Coaches. Together, they aim to develop and nurture the talent of young karateka in Harrogate.
Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club, established in 1976, is proud to be run by Matt Price Sensei, a renowned international instructor and former British, European, and World Champion. With his expertise, the club strives to offer top-quality karate training for all ages and levels of ability. The club takes pride in the size of its membership and the exceptional quality of its students.
For those willing to pursue competition, Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club provides access to the highest level of competition. All Dan grades have their grades registered in Japan, ensuring recognition of their achievements on an international level. In terms of safety, all the club's instructors are DBS checked, ensuring a secure and supportive learning environment.
Affiliated with the Japan Karate Shotorenmei (JKS), an International Shotokan Karate organisation, Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club shares a connexion with over 60 countries worldwide. JKS is based in Tokyo and is led by Masao Kagawa Sensei, a highly respected 9th Dan. JKS members have the opportunity to train at the JKS HQ in Tokyo. At the national level, Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club is affiliated with JKS England, which is recognised as the official governing body for Karate in England by the World Karate Federation (WKF), the Olympic Karate body.
The club's chief instructor, Matt Price Sensei, has an inspiring background in karate. Starting in 1982 at the age of 9, he joined Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club at age 11, where he found a supportive community of instructors, including Nick Midgely Sensei, who remains one of Matt's top assistant instructors to this day. Matt's dedication saw him travel from Harrogate to Leeds at least 3 times a week to train at the infamous Leeds Shotokan Karate Club, under the guidance of Bob Rhodes Sensei. Despite facing challenges as a “posh skinny boy” from Harrogate, Matt's talent shone through as he joined the KUGB Junior England Squad at 15 and became a vital member of the Leeds senior kumite team at 16.
Matt's success continued to grow, with his first international achievement at the European Shotokan Karate Championships in Monaco in 1992. Winning the individual kumite Bronze and being part of the winning junior team set the stage for his future triumphs. Captaining the KUGB team from 1999, Matt achieved numerous national and international titles. In 2002, he became only the fourth person in the history of the KUGB to become Grand Champion by winning both the kata and kumite categories at the National Championships.
He continued to achieve remarkable feats, including becoming the Individual European Champion at the ESKA Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland in 2006, a title that had eluded British competitors since 1989.
Matt's passion for Shotokan Karate extends to coaching and instructing full-time. Alongside his good friend Nick Heald Sensei, he heads the renowned Leeds Karate Academy and also runs the Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club. He has also contributed to the Shotokan Karate Magazine and Ippon Magazine, writing numerous articles, and is highly regarded for his instructional kumite DVD series. Matt now collaborates with British Olympic Karate Coach Paul Newby Sensei and Ben Richardson Sensei, another assistant JKS National coach, to nurture and develop the talents of karateka in Harrogate.
With its rich history, exceptional instructors, and commitment to providing top-quality training, Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club is the ideal place for karate enthusiasts of all ages and abilities in Harrogate.