2014 AAU KARATE NATIONALS RECAP

The 2014 AAU Karate National Championships, which took place the beginning of July in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida was a great success.  The event hosted numerous athletes, coaches and officials from all over the United States.  The event hosted three days of competition at the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention Center. 

On Thursday, July 3rd, the Nationals kicked off at 8 AM with the traditional Opening Ceremonies where Jo Mirza, the AAU Karate National Chair, welcomed all of the participants and honored our three Hall of Fame Inductees. 

The inductees included:

• Sensei Chuzo Kotaka
• Sensei Tatayuki Mikami
• Sensi Fumio Demura

Other awards distributed in the morning included our annual AAU Karate Scholarship, which awards one male and female athlete with $1,000 towards their college tuition.  This year the Scholarship was awarded to Luke Sartino from Adamson’s Karate – Sensei John Adamson and Ena Latic from Dragon Karate NY – Sensei Sulejman Latic. 

During the Opening Ceremonies it was an honor to give out the Top 20 Clubs at this year’s Nationals which included (in no particular order):

• Kokoro Karate & Fitness Center - Sensei James Esopo
• Mark Pinner Karate – Sensei Mark Pinner
• Ocala Karate Dojo – Sensei William Woodard
• AIJK – Sensei Tony Butler
• Florida Karate Academy – Sensei David Roth
• Triangle’s Best Karate – Sensei Steve  & Cyndy Robinson
• Eggleston Karate School – Sensei Michael Eggleston
• Adamson’s Karate School – Sensei John Adamson
• Dragon Karate NY – Sensei Sulejmen Latic
• Chris Welbon Karate School – Sensei Chris Welbon
• Ichiban Karate – Sensei Dwight Grover & Liz Satriano
• Focus Martial Arts – Sensei Jim O’Hara
• Labbate’s Karate – Sensei Marvin Labatte
• ENSO Karate – Sensei Jay Nacu
• UCSD Karate – Sensei Alfonso Gomez
• Kurokawa Martial Arts – Sensei Carmen Diaz
• Keiko Shin Karate Academy – Sensei Ernest Fuentes