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.

91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檝e been at it since 1965, so we91裸聊视频檙e looking at around 54 years now,91裸聊视频� Owens recalled.

As a rare ninth-degree black belt, or , with and others, he91裸聊视频檚 still at the top of his game.

91裸聊视频淚n this organization, the JKA,91裸聊视频� he said, 91裸聊视频渢he highest at one time was a ninth-degree black belt, because you can91裸聊视频檛 get your 10th until you die, so I don91裸聊视频檛 want the 10th,91裸聊视频� he explained with a laugh.

91裸聊视频淪ome of the rules have changed a bit, but ninth, to me, is the highest while you91裸聊视频檙e still alive.91裸聊视频�

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 .

It91裸聊视频檚 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.

91裸聊视频淚 was about 33 when I joined the police force,91裸聊视频� he explained, 91裸聊视频渟o when I got out of the academy, I started the police dojo a year later, around 1982.

91裸聊视频淚 just wanted to get the police (officers) involved, and a number of them joined and worked their way through, right up to black belt,91裸聊视频� 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-91裸聊视频�60s, learning karate was a no-brainer for Owens.

91裸聊视频淲ell, I grew up in East Van 91裸聊视频� that says it all right there,91裸聊视频� he said with a laugh. 91裸聊视频淲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 you91裸聊视频檙e fighting people, but I was looking for something where maybe I didn91裸聊视频檛 get hurt so much, you know. I looked at everything 91裸聊视频� kung fu, different karate styles, but they didn91裸聊视频檛 really suit my personality, but then I found my instructor now, Hiroo Yamashiro, and that was it.

91裸聊视频淭he interesting part is,91裸聊视频� he added, 91裸聊视频淚 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.91裸聊视频�

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

91裸聊视频淵ears ago an instructor said to me, you have to understand that you91裸聊视频檙e getting older and you have to pass it on and take that responsibility,91裸聊视频� Owens explained. 91裸聊视频淎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.91裸聊视频�

At age 71, Owens remains active in the dojo but, like anyone, he91裸聊视频檚 not as young as he used to be.

91裸聊视频淚 thought I was 21 the other day so I91裸聊视频檓 limping a little bit today,91裸聊视频� he said recently.

91裸聊视频淚 still have a group of students,91裸聊视频� Owens continued, 91裸聊视频渁nd one thing I always tell them is, it91裸聊视频檚 great to have all the accolades and certificates and be accepted by your peers 91裸聊视频� wonderful, actually 91裸聊视频� but karate is the practice, and so I still practice every single day. I have a small dojo upstairs in my house, and so I91裸聊视频檓 there a lot.

91裸聊视频淎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. That91裸聊视频檚 just the culture of karate.91裸聊视频�

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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