By snoadmin
Cal State Long Beach’s Shotokan Karate Club celebrated the dynamic martial art Saturday morning in the Physical Education building during a special practice led by one of its founders, Don DePree.
DePree taught at Cal State Long Beach for 25 years and has been involved with the Shotokan Karate Club on campus since 1968.
The sensei passed on the insights he gained as well as the leadership of the club to current chief instructor Samir Abboud, the CSULB former Karate Club captain and assistant instructor under DePree for many years.
The practice was guided under the instruction of one of the original club founders Godon Don DePree and special guest Godon Ken Osborne. The godan rank is the highest rank awarded in the Shotokan ranking system.
The style of karate known as Shotokan aims to harmonize the mind and body for balance and strength.
DePree has devoted his career to learning and teaching Shotokan. DePree said he took up martial arts during college, because he was not able to play in the Long Beach City College football team as an out-of-state student.
“The LBCC coach advised me to stay in shape so I was looking for ways to stay healthy,” DePree said. “I saw a sign on the board to join a karate club. The next year, the football coach asked me if I was ready to practice. I said no — I found something else.”
Shotokan Karate of America’s main mission is to teach “karate-do,” meaning way of life, according to DePree.
Abboud said he believes all martial arts make people better human beings.
“Besides the kicking, punching and fighting, we work on self-discipline, patience, self-control, politeness, kindness and other martial-art traits that should be included in the practice,” Abboud said. “Otherwise, it’s commercial.”
Master Ohshima started the first university karate club in the United States — Shotokan Karate of America in 1956.
According to the club’s website, Shotokan of America now has more than 140 dojos, or formal gathering places, across the United States and Canada.
Participants practice offensive and defensive techniques that help develop coordination of mind and body.
As DePree spoke to the students, he shared words of wisdom to help motivate the students.
“Real practice only starts when you want to quit,” DePree said. “The most important part of practice is when you’re forced to push your body as far as you can, forced to persevere.”
Following the special practice, the Shotokan Karate Club, led by current instructor Samir Abboud, surprised SKA seniors Don DePree and Ken Osborne with a birthday cake.
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