Instructor Profiles
Mark Harland 4th Dan
I first started Karate in 1975, joining the Kagami-Shin-Kai under the leadership of Bill Pybus, then a 2nd Dan. We called ourselves a Wado club but Bill had studied Shukukai after Wado and left to go his own way mixing the best bits from each style. I began training in Ingleton at a beginner’s class run by two green belts, Mick Storey and Geoff Kitchen. It was some time before I saw Bill who instructed the senior class on Sunday mornings. I still remember the first time I saw Bill, the first black belt I had seen, he impressed me with his speed and power, especially for somebody so small.
Mick was an ex-army PT instructor and had a thing about being fit for anything. The training was hard, the usual stories about press-ups, on four fingers, finger and thumb, leg raises etc. We were still in those days when Karate was hard and you had to be hard to do it. No concept about the damage we may have been causing to ourselves, or others!
I graded after a year and achieved my 6th Kyu. It was on that weekend I met the other black belt instructors from Bill’s club in Doncaster. It was also my introduction to weekends of serious training courses, not much has changed here in the last 30 plus years.
I trained with Doug James for a short while after Steve Greenwood asked him to help the club out during a period Bill stopped training. I passed my 5th and 3rd kyu with him.
I stayed with the Kagami Shin Kai through my time at Leeds Polythechnic but it was at that time I began to have the opportunity to broaden my experiences. I had had a year away at York college of Art and trained with a local Shotokan club there. I remember little about them, it was a small club without a Dan grade to run it.
It was when I went to Leeds in 1977 I realised I was less Wado than I thought. I had a lot to learn and when Tim Shaw moved to Leed’s in 1978 from Mansfield I began my study of Wado-Ryu properly. I do not wish to sound disrespectful towards Bill, Tim and I trained with Bill for several years and we all gained a lot from each others experiences and understanding. Bill had an excellent club in Ingleton and Doncaster and I learned a great deal about etiquette, respect, the importance of doing things right and pushing yourself. It turned out to be a far greater grounding than I could have ever wished for.
Tim and I became the best of friends and training partners, it was Tim who told me to get on and take my first Dan. I had to think about this, by this time I had been training with the UKKW though still held a KSK licence. I felt loyalty to Bill, but wanted a Japanese Grade. Bill understood and encouraged me to go and grade with Mr. Suzuki, a generous act for which I was very grateful.
I trained with the Leeds club for 4 years and have too many happy memories to even begin to go into. I met many great friends and enjoyed a fantastic social life. We packed so much in during those years. It’s difficult to think how we had time for anything else. Tim and I shared a house and so the opportunities to train were unhindered. We were known to train 9 times a week! I cannot begin to mention all those who made my time there so special, but I do remember a young lad called Keith Walker who showed a lot of promise, I often wondered what became of him.
I achieved my 1st Dan with the UKKW in 1980 and 2nd in 1982. It was around this time I went to live in London for a year and had the opportunity to train every week with Sensei Suzuki and Sugasawa at Marvic house. I also trained with a Shotokan club at the University, why are all University clubs Shotokan?
Following my return to the Dales it became increasingly difficult to train with the UKKW instructors as the travelling distances were so great. We would go to Summer and Winter courses but had to manage in the club with my skills as an instructor. Bill had retired at this point and left me to run the club which had now moved to Settle. It was after my return to the Dales my recollections become hazy. We would visit Miriam Llewellyn at her club in Crosshills and train with the Japanese instructors she invited up.
The club in Settle would fluctuate as they are want to but we generally seemed to just cruise on with little direction. Eventually the club went into decline and closed in around 1986. I had a new job and bought a house to renovate so Karate took a back seat, for too long.
It was several years later I bumped into an ex pupil from school who was training in a club in Settle opened by Kevin Hamilton-Stewart that caused me to begin again. He bet me that I wouldn’t dare go down and train the next day as they were having a fighting weekend. Given I was in a pub and had been enjoying the evening, I didn’t fully think my reply through fully. I said I bet I dare and the next morning had to find my Gi, never one to loose a bet. Kevin wasn’t too sure what to do or say when I walked in, but didn’t ask me to leave so I changed and joined in. I had not trained in several years but the years of practice came back in an instant, I think I was a little over zealous as one or two opponents were shocked by my fighting.
Needless to say I enjoyed the day and it rekindled my enthusiasm. Kevin generously welcomed me into the club and I thoroughly enjoyed my return to training. I again took up training with Tim as the opportunities arose and was awarded my 3rd Dan in 1997 by the AMA. I enjoyed thoroughly the time with Kevin, we enjoyed many courses here and each summer in France.
In 2001 Kevin had to leave the area and the club decided to join Sensei Sakagami and the Aiwakai association. It has been 5 years that have seen the club expand and achieve so much. I have learned more than I could possibly have imagined under Sensei Sakagami and the Aiwakai squad, I am greatly in-debited to him for this time. I hope it is with the Aiwakai I stay and finish my study of Wado-Ryu.
Before I finish, I must mention one other person, my old friend and training partner Stuart Ogden. Stuart has been training with me for 26 years now, it’s a wonder he’s so good! He has been a loyal lieutenant and supported me throughout this time. He wouldn’t consider writing a profile of himself, and in truth it would read very similar to mine (though he would say it in a lot fewer words) He is far more experienced and knowledgeable than his grade might suggest and I thank him for all he has done for me and the club.
One last thought, what ever did happen to that Keith Walker? He had so much promise...
Mark Harland
August 2006
Dave Jones - Karate/Martial Arts CV
Began training in Ju-Jitsu in 1986 - British Ju-Jitsu Association/World Ju-Jitsu Federation
Began training in Shukokai Karate in 1990 - Shukokai Karate Union
8th Kyu Shukokai Karate - 14/08/1990
7th Kyu Shukokai Karate - 15/02/1991
6th Kyu Shukokai Karate - 26/07/1991
5th Kyu Shukokai Karate - 17/12/1991
4th Kyu Shukokai Karate - 28/04/1992
3rd Kyu Shukokai Karate - 06/11/1992
2nd Kyu Shukokai Karate - 18/05/1993
1st Kyu Shukokai Karate - 17/12/1993
1st Dan Shukokai Karate - 28/05/1995
Began training in Wado-Ryu Karate in 1998
2nd Dan Wado-Ryu Karate - 17/09/2000
3rd Dan Wado-Ryu Karate - 23/11/2003 graded by Mr K Sakagami JKF Wado-Kai (Mr Sakagami has ratified all previous Dan grades)
Experience in other Martial Arts:-
Aiki-do
Kick Boxing/Full Contact Karate
Tai-Chi/Qi Gong
Takamura-Ha Shindo Yoshin-Ryu Ju-Jutsu
Budo Karate
Kobu-Do (Sai, Nunchaku)
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