In the world of karate, has earned more black belts than most others who are alive and kicking.

The Surrey resident, a master of the martial art, has practised karate for more than five decades, and still teaches at a dojo in Langley.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檝e been at it since 1965, so wesa国际传媒檙e looking at around 54 years now,sa国际传媒� Owens recalled.

As a rare ninth-degree black belt, or , with and others, hesa国际传媒檚 still at the top of his game.

sa国际传媒淚n this organization, the JKA,sa国际传媒� he said, sa国际传媒渢he highest at one time was a ninth-degree black belt, because you cansa国际传媒檛 get your 10th until you die, so I donsa国际传媒檛 want the 10th,sa国际传媒� he explained with a laugh.

sa国际传媒淪ome of the rules have changed a bit, but ninth, to me, is the highest while yousa国际传媒檙e still alive.sa国际传媒�

During his 71 spins around the sun, Owens has also earned a significant number of certificates, awards and accolades from several karate associations around the globe, and has learned from some masters of the martial art.

Twice a week, as chief instructor, Owens brings those Shotokan karate skills and knowledge to a dojo in Langley operated by , in the .

Itsa国际传媒檚 a long way from East Vancouver, where Owens was raised, grew to love karate and also worked as a police officer, starting in 1981 and ending with a 28-year career with the VPD.

sa国际传媒淚 was about 33 when I joined the police force,sa国际传媒� he explained, sa国际传媒渟o when I got out of the academy, I started the police dojo a year later, around 1982.

sa国际传媒淚 just wanted to get the police (officers) involved, and a number of them joined and worked their way through, right up to black belt,sa国际传媒� Owens added, proudly.

In those days, he worked in Chinatown and the Downtown Eastside, among other beats, and grew familiar with the gangs and thugs who frequented the area.

Earlier, on the mean streets of the mid-sa国际传媒�60s, learning karate was a no-brainer for Owens.

sa国际传媒淲ell, I grew up in East Van sa国际传媒� that says it all right there,sa国际传媒� he said with a laugh. sa国际传媒淲e got into lots of scraps and so forth, so I started off looking for a better way. I was always successful but you know, you always get hurt somehow when yousa国际传媒檙e fighting people, but I was looking for something where maybe I didnsa国际传媒檛 get hurt so much, you know. I looked at everything sa国际传媒� kung fu, different karate styles, but they didnsa国际传媒檛 really suit my personality, but then I found my instructor now, Hiroo Yamashiro, and that was it.

sa国际传媒淭he interesting part is,sa国际传媒� he added, sa国际传媒淚 was fortunate to train with some of the great masters that started the JKA, like (Jun) Sugano and , the head of it, and with , their technical director. Most people may not know these names but, you know, anybody in the karate world sure does.sa国际传媒�

Today, Owens is vice-president of World Japan Karate Association, and takes seriously his role of teaching others.

sa国际传媒淵ears ago an instructor said to me, you have to understand that yousa国际传媒檙e getting older and you have to pass it on and take that responsibility,sa国际传媒� Owens explained. sa国际传媒淎nd really now I understand that relationship, as a senior person you need the credentials to be able to grade people and have them respect it. I started to accept that over time.sa国际传媒�

At age 71, Owens remains active in the dojo but, like anyone, hesa国际传媒檚 not as young as he used to be.

sa国际传媒淚 thought I was 21 the other day so Isa国际传媒檓 limping a little bit today,sa国际传媒� he said recently.

sa国际传媒淚 still have a group of students,sa国际传媒� Owens continued, sa国际传媒渁nd one thing I always tell them is, itsa国际传媒檚 great to have all the accolades and certificates and be accepted by your peers sa国际传媒� wonderful, actually sa国际传媒� but karate is the practice, and so I still practice every single day. I have a small dojo upstairs in my house, and so Isa国际传媒檓 there a lot.

sa国际传媒淎s for teaching, the rule is, for every hour you teach you should put two hours of practice in, going over it, and you have to do that. I still put in an hour every day, but sometimes I end up doing two hours or more, just because you get into it, and I love it. You have to learn, because you can get sloppy. I have a group of friends and we still get together and practice, and every week one person has the job to criticize everybody else, and we all have input. The problem is, once you get to my rank, nobody wants to criticize you. Thatsa国际传媒檚 just the culture of karate.sa国际传媒�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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