Welcome to the Diary of a Karate Referee. My name is Gary Hoyle and I am a fifth dan
black belt in Tani Ha Shito ryu karate with Shihan Tomiyama’s Kofukan
International organisation. I am also a
third dan in Shotokan karate having passed this grade way back in 1989 with the
legendary late JKA masters Sensei Kase and Enoeda and have been involved in
karate since I started back in 1974.
I initially got interested in refereeing back in the
eighties, encouraged by the late Sensei Derek Langham of the KUGB. I passed my KUGB Judges Badge with Sensei
Andy Sherry in traditional Shobu Ippon format and then promptly departed to
Australia for nearly three years with my work.
I returned to England in 1994 and started training in Shito
ryu with Sensei Tomiyama who came over to Rayne David’s Loughborough Kofukan
Club each week to train us. I also restarted
my officiating career, but this time in the WKF style tournament karate
recognised by the International Olympic Commission (IOC).
Inspired by both Rayne, a British Referee and Steve Coupland
6th dan a European Karate Federation Judge at the time I started on
the long road to my European badge, progressing first as an EKF English Karate
Federation Kumite Judge then on to Referee, and also Kata Judge under the
watchful eye of Terry Pottage who was at the time the England Chief Referee then
on to BKF British Referee. I passed both
kumite and kata qualifications with Terry who must have recognised a little bit
of potential in me.
When Dale Gamble took over the role of EKF Chief Referee I
was encouraged to try for European qualification and in 2012 I qualified as a
double European Kata and Kumite Judge B and then in 2013 I managed to pass my
Kata A badge with renditions of Shito ryu Chatanyara Kusanku and Shotokan Unsu
in front of the Euro Refereeing Commission panel.
Although, very much a junior on the European circuit I have
set up this blog to try and help others on the journey to Euro qualification
whilst at the same time hopefully continuing to progress my Euro career on to
Kumite Judge A then on to Ref B and Ref A status. If I can provide a few snippets of
information that might help others progress then this Blog will have been successful. If not then at least it will remain as a
diary of not only my refereeing activities but also my karate training. The blog may also be helpful to both competitors
and coaches since tweaks in the interpretation of the rules are ongoing and
these are briefed out at the European and World events by the EKF & WKF
Referee Commissions.
If you have clicked on this blog then you have at least
shown the first step in pursuing a Referee career which is to have an open mind
– Good Luck OSU!
Japan 2009 with Goju Sensei Shimizu and the late Goju Sensei Fujimoto both from Doshisha University, Kyoto, Japan. Sensei Hiroshi Fujimoto is Shihan Tomiyama's Sensei.
Loughborough Kofukan Karate Club Sept 2013 with Shihan Keiji Tomiyama 8th dan Shito ryu, 6th dan Goju ryu, front row 3rd from left and centre guest from Doshisha Uni Takashi Mizuno
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