In the world of karate, has earned more black belts than most others who are alive and kicking.

The Surrey resident, a master of the martial art, has practised karate for more than five decades, and still teaches at a dojo in Langley.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檝e been at it since 1965, so weB次元官网网址檙e looking at around 54 years now,B次元官网网址� Owens recalled.

As a rare ninth-degree black belt, or , with and others, heB次元官网网址檚 still at the top of his game.

B次元官网网址淚n this organization, the JKA,B次元官网网址� he said, B次元官网网址渢he highest at one time was a ninth-degree black belt, because you canB次元官网网址檛 get your 10th until you die, so I donB次元官网网址檛 want the 10th,B次元官网网址� he explained with a laugh.

B次元官网网址淪ome of the rules have changed a bit, but ninth, to me, is the highest while youB次元官网网址檙e still alive.B次元官网网址�

During his 71 spins around the sun, Owens has also earned a significant number of certificates, awards and accolades from several karate associations around the globe, and has learned from some masters of the martial art.

Twice a week, as chief instructor, Owens brings those Shotokan karate skills and knowledge to a dojo in Langley operated by , in the .

ItB次元官网网址檚 a long way from East Vancouver, where Owens was raised, grew to love karate and also worked as a police officer, starting in 1981 and ending with a 28-year career with the VPD.

B次元官网网址淚 was about 33 when I joined the police force,B次元官网网址� he explained, B次元官网网址渟o when I got out of the academy, I started the police dojo a year later, around 1982.

B次元官网网址淚 just wanted to get the police (officers) involved, and a number of them joined and worked their way through, right up to black belt,B次元官网网址� Owens added, proudly.

In those days, he worked in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside, among other beats, and grew familiar with the gangs and thugs who frequented the area.

Earlier, on the mean streets of the mid-B次元官网网址�60s, learning karate was a no-brainer for Owens.

B次元官网网址淲ell, I grew up in East Van B次元官网网址� that says it all right there,B次元官网网址� he said with a laugh. B次元官网网址淲e got into lots of scraps and so forth, so I started off looking for a better way. I was always successful but you know, you always get hurt somehow when youB次元官网网址檙e fighting people, but I was looking for something where maybe I didnB次元官网网址檛 get hurt so much, you know. I looked at everything B次元官网网址� kung fu, different karate styles, but they didnB次元官网网址檛 really suit my personality, but then I found my instructor now, Hiroo Yamashiro, and that was it.

B次元官网网址淭he interesting part is,B次元官网网址� he added, B次元官网网址淚 was fortunate to train with some of the great masters that started the JKA, like (Jun) Sugano and , the head of it, and with , their technical director. Most people may not know these names but, you know, anybody in the karate world sure does.B次元官网网址�

Today, Owens is vice-president of World Japan Karate Association, and takes seriously his role of teaching others.

B次元官网网址淵ears ago an instructor said to me, you have to understand that youB次元官网网址檙e getting older and you have to pass it on and take that responsibility,B次元官网网址� Owens explained. B次元官网网址淎nd really now I understand that relationship, as a senior person you need the credentials to be able to grade people and have them respect it. I started to accept that over time.B次元官网网址�

At age 71, Owens remains active in the dojo but, like anyone, heB次元官网网址檚 not as young as he used to be.

B次元官网网址淚 thought I was 21 the other day so IB次元官网网址檓 limping a little bit today,B次元官网网址� he said recently.

B次元官网网址淚 still have a group of students,B次元官网网址� Owens continued, B次元官网网址渁nd one thing I always tell them is, itB次元官网网址檚 great to have all the accolades and certificates and be accepted by your peers B次元官网网址� wonderful, actually B次元官网网址� but karate is the practice, and so I still practice every single day. I have a small dojo upstairs in my house, and so IB次元官网网址檓 there a lot.

B次元官网网址淎s for teaching, the rule is, for every hour you teach you should put two hours of practice in, going over it, and you have to do that. I still put in an hour every day, but sometimes I end up doing two hours or more, just because you get into it, and I love it. You have to learn, because you can get sloppy. I have a group of friends and we still get together and practice, and every week one person has the job to criticize everybody else, and we all have input. The problem is, once you get to my rank, nobody wants to criticize you. ThatB次元官网网址檚 just the culture of karate.B次元官网网址�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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