Local Ryan Rogers, a student of Green's Karate and a U.S. Karate Team athlete since 2016, has earned his black belt with Green's Karate. Ryan was diagnosed, high functioning autism in 2013. Even though he was on the U.S. Karate Team, he wasn't a black belt, although he is America's best, in his division. Ryan has won two PKF International medals (Curacao 2017, Panama 2019) and is a four time U.S. Karate (USANKF) karate champion. Ryan has also competed in two world Championships in Austria (2016, Spain 2018).
Ryan is the first in the International Kenwa Kai Association, (organization Green's Karate has been affiliated with since 1998), with autism to do so.
This standard is set by 9th Degree Black Belt Sensei Katsutaka Tanaka, the president of the International Kenwa Kai Assocation and is the vice-president of the Nihon Karate Do Kenwa Kai. Sensei Tanaka will be visiting Green's Karate to teach karate to everyone and he has done so with Green's Karate since 2003. Sensei Tanaka is one of the highest black belts in the world and is the head of the Technical Committee for U.S. Olympic Karate and was head of the officials committee for several years. He will hold several seminars Thursday from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m.-noon that are open to the public to come watch for free. Go to Green's Karate facebook page at facebook.com/greenskarateschool to view the flyer, class specifics and times.
Sensei Corey Green, owner of Green's Karate, will be promoted to 3rd degree black belt.