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Rainhill Kase Ha Shotokan Karate Academy

Instructor Profile - Yvonne Doyle

My name is Yvonne Doyle and I have practiced karate for over 40 years. I hold the grade of 6th Dan awarded by the Kase Ha Shotokan Ryu Karate Do Academy. I am a member of the Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha International Instructors Academy and the English Shotokan Academy Technical Committee.

I started training in 1975 at Huyton Karate Club with Sensei Jimmy O'Grady. He later moved to full contact karate and I chose to continue with the Karate Union of Great Britain (KUGB) and moved to train at Liverpool Red Triangle where I attained 1st Dan.

I was privileged to be allowed to train in the instructor’s class with seniors including Sensei’s Andy Sherry, Bobby Poynton and Frank Brennan.

In 1982 I became extremely ill and as a consequence was unable to train for several months. Returning to the club was difficult because of my physical condition, I went to train with Sensei Steve Cattle. I never looked back.

As I recovered my physical condition I realised that I had never trained so hard, with such intensity and with an instructor who expected so much.

In addition to attending club training sessions, Steve fully took me under his wing and commenced a regime of training on a one to one basis, largely conducted in Sefton Park, Liverpool. These sessions took both training and fitness to an entirely different level.

I travelled with Steve as often as possible and I would accompany him whenever he went to teach. He would introduce me as his second daughter or his protégé and to people he knew well, the “Animal”, because of my ferocity and fighting spirit.

In May 1984 I attended Crystal Palace and trained for the week prior to my 2nd Dan grading. During the grading, I completed my kihon with the first of the three examiners and moved onto the next area where I would complete the kumite element of the grading. At this point Sensei Enoeda halted the kata section of the grading and came and stood at the edge of the area and watched me fight.

At the end of the grading he called me out of the line of candidates and demanded to know who my instructor was. Steve was then called to speak with Sensei Enoeda and much to his relief was told that I was to be given a place on the KUGB England National Squad and that I was invited to train with him at his London dojo.

That evening I did not celebrate. I sat quietly contemplating the championships that were taking place the next day. I realised that I needed to be placed In the ladies kumite event to justify the squad place that I had been given by Sensei Enoeda. Fortunately with the support of Steve, and the rest of the club I reached the final and came second.


The 1985 KUGB squad with Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Andy Sherry


The 1986 KUGB squad with Sensei Enoeda and Sensei Andy Sherry

Steve refused to teach me competition (sport) karate; his philosophy was that he would develop my knowledge of Shotokan Karate, and if along the way we won the odd competition that would be a bonus.

He also taught me that winning did not necessarily mean I met the standard he demanded of me, e.g. I was in the final of a kata competition and all the Judges had put me in first place except Steve. In fact, Steve had given me a very low score and a very high score to the girl in second place, enough to drop me to second place.

Later I spoke to him regarding his decision. He calmly pointed out to me that I should have won, however, he was only marking my kata and what I had produced simply wasn't to the standard he required of me. I immediately understood the lesson he had given me and since then I have always aimed, on every occasion, to do my best.

In 1988 I resigned from the KUGB National Squad to start a family. I continued to train throughout my pregnancy, however, Steve only allowed me to partner him because he didn't trust anyone else and he became my permanent partner predominantly working on kata. I was six months pregnant when I won the northern region ladies kata championship performing Unsu.

In 1990 Steve decided that it was time to leave the KUGB and to follow the teaching of Sensei Kase. He asked me if I would join him and I consequently became one of the founder members of the English Shotokan Academy (ESA).

If Steve was unable to attend an international course, a representative of the ESA would attend on his behalf. Consequently, at 23 years old, I represented the ESA in Utrecht where Sensei Kase was teaching and who was at that time beginning to form the World Karate Shotokan Academy.

In 1991 my second child was born and I took a short break from training before resuming and winning the Butokukai National Championship in 1993, 1994 and 1995.

Around this time I went to Portugal on holiday and trained at a local club. Within a few minutes of starting the lesson the instructor stopped the class and asked if I trained with Sensei Kase. I confirmed that I did and was asked to take over teaching the class. I taught for the rest of the holiday.

I retired from competition following Steve's death in 1995.

During the years following Steve's death I trained intermittently until my husband suggested that I set myself some goals and return to training with purpose. In 2011, I returned to serious training, regularly attending at St Helens with Michaylo Fedyk, Southport with Rob Willis and my own individual training sessions.

Applying the philosophy and the principals taught to me by Steve, it is my intention to encourage my students to embrace Kase Ha Shotokan Karate and as their skills progress, to encourage them to participate in both national and international courses.

"Write Down Your Thoughts So Others Can Follow Your Path".

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Grading

"You are responsible for everything you do - never blame others".

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Tournaments

I have been placed in more than 100 competitions, however, having embraced Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, I do not feel that they are of importance and can no longer list all of them as I have disposed of all but a few trophies. The following list has predominantly been completed from magazine articles and press cuttings.

"You can not teach people anything. You can only help them discover it within themselves".

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Kase Ha Shotokan Ryu Karate Do Academy Courses Attended

"Good teachers are the people who can make you better, than you ever thought you could be".

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