Sensei Martin Vaughan |
Chief Instructor
Regional Director |
Sensei Vaughan began training in 1972 with Mr. Golden at the Ohio Univ. karate club. He made shodan in 1974 and nidan in 1977. He was a member of the team, president of the club and an assistant to Mr. Golden during his time there. Also, during this time Sensei Vaughan was a member of the 1st place national collegiate kata team (finishing 2nd by 0.1 to the 1st place team in the national tournament). This team then went on to represent the U.S. (and win 1st place) at the Pan American tournament held at the Olympic Velodrome in Montreal, Canada in 1978. In 1976 Sensei Vaughan placed 2nd in individual kata at the International Goodwill tournament at Master camp. Many times he represented the Mid America region at the National tournament in kata and kumite.
In 1985 Sensei Vaughan moved to Mississippi and trained with Jerry Kattarwar, Sr. and Mr. Mikami. He placed several times at local and regional competitions and represented the Southern region on several occasions.
In 1988 Sensei Vaughan moved to Rochester, NY and eventually began teaching at the ISKF club at the Univ. of Rochester. While at Rochester he trained many shodans and nidans and regional level competitors. In 1990 he joined the instructor trainee program of the ISKF/JKA and was certified as a "D" level judge. In the next years Sensei Vaughan was advanced to "C" and "B" level (at the time "B" was the highest , non-Japanese, level and the entry to international tournaments). Sensei Vaughan is currently an "A" level Judge. In 1996 he received his "D" instructor certification and in 1997, received his "D" examiner certification, and was promoted to grade “C” instructor and examiner at Master Camp in 2007. He is currently an "A" level instructor and a "B" level examiner. Sensei Vaughan made sandan in 1990, yondan in 1994, and godan in 1999. Sensei Vaughan passed the rokudan dan exam at Nationals in Alaska (2006) and his shichidan at Nationals in Scottsdale, AZ. (2012). Sensei received his hachidan at the ISKF Master Camp in 2023. All of his dan rankings were taken with Mr. Okazaki (godan, rokudan, shichidan and his hachidan were by the national examining board).
Sensei Vaughan has served as a judge at many national tournaments, and he has judged internationally at many Shoto World Cups and Pan American Tournaments. He was also the assistant coach to the ISKF junior team at the 2004 Shoto World Cup held near Tokyo Japan.
He credits Mr. Golden with beginning to teach him how to become an effective instructor and Mr. Okazaki with finishing what Mr. Golden started. Mr. Mikami didn't influence how he teaches as much as he influenced what he taught. He feels very fortunate to had direct contact with these three great karate instructors.
Sensei Vaughan has a Ph.D. in Life Sciences/Physiology, was a research scientist with the USDA, Associate Professor of biological sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology and was a Lecturer in Biology at Indiana Univ. Purdue Univ. Indianapolis. He is an Advanced Physical Fitness Specialist certified by the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research. He has taught and done research in sport science and physiology.
Sensei Vaughan moved back to Mid America in 1999 where he started the Indiana ISKF club in Indianapolis.
Sensei Vaughan has since moved to Michigan where he started the Michigan ISKF karate club.
In 1985 Sensei Vaughan moved to Mississippi and trained with Jerry Kattarwar, Sr. and Mr. Mikami. He placed several times at local and regional competitions and represented the Southern region on several occasions.
In 1988 Sensei Vaughan moved to Rochester, NY and eventually began teaching at the ISKF club at the Univ. of Rochester. While at Rochester he trained many shodans and nidans and regional level competitors. In 1990 he joined the instructor trainee program of the ISKF/JKA and was certified as a "D" level judge. In the next years Sensei Vaughan was advanced to "C" and "B" level (at the time "B" was the highest , non-Japanese, level and the entry to international tournaments). Sensei Vaughan is currently an "A" level Judge. In 1996 he received his "D" instructor certification and in 1997, received his "D" examiner certification, and was promoted to grade “C” instructor and examiner at Master Camp in 2007. He is currently an "A" level instructor and a "B" level examiner. Sensei Vaughan made sandan in 1990, yondan in 1994, and godan in 1999. Sensei Vaughan passed the rokudan dan exam at Nationals in Alaska (2006) and his shichidan at Nationals in Scottsdale, AZ. (2012). Sensei received his hachidan at the ISKF Master Camp in 2023. All of his dan rankings were taken with Mr. Okazaki (godan, rokudan, shichidan and his hachidan were by the national examining board).
Sensei Vaughan has served as a judge at many national tournaments, and he has judged internationally at many Shoto World Cups and Pan American Tournaments. He was also the assistant coach to the ISKF junior team at the 2004 Shoto World Cup held near Tokyo Japan.
He credits Mr. Golden with beginning to teach him how to become an effective instructor and Mr. Okazaki with finishing what Mr. Golden started. Mr. Mikami didn't influence how he teaches as much as he influenced what he taught. He feels very fortunate to had direct contact with these three great karate instructors.
Sensei Vaughan has a Ph.D. in Life Sciences/Physiology, was a research scientist with the USDA, Associate Professor of biological sciences at Rochester Institute of Technology and was a Lecturer in Biology at Indiana Univ. Purdue Univ. Indianapolis. He is an Advanced Physical Fitness Specialist certified by the Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research. He has taught and done research in sport science and physiology.
Sensei Vaughan moved back to Mid America in 1999 where he started the Indiana ISKF club in Indianapolis.
Sensei Vaughan has since moved to Michigan where he started the Michigan ISKF karate club.