Shihan Roy successfully completed the 40-man kumite test in 1980, and until recently he was the IFK and BKK Nihon Shobu and Clicker Coach. He was graded 5th Dan in 1994.
	Liam Keaveney (6th Dan) Shihan Liam Keaveney began training in 1973 at Stratford Dojo and became a member of Harringay Dojo in 1977. He started his own dojo, Kokoro, in 1994. A BKK Executive Committee member since 1979 - he is currently the BKK Chairman as well as being the IFK Secretary General and President of the Irish Karate Kyokushinkai. Shihan Liam successfully completed the 30-man kumite test in 1980. He was graded 5th Dan in 1997.
	Nick Da Costa (5th Dan) Shihan Nick Da Costa is the Chief Instructor at both Docklands and Newbury Park. He joined the BKK in 1978 and began his early career at Millwall dojo on the "Isle of Dogs" under Sensei Bill Walsh & Glen Sharp and later at Bethnal Green Dojo. Shihan Nick is a talented fighter of some formidable ability. He represented the BKK at many International Tournaments (including the World Tournament in Tokyo and giving one of the most memorable fights against Okumura in 1987) during the 1980's and 1990's. During the 1980's he was, without doubt, the BKK's top middleweight fighter dominating this category. Shihan Nick successfully completed the 40-man kumite test in 1984. He is currently the BKK's British Knockdown Coach for both men and women, and is an active member of the BKK Executive Committee.
	Graham Warden (5th Dan) Shihan Graham Warden is the Chief Instructor of Bethnal Green Dojo. He began his training in 1974 at Stratford dojo and later under Billy Walsh at Bethnal Green. He is very committed and passionate about the BKK in the area of Knockdown fighting and tournament and has a clear vision and energetic drive that is reflected in his dojo and indeed the students that train with him. Shihan Graham represented the BKK at many levels (including the World Tournament in Japan in 1984) and was undisputedly a gritty and effective Knockdown competitor. He was promoted to 5^th Dan in 2001. Until recently he was both Men's and Women's British Coach.
	David Pickthall (5th Dan) Shihan David Pickthall began his training at Crawley Dojo in 1976 and continues his training there to this day. He is a gifted and talented all rounder in every discipline of Kyokushin karate something that is rarely seen. He is a respected International ambassador of karate that transcends style and political viewpoint. He is has travelled the world training and teaching as well as fighting in many full contact International tournaments not least the International Kyokushin Organisation (IKO) World Tournament in Tokyo. He was promoted to 5^th Dan in 2001. Shihan David is fully involved at many levels of the BKK and is the BKK Kata Coach.