President & Chief Instructor:Vassie Shihan Naidoo - 7th
Dan (USA)
Vassie Shihan has over 40 years of experience in the art of
Goju Ryu. He began training in South Africa then moved to Thailand, Hong Kong, and Japan finally
Nominated as Unsung Hero by NBC
settling in Santa Monica, California. He received his Shodan and Nidan
from Goshi Yamaguchi Hanshi and Sandan from Gogen Yamaguchi Hanshi in 1978. Vassie Shihan has
been a student of Shihan Leo Lipinski (highest ranked JKF Goju Kai and Seiwa Kai
Member outside Japan ) since 1966.
He travels to Japan annually representing the United States to receive
instruction by the world's highest ranked Goju Ryu masters. Other annual international destinations for Vassie Shihan are Canada, Mexico, Columbia, South Africa, Australia, and India where he teaches in seminars.
Within the United States he travels quarterly to Chicago, San Francisco, San
Diego, Washington, and Texas.
Vassie Shihan was one of the few non-white men to practice karate in South Africa, but in 1975,when apartheid was at it's
highest point, he held South Africa's first multiracial karate tournament with Stuart Booth Shihan in a
soccer stadium in Durban. During his earlier years he was a kata and kumite competitor, never wearing
protective gear (hand pads, mouthpieces, or groin protectors).
Goju Ryu Seiwa Kai 7th Dan
JKF Goju Kai 6th Dan
One of the highest ranked Goju Kai members in Panamerica
In 2004 inducted into South Africa Hall of Fame as a prominent and promising martial artist.
President and Chief Instructor of Goju Ryu Seiwa Kai USA
President of JKF Goju Kai USA
Member of JKF Goju Kai USA Testing Panel
C.E.O and chief instructor of K.I.C.K. (Karate for Inner City Kids) a non profit
organization, helping kids keep off the streets, drugs, and gangs
1998 chosen by NBC News as Unsung Hero working and helping Inner City Kids