|
PROFESSOR JOE HOLCK
Professor Joe Holck is the founder of the Kodenkan Yudanshakai.
In the early 1930's a young Joe Holck ditched his Japanese language
class and brashly walked into a dojo at the local Honwangji Temple
asking the Japanese Judo sensei if he could learn. Because he was
of mixed Japanese and Hawaiian descent he was promptly turned away.
In time, his childhood friends told him of a Japanese "judo" teacher
who teaches everyone. With the help of his friends he located the
dojo and asked the teacher if he could learn. Prof. Henry Seishiro
Okazaki accepted him as a student and the young Joe Jolck began
to sell newspapers on the street corner to pay for his lessons.
Thus began his lifelong study of Danzan Ryu Jujitsu and his dedication
to Prof. Okazaki. Danzan Ryu as translated and interpreted by Joseph
Holck, means in a deeper sense "steps to greater heights".
The system teaches the student to think beyond the achievement
of higher ranks in the martial arts. Instead, the student learns
to develop and grow throughout the steps in life itself.
Service in the U.S. Army took him from his studies in the martial
arts when the United States entered World War It. He returned home
from war torn Europe and continued his study of Danzan Ryu under
ProfSi fried Kufferath When he achieved the level of proficiency
required, he was promoted and received his kaidensho mokuroku from
Prof. Okazaki.
Prof. Holck co-founded Hawaii's Kajukenbo system along with Peter
Choo, Adriano Emperado, George Chang and Frank Ordenez. His contribution
to the Kajukenbo system was the introduction of judo and Danzan
Ryu Jujitsu techniques.
Prof. Holck moved to Arizona in the early 1960's and helped his
brother, Shihan Roy A.V Holck, establish the first jujitsu school,
the Kodenkan of Tuscon, in the state of Arizona. In 1967 he founded
the Kodenkan Yudanshakai. Achieving the rank of Colonel, Prof.
Holck retired from the U.S. Army and remaiend in Tuscon, Arizona,
where he resides with his wife, Amy. He continues to dedicate his
teachings of the martial arts to Prof. Henry S. Okazaki and Prof.
Sig Kufferath.
Prof. Joe Holck is ranked as a Judan, 10th Degree Black Belt
|
