The pandemic had far too many victims. One was the Olympic Karate studio.
The combination of decimated attendance and the retirement of its founder, Professor (ninth dan) Mike Donovan, in his 70’s, ended the business. The school was started in London in 1972, making it the longest running martial arts studio in the city. It left behind a legacy of excellence. Professor Donovan’s greatest pride came from the scholastic accomplishments of his black belt graduates, which was outstanding.
There is no measure to the benefits acquired by the thousands of students who attended his classes through the decades. I personally attended for 10 years and am a huge advocate for the benefits of martial arts training, having gained them myself. My daughter also acquired her black belt.
I was contacted earlier this year by Professor Donovan’s son, Master Sensei (fifth dan) Stephen Donovan. Stephen has been training for over 30 years, starting at the age of four. Master Sensei Donovan approached me with the concept of a partnership where he would continue his excellent teaching and I would take care of the day-to-day business operations, freeing him to do what he does best.
It is with great pride that we announce the birth of the Olympic Karate Academy.
Our goal is to combine the very best of modern technology (online classes, support, and registration) with a return to old school traditional systems and training.
This is not a school to attend if you are interested in acquiring a bunch of trophies and ribbons. We could not care less about these trappings.
This is a school that you should attend if you are interested in acquiring physical, spiritual and mental strength for you or your children. This is a school that is dedicated to preparing its students for the potential grim reality of physical confrontation or bullying – with a heavy accent of avoidance of combat. The reason I enrolled my daughter was because I knew she would be safer, smarter and stronger. What parent doesn’t want that?
Submitted by Olympic Karate Academy
