I started training with Sensei Mike Rice in Abingdon in January 1990. I first met Sensei Norman when Mike invited him to teach at our club. Following this I decided to train with Sensei Norman in Witney joining the English Shotokan Academy.
In 1997 I passed shodan with the ESA and had the honour and pleasure to accompany Norman and others in training with Kase Sensei from 1994 to 2003. In 2010 I passed Nidan with Sensei Dirk Heene, assistant of Kase Sensei.
In 2006 we started training with Sensei Velibor, assistant to Kase Sensei (see influences page), going to Loutraki in Greece for a seven day course and have been going ever since. In 2015 the club left the ESA and joined Sensei Velibor’s budo academy. Myself and Sensei Norman have attended courses in England, Portugal, Greece, Finland and Sweden to follow this inspirational teacher.
I was honoured to receive my Sandan from Sensei Velibor in 2018 and recently achieving Yondan in September 2025.
My passion is Kase Ha karate following the Vebodo training system. Kase Ha, the style of Kase Sensei is not like normal Shotokan. It is much deeper than that, a budo martial art concentrating on rooting, abdominal breathing and understanding where the power is coming from. This is what makes it so interesting and allows you to still improve as you get older.
I am also interested in introducing and mentoring new people into Kase Ha Shotokan Ryu as beginners or experienced karateka.
Norman and Dave with Sensei Vebo in Portugal
Serious moment with Mona
Oxford Kase Ha Shotokan Ryu Karate-Do 
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