On Friday September 29th 2023
the Pine Tree Wind Board of Okinawan Masters and Grandmasters
voted 5 to 3 with one non-vote for me to be promoted a year early
for Grandmaster in the style of Shorinjiryu Kempo Karate Do.
With a Senior Sokeship in my created style of
Shurinju Tiger Ryu Kempo.
So the day after my 59th Birthday on Thursday April 4th 2024
I will be an official Grandmaster.
Oss!
Master Timothy L. Kerofsky, MA Shorinjiryu Kempo 9th Dan
April 3rd 2023
To the Pine Tree Wind Board of Grandmasters Okinawa Hanshi Otaka
Dear Board of Masters and Grandmasters,
I am writing this short essay to appeal for an early Grandmaster or the Hanshi title and the 10th Dan ranking of traditional Okinawan and Japanese Karate. Though the board will be voting early I feel I will make a great Grandmaster. Even though I am not truly eligible for Grandmaster until the age of 60, here is why, in my tiredness life journey, I believe I would make a great Grandmaster.
I started my martial arts journey at the age of 10 with 5 free introductory lessons at the local karate studio. My dad signed me up to better my coordination. I lacked arm and eye coordination and had a stuttering speech impediment as well. This lead me to being bullied all throughout my elementary and junior school years, actually bullied throughout my entire life. I practiced at the local dojo until my dad was laid off, I was 14 then.
In 9th grade woodshop I was beat up by 3 bullies and hit in the head with a board. It was then I got back into karate to learn how to fight and learned my base style of Shuri Te Karate. I trained under the tutelage of Sensei Jess Mills until I joined the Navy in 1984.
While in the Navy I learned other styles of the martial arts. The other styles where American Kenpo, Hung Gar Kung Fu, and Shorinjiryu Kempo. Though they all were not Okinawan or Japanese styles they help me grow, mature, and develop myself. As I continued to practice the martial arts I realized it was not about fighting or hurting another, nor seeking revenge on those who did me wrong and bully me; but about staying healthy and in good character. In with that knowledge I developed my own system of the martial arts called Shurinji Tiger Ryu Kempo that became registered with the council who honored me as a Soke in 2020.
With my journey in life and the martial arts I overcame much. Besides being bullied and picked on I was injured in the navy. I served in combat in Iraq and was in an explosion which caused a TBI. I got injured on a ladder well causing spinal stenosis and nerve damage. In my life I overcame much with the loss of a child who fell through the ice and drowned right before Christmas 6 years ago. And we had a fire in our home. And even with all those hardships the martial arts helped me grow into who I am today; a man of integrity, good moral values, of kindness, compassion, and a big heart.
These are the qualities I believe will make me a great Grandmaster.
And these are the qualities in which I passed down to my student and onto my oldest son as he follows my path into his martial arts journey.
Oss.
Timothy L. Kerofsky, MA
Shurinju Tiger Ryu Kempo, Soke, my created style
Master Miriam Stevens (1948 - 2020), Shorinjiryu Kempo, 10th Dan Grandmaster, April 4th 2024
Sensei Jess Mills (1940 - 2011) Quint Cities Judo and Kar ate, Moline IL 1976-1984 (1994), Shuri Te Karate, 1st Dan, 1994
and Hakko Ryu Jujitsu, 2nd Dan, 1994
Master Lo Wong (1898 - 1996) Hong Kong, Hung Gar Tiger Fist Kung Fu, Red Sash, 1990
Ed Parker (1931 - 1990) and Ed Booze Long Beach Kenpo, Long Beach CA 1987-1990, American Kenpo Karate, 1st Degree, 1990
Newport Karate Club, Newport Karate Do, 2nd Dan 1998, 3rd Dan 2000, 4th Dan 2005, 5th Dan 2011
Note my other promotions were under the Pine Tree Wind School, here are the dates:
6th Dan 2013, 7th Dan 2014, 8th Dan 2016, 9th Dan 2018.
Master Sun Yong Lee, WTF Tae Kwon Do Center, Virginia Beach VA, WTF Tae Kwon Do, Red Belt 1998
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