About NKA Shotokan Karate Club
A message from Sensei Ian Willis NKA Chief Instructor
The NKA was formed in 2013 to bring together the various Dojos I ran under a singe banner and was affiliated to the KUGB until August 2021 when Sensei Ian decided in the best interests of club to join the newly formed Shotokan Connect. The Main Dojo was originally founded in 1974 in Ashington by Sensei Alan Armstrong. I took over and became a professional Karate instructor in 1981 and the NKA now runs a number of Main Dojos in Guidepost, Morpeth and Ponteland and a number of school based Dojos in Morpeth, Stobhilgate. Our current membership is about 150 across all Dojos.
The Club has produced many excellent students with club members regularly attending competitions at local, regional, national and international levels.
The club prides itself on providing an environment for all who wish to come to train, often parents join in with their children and progressed to blackbelt and beyond.
Every class in the Main and School Dojos is personally taught by Sensei Ian Willis 7th Dan, with support from a number of other senior grades as required, Sensei Liz Lisle 5th Dan, Sensei Denise Kattan 4th Dan, Sensei Grant Wheatley 3rd Dan, Sensei Raouf Kattan 3rd Dan, all of whom are certified instructors. In addition the presence of other senior blackbelts means that beginners have an opportunity to benefit from a considerable body of knowledge and experience and often benefit from one to one teaching sessions.
The club runs 3 grading sessions per year with senior examiners officiating at the gradings.
Our main Dojo locations and training times can be found here.