About GKC

Wado Kai Karate

Wado Kai (Way of Peace) Karate is a martial art that teaches effective self-defence skills by developing ones explosive power, timing and coordination. A strong emphasis is also placed on developing ones character so that violent confrontation can be avoided. Strength, endurance, flexibility and cardio-vascular fitness are developed through the practice of basic techniques. Basic techniques include blocking, grappling, punching ,kicking and body shifting, which are blended into combinations to learn the science of self defence.

Organization

The club's instructors and members are part of the Shintani Wado Kai Karate Federation (SWKKF), with over 4000 members, 1000 black belts and 200 clubs across Canada. Two Wado Kai tournaments are held in Calgary each year.

History of GKC

GKC was established in September of 1999 at the Glamorgan Community Centre by Sensei Dan McKee and Sensei Kevin Bowes. We would like to thank the community centre for all of their support. If it was not for them, and of course our students, we would not be were we are today!

In September of 2004, the karate club moved from the community centre to a local gym - Pro Bodies. Spending the first 5 years or our existence at the community centre was a wonderful time, however, it came time for us to move on to another site to help aid in our teaching. At the gym we are in an aerobics studio that has mirrors on 3 of 4 walls, plus some heavy bags and additional Equipment for us to use. The time spent at Probodies was instrumental in the development of new and experience students alike.

The summer of 2008 started a new chapter for GKC. Sensei Dan McKee moved to Comox (Vancouver Island) leaving the club for Sensei Kevin to run. In discussions together Dan and Kevin knew it was important to have two people running the club. Without question, both founders of the club felt one of the senior students in the club was the perfect fit for the club. Sensei John Eastly was asked to take over the now vacant position of Family Instructor. Sensei Kevin and Sensei John have run the club together since September 2008.

Sensei Dan is still very active in the SWKKF establishing a new club on Vancouver Island and still visits the Glamorgan Club a few times a year.

In May 2009 we moved again, this time to Elbow Park. We train out of a great facility, in the basement of Christ Church Calgary.

Artist

Sensei Tara Trigg is the artist for the club logo. A special thanks to her for all her dedicated work!

Glamorgan Logo

Glamorgan Karate Club embarked on creating a club logo that represents what GKC stands for. In January 2019 we unveiled a new logo that we feel speaks directly about the club values.

What it means:

  • Originating in the community of Glamorgan, Calgary, the club was named Glamorgan Karate Club. The name Glamorgan has an Irish and Welsh lineage, so we chose a Celtic knot as the body of the logo.

  • Our Celtic knot signifies a triangle of growth. Each point of the triangle focuses on one of the three elements we focus on in our training:

    • Form

    • Speed

    • Power

  • The circular brush-stroke swipes represent two things:

    • The brush calligraphy represents the origins of our karate style in Japan.

    • The strokes signal motion between the three points of the Celtic knot, representing movement between all three elements of our training, and thus continual improvement.