News

Mr. Soliday, 9th DAN, is offering a Masters' Class on Thursday nights. For Black Belts that are interested in training for their next rank, being able to work out with other Black Belts, or just wanting to get back in after being out of karate for a while, this class would be ideal. Some of the highest ranking Soliday Black Belts attend this class as well as the Masters who trained Mr. Soliday - Mr. Darrell Maggard and Mr. Bob Santine.

A newspaper cameraman from the Eureka Springs' Lovely Citizen newspaper was present at the 2009 DragonFest Karate Tournament and took some pictures of Katie Carr, 2nd DAN as she competed at the tournament. The photos are courtesy of the Lovely Citizen and their website can be found at... www.lovelycitizen.com

Mr. Soliday traveled to Eureka Springs, Arkansas to attend the American Karate Association's 2009 DragonFest Karate Tournament. Ms. Katie Carr, 2nd DAN and Brown Belt Scott Carr also attended to compete. Both Katie Carr and Scott Carr are leading their respective divisions to receive National Championships again this year. Mr. Soliday particpated in judging Black Belt divisions at the tournament. Katie Carr also participated in judging several divisions. Katie Carr won 1st Place in Fighting and 1st Place in Forms Competition. Scott Carr won 1st Place in Fighting and won 3rd Place in Forms and 3rd Place in Weapons Competition.

Katie Carr, 2nd DAN and Sensei of the Mannford Institute of Karate brought her student, White Belt Quint Morrow, to compete at the Shotokan Tiger's 2009 Tournament of Youth - "The Pirates Realm". Quint competed in Fighting competition and won 2nd Place! Katie also competed and took 1st Place in Forms Competition as well as 1st Place in Fighting! Grandmaster Janis Fraley took some time out from the tournament to visit with Katie, and was kind enough to have her picture taken.

Sensei Katie Carr instructs her student, White Belt Quint Morrow Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, pictured with Ms. Janis Fraley, 10th DAN at the Shotokan Tigers' Karate Tournament

Mr. Soliday, 9th DAN, pictured with Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre, 3rd DAN, and Mr. Teddy Soliday, 3rd DAN. The GOJU Warriors! Katie "Iron Fist" Carr, Midwest Martial Arts Fighting Champion, two time AKA National Fighting Champion, and 2nd Degree Black Belt, is pictured with Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre, MMA Champion, Kickboxing Champion, and 3rd Degree Black Belt, along with Japanese Goju Ryu Karate Fighting Legend Nancie "Tiny" Longacre, 7th Degree Black Belt!

Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre arrived in the Tulsa area to fight in the upcoming Strikeforce Challengers match which will be airing live on Showtime Sports! Thomas Longacre is a 3rd Degree Black Belt in Japanese Goju Ryu Karate under Mr. Soliday and went on to work with Apollo's Karate in addition to launching his professional fighting career in Kickboxing. Thomas later entered Chuck Norris' World Combat League and provided his strong leadership and skills to the Oklahoma Destroyers with fights so memorable they are featured on a Greatest Hits DVD available from the WCL! Thomas launched his MMA career in the eXtreme Fight League, eventually becoming the XFL's reigning Champion. With the upcoming Strikeforce Challengers MMA Cage Match in Tulsa, Thomas gets a shot at debuting in one of the larger Mixed Martial Arts circuits in the country - not to mention national television exposure as his fight will be carried live on Showtime Sports! More information on Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre can be found on his website at http://www.tkick.tv including his bio of how he entered into professional fighting! Thunderkick visited the Sand Springs Institute of Karate this past week, working out with the class and spending time with Sensei Scott Collins, 7th DAN. On Tuesday, Thunderkick came to the Sapulpa Institute of Karate, spending time with his Sensei and mentor, Mr. Soliday, 9th DAN. Thomas also spent time visiting with UGKA Instructor Teddy Soliday, 3rd DAN, as well as visiting with Ms. Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, who has benefited from more than one fight training with Thomas during her karate tournament career. Thomas' help, along with Goju Fighting Legend Nancie "Tiny" Longacre, 7th DAN, has contributed greatly to Katie's titles as a two time Oklahoma State Fighting Champion, two time American Karate Association Fighting Champion, Midwest Martial Arts Association Fighting Champion, and of course her recent induction into the Midwest Martial Arts Hall of Fame! Each of the schools and their students were extremely grateful for the time Thomas took out of his busy schedule to visit.

At Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre's weigh-in for the Strikeforce Challengers MMA fight on Showtime was Mr. Ted Soliday, 9th DAN and Goju Black Belt Legends and UGKA Directors Darrell Maggard and Bob Santini.

Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, and Scott Carr, Brown Belt, traveled to compete this weekend at the American Karate Association's Northwest Arkansas Open Karate Tournament in Springdale, AR. Katie Carr was able to visit a bit with Sensei Keith Bly, one of the hosts of the upcoming Natural State Classic later in September. Katie also was pleased to see Grandmaster Earl Gilkey, who was in attendance. Mr. Gilkey has provided a great deal of encouragement of Katie throughout the years, and he was quite helpful at this tournament as well! Summit of the Goju Champions!! Gilkey student Sam Wigley was also present and competing in this tournament! Sam and Katie spent a good bit of time visiting and catching up. While its hard to believe - Sam actually competes in more tournaments than Katie does! Katie took 1st Place in Fighting, and 4th Place in Forms competition. Scott Carr won 1st Place in Fighting, 3rd Place in Forms, and 3rd Place in Weapons competition.

Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, wins 1st Place in Fighting, 4th Place in Forms competition. Scott Carr, Soliday Brown Belt, wins 1st Place in Fighting, 3rd Place in Forms, and 3rd Place in Weapons competition. Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, with Sensei Patrick Crouch, 1st DAN from Groves Karate in Eureka Springs. Katie has been grateful for Sensei Crouch's encouragement and help in the AKA!

August 25, 2009 update: Martial Arts Entertainment Magazine has featured Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, in their "Women In The Martial Arts Series"! Martial Arts Entertainment Magazine features Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, in their "Women In The Martial Arts" Series! Katie Carr is an American Karate Association National Champion, a Midwest Martial Arts Association Champion, an Oklahoma State Champion, and a member of the Midwest Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Katie Carr is also a UGKA Black Belt Instructor and the Sensei and Founder of the Mannford Institute of Karate. Click HERE for Martial Arts Entertainment Magazine's "Women In The Martial Arts" feature section!

Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, visits with Mr. Richard Osborn, Sr, 9th DAN Scott Carr, Brown Belt, with 2nd Place Weapons, 1st Place Forms, and 2nd Place Fighting trophies. Katie Carr, 2nd DAN, with 3rd Place Forms and 3rd Place Fighting trophies from the Adult Women's Black Belt divisions.

Katie Carr, Sensei of the Mannford Institute of Karate and UGKA Instructor, and Scott Carr, Soliday Brown Belt, traveled to Joplin, Missouri to compete in the Midwest Martial Arts Association's Showdown in J-Town Martial Arts Championships. Katie Carr, a 2nd degree Black Belt, competes in the Adult Women's Black Belt divisions in the MMA Southern Conference to provide an increased level of competition. Katie took 3rd Place in Forms Competition, and 3rd Place in Fighting against some strong opponents. Scott Carr, Assistant Instructor at the Mannford Institute of Karate, took 2nd Place in Weapons competition using the Sai. Scott took 1st Place in Forms competition, and was able to compete for Grand Champion although he came up a bit shy on points. Scott took 2nd Place in Fighting competition. Mr. Richard Osborn Sr, 9th DAN, spent a bit of time visiting with Katie Carr, and was kind enough to get his picture taken with Katie. Katie also helped judge some of the divisions in the tournament, helping where she was needed.

Mr. Soliday, accompanied by his son Teddy Soliday, 3rd DAN, brother Richard Soliday and Soliday Brown Belt Scott Carr, traveled to Nashville, Tennessee to participate and be inducted into the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame! The United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame recognized Mr. Soliday's 43 years of active involvement in Japanese Goju Ryu Karate, his instructing one of the longest running schools in this part of the country, the Sapulpa Institute of Karate founded in 1967, and the rich traditions he has offered so many of his students for so long teaching karate in the same manner as it was taught to him by his Sensei Darrell Maggard, and brought back directly from Gogen Yamaguchi via Lou Angel. Mr. Soliday was inducted along with other martial arts pioneers, including the legendary Victor Moore, the man who fought them all! Mr. Soliday and Victor Moore after their Hall of Fame inductions

See the Sapulpa Herald for FULL article!

The Sapulpa Herald recently ran an article on the United States Martial Arts Hall of Fame's selection of Mr. Soliday for induction. Soliday 'humbled' by Hall of Fame selection Local karate teacher to be inducted Saturday "Soliday's karate class, which currently has 25 students, does push-ups at the beginning of class to loosen up muscles for more difficult drills later. With Soliday overseeing the class, Scott Carr (right), who is a brown belt, leads the students in their warm-up exercises. Photos by BEN JOHNSON/Herald"

Class Tour

Traditional Japanese Goju Ryu provides the context for building skills, experience, and self-confidence. View pictures from a class in action as students train under Mr. Soliday.

Gallery

Mr. Soliday's picture gallery Pictures from the past and present.

Ted Soliday started in Japanese Goju in 1966 with Ed Williams. On October 1, 1972 while training under Darrell Maggard at the Sapulpa Institute of Karate, he earned his black belt and received his rank from Hanshi Lou Angel. Mr. Soliday started his first karate school in 1967, teaching hundreds of students over the years the traditional form of karate he had learned. Later, Mr. Maggard turned over his school, the Sapulpa Institute of Karate, to Mr. Soliday where he has taught for many years. Mr. Soliday received the rank of Hachi Dan (8^th Dan) on March 9, 1996 from Mr. Lou Angel, (10^th Dan) Hanshi of Tenshi Goju Kai and head of the National College of MartialArts (NCMA) out of Joplin, Missouri. Mr. Soliday has been recognized and certified by 10^th Dan, Grand Master, Masayuki (Azato) Ward, Russelville, Arkansas, head of the Japanese-Okinawan Karate Federation. On July 27, 2002 Mr. Soliday received the rank of KYU DAN (9^th DAN) from Mr. Bill Briscoe and Mr. Bob Kinney who head the Wild Bunch Karate Association in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Mr. Soliday organized the United Goju Karate Association in January, 2002. Darrell Maggard, Bob Santini, Bill Briscoe, James Keys and Gary Boyd have agreed to act as a consulting board of directors for the organization giving the board over 100 years of combined experience in the martial arts. All of these gentlemen are from the "old" Japanese Goju schools of the early 1960(s), bringing to this organization the traditional Japanese Goju karate teaching values and methods.

Events Get the latest information and action of Thomas "Thunderkick" Longacre, 3rd DAN Goju as he competes in the World Combat League! Get more info and see more of Thomas at www.tkick.tv!!