2008 Black Belt
Industry Awards
2008 Black Belt
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Sharkey’s Karate Studios Founded by John Sharkey Jr. in 1973, Sharkey’s Karate Studios consistently delivers top-notch training to practitioners of all skill levels and ages in Naperville, Illinois. Sharkey’s offers seminars and classes in shorei-ryu,wushu, XMA, kosho kenjutsu (sword training), tai chi chuan—there is even a karate program for the preschool set. They also provide their students with all the tools necessary to succeed both in life and competition, and their alumnus include world champion black belts, actors and Power Ranger alumnus Michael Chaturantabut. In recognition of the school’s outstanding dedication to quality instruction, Black Belt is proud to present Sharkey's Karate Studio with the 2008 Industry Award for Best School Overall. Sharkey’s Karate Studios 2916 West Ogden Ave., Suite 120 Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 369-8055 Best Traditional School: Florida School of Judo Established in 1963, the Florida School of Judo is run by Black Belt Hall of Fame member Ed Maley. At his Tampa-based school, the eighth-degree Kodokan judo black belt teaches his students how to overcome the challenges of modern life through the lessons and values of the traditional arts. For his dedication to addressing his students’ physical, mental and emotional needs, Black Belt is proud to present Maley and the Florida School of Judo with the 2008 Industry Award for Best Traditional School. Interbay-Glover YMCA 4411 S. Himes Ave. Tampa, FL 33611 (813) 839-0210 Best Eclectic School: Red Dragon Karate When Louis Casamassa decided to create the ultimate form of self-defense, he traveled to Asia during the 1960s so he could handpick the best techniques from dozens of Asian martial arts to create Red Dragon Karate. With an emphasis on competition and a foundation in judo, Casamassa’s hybrid art caught on, and there are now more than 20 Red Dragon Karate schools in Southern California. For his innovative and effective interpretation of the traditional arts, Black Belt proudly presents Red Dragon Karate with the 2008 Industry Award for Best Eclectic School. Red Dragon Karate
Alta Loma, CA 91701 (909) 941-7411 Best Women’s Program: Dr. Ruthless Seminars In order to reach as many women as she can, Black Belt Hall of Fame member Melissa Soalt takes her practical prevention strategies and effective self-defense techniques on the road. Also known as Dr. Ruthless, Soalt has brought her lectures, demonstrations and hands-on seminars to school assemblies, Fortune 500 companies and everything in between. To honor both her tireless efforts and her empowering, professional approach to women’s self-defense, Black Belt proudly present Soalt with the 2008 Industry Award for Best Women's Program. Melissa Soalt (aka Dr. Ruthless) P.O. Box 3434 Amherst, MA 01004 Best Children’s Program: Metamora Martial Arts Black Belt contributor Joe Chianakas’ public-school program in Metamora, Illinois, is a perfect example of the right way to introduce the martial arts to children. In 2002, Chianakas—a fourth-degree shuri-ryu karate black belt who teaches English classes at Metamora High School—started offering after-school karate, taekwondo and judo lessons for next to nothing in cost. Since then, the Metamora Martial Arts program has expanded to all the town’s public feeder grade schools and is open to everyone, including parents. For providing affordable, family-friendly training to the entire community, Black Belt is happy to present Metamora Martial Arts with the 2008 Industry Award for Best Children’s Program. Metamora Martial Arts 101 W. Madison St. Metamora, IL 61548 (309) 367-4151
2007 AKA Grand Nationals Under the cultivation of John Sharkey Jr., AKA Grand Nationals has grown into one of the largest and most prestigious martial arts tournaments. Now in its 42nd year, the American Karate Association’s annual tournament took place at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, Illinois, and featured 369 total divisions, 33 grand championships, and five runoff tournaments for the winners of selected divisions. AKA Grand Nationals attracts some of the most talented competitors in the world and past winners include Black Belt Hall of Fame members Mike Chaturantabut and Cynthia Rothrock. To honor the hard work of everyone who participated, Black Belt proudly presents the 2008 Industry Award for Best Tournament to the AKA Grand Nationals. AKA Grand Nationals 2916 West Ogden Ave., Suite 120 Naperville, IL 60540 (630) 369-8055 Best Humanitarian Act/Event: Relay for Life Break-a-Thon At the Relay for Life Break-a-Thon in Metamora, Illinois, participants battled cancer one board at a time. More than 30 students from Metamora Martial Arts volunteered their board-breaking skills for the event, which raised thousands of dollars for the American Cancer Society. Organizer Joe Chianakas says that the students broke 200 boards and that they plan on holding more martial-arts fundraisers at future Relay for Life events. To honor the Metamora Martial Arts program’s unique and successful approach to fundraising, Black Belt proudly presents the participants of the Relay for Life Break-a-Thon with the 2008 Industry Award for Best Humanitarian Act/Event. Metamora Martial Arts 101 W. Madison St. Metamora, IL 61548 (309) 367-4151
Human Weapon In 2007, The History Channel launched Human Weapon, a television series devoted to the history of the martial arts. In each episode, hosts Jason Chambers and Bill Duff immerse themselves fully in the culture and application of a particular art, which range from the well known (karate, judo, kung fu) to the exotic (escrima, sambo, savate). While watching the hosts train with and compete against the masters of their respective arts can be brutal, it is always enlightening. For consistently portraying the martial arts in both an entertaining and informative manner, Black Belt proudly presents Human Weapon with the 2008 Industry Award for Best Televised Production. Best Martial Arts Service Provider: ChampionsWay When Farid Dordar couldn’t find the right software to run his self-defense school, he decided to create his own. Founded in 1998 and based in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, ChampionsWay provides fully customizable business software that will work for any school, regardless of style. For those who haven’t mastered the art of marketing, ChampionsWay also offers online consulting, Web-site design and role-based training. For revolutionizing the way martial artists do business, Black Belt proudly presents the 2008 Industry Award for Best Martial Arts Service Provider to ChampionsWay. ChampionsWay 1202 N. Corry St. #100 Carson City, NV 89703-4121 (877) 774-5425 Best New Product: Ringstar Sparring Shoe When former kickboxing champion Steve Shepherd decided to make a shoe specifically for sparring, he made sure to address all the complaints he heard as a competitor. Approved by the major martial arts' governing bodies, the Ringstar Sparring Shoe absorbs impact from kicks, fits snugly so it won’t slip, and features a sturdy white sole that prevents injuries but won’t mark up the mats. For creating a safe and hygienic alternative to training barefoot, Black Belt proudly presents Ringstar with the 2008 Industry Award for Best New Product. Ringstar Inc. 30 South M St. Lake Worth, FL 33460 (866) 721-7464 Best Seminar/Training Camp: Karate College Founded in 1988, Dr. Jerry Beasley’s Karate College crams a lifetime’s worth of martial arts education into a single weekend by giving students access to some of the most knowledgeable instructors in the world, including fellow Black Belt Hall of Fame members Bill Wallace, Joe Lewis and Mike Lee Kanarek. Held annually in Radford, Virginia, the seminar caters to both kids and instructors, with certification classes for jujutsu, submission grappling, karate, hapkido and kickboxing, among others. For their devotion to bringing the entire martial arts community together, Black Belt proudly presents the 2008 Industry Award for Best Seminar/Training Camp to Karate College. Karate College P.O. Box 402 Christiansburg, VA 24068 |
