Arizona Karate Instructor Nominated for Man of Year

ARIZONA MARTIAL ARTIST HONORED

2011-12-25T08:11:00.000-08:00

Soke Hausel accepted the invitation by Action Martial Arts Magazine’s Hall of Honors 2012 for induction reports Topix. Hausel, a martial arts instructor for more than 4 decades, taught karate, kobudo, jujutsu and self-defense at four universities prior to opening a martial arts center in Arizona. An instructor of Shorin-Ryu Karate, the art originally developed on Okinawa, he focuses primarily on training adults of all ranks - from beginner to the most advanced black belts. Remember Mr. Miyagi and Daniel-san in the Karate Kid? Same karate!

Master Alan Goldberg, publisher of Action Martial Arts Magazine wrote to Hausel in November stating,

“Congratulations, we take great pride and pleasure to inform you of your Induction as an Ambassador to the Martial Arts, into the largest and one of the most Prestigious Martial Arts Halls of Honor in the World”.

Soke Hausel (right) stands with his son Eric who is also a polymath.

Action Martial Arts Magazine touts its event as the world’s largest gathering of martial arts superstars, film and combat celebrities and renowned masters in the world. The event has become known as the Academy of Awards of Martial Arts held at the Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey in January, 2012. Hausel will accept induction into the Hall of Honor and the award for Outstanding Contributions to Martial Arts as a Grandmaster.

Hausel is the grandmaster of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate and world head of the international organization Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai, also known as Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Renmei and Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Budo Bugei Renmei.

In 2004 he was presented certification for 10^th degree red belt and presented certification as Sokeshodai (grandmaster) in 1999.

No stranger to Halls of Fame, we found during conversations with Soke Hausel and research on the internet that he has been inducted into more than a dozen halls of fame – some for martial arts, some for geosciences, and some as a polymath.

How rare is that? We couldn’t find any statistics but we personally don’t know any Hall of Fame inductees; we don’t know of any in our neighborhood, let alone any in the schools we attended? As we pondered this we watched some of the great athletes turned TV commentators. How many of them were inducted into more than one Hall of Fame, let alone for different professions?

At the turn of the century, Soke Hausel was inducted into the Millennium Hall of Fame as a polymath because of contributions to geological sciences, public speaking, writing and martial arts (he was also active in art, astronomy and music). He declined nomination for a similar Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2001, he was inducted into the National Rock Hound and Lapidary Hall of Fame as a geosciences educator for rock hounds and prospectors and is an author of few hundred books, articles and geological maps.

His martial arts background is impressive. We won’t mention all of the dozens of awards and inductions, but a few include the 2005 World Martial Arts Black Belt Hall of Fame in Malaysia, the 2004 American Karate Association Hall of Fame in Ohio, the 2004 World Head of Martial Arts Society Hall of Fame in the Philippines, the 2003 Latin America Martial Arts Society Hall of Fame in Puerto Rico, the 2001 North America Black Belt Hall of Fame in California. He was awarded Instructor of the Year in 1998 and 2004, the International Instructor of the Year in 2001, and Grandmaster of the Year in 2000, 2002, 2003 and 2005 by various national and international martial arts associations.

In recent years, he declined several Hall of Fame inductions, national awards and international awards for martial arts and geological sciences. We asked him why on earth he would do this. His answer was he is simply tired of traveling and would much rather be teaching his students in Arizona and those that travel to Arizona to see him.

“Don’t get me wrong, I consider these nominations and awards to be a great honor and I am humbled by them, but my family and students need me more”. The upcoming induction ceremony will take place at the Tropicana Resort in Atlantic City, New Jersey on January 20^th.

ARIZONA KARATE INSTRUCTOR - WHO'S WHO IN THE WORLD

2011-12-25T07:33:00.000-08:00

Fred Marks Editor-in-Chief of Who’s Who in the World writes that many famous people have biographies that appear alongside the biography of Phoenix, Arizona’s outstanding martial arts instructor and grandmaster.

Professor Hausel, hall of fame martial arts
instructor from Arizona, demonstrates a
restraint on Sensei Jason Gies from Chicago
during a jujutsu class at the University
of Wyoming (UW photo).

In the recently published Who’s Who in the World 2012 (29^th edition), Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge (née Kate Middleton), named one of The 100 Most Influential People in the World in 2011 by Time magazine, Didier Faivre, appointed Director of the Galileo program and navigation-related activities for the European Space Agency, Professional cyclist Cadel Evans, winner of the 2011 Tour de France, Dilma Rousseff, inaugurated in 2011 as the first female President of Brazil, Carolyn S. Miles, newly appointed President and CEO of Save the Children and others’ appear alongside the biography of Arizona Polymath W. Dan Hausel.

Geoscientist Hausel discovers the Grizzly Creek
colored gemstone deposit in Wyoming in 2004.

Hausel is a world-renown Martial Arts Instructor and member of more than a dozen Halls of Fame scattered worldwide. He is a geoscientist, author, public speaker and artist, and in the past worked as a guitarist for some rock n' roll bands and was employed as an astronomer. He also conducted geochemical research on some of the first lunar samples recovered by the Apollo program. But as a geoscientist, he may be best known for his many discoveries.

He is the world head of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo Kai and operates a hombu dojo (martial arts facility and school) on Baseline between Arizona and McQueen at the border of Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona. He is a 10^th degree black belt and a member of several halls of fame for achievements as a polymath. Today, he teaches adult classes at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate and Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu in Arizona.

Each year the Who’s Who staff researches people from around the globe who merit inclusion in Who's Who in the World. Beginning with the first edition of Who's Who in America in 1899, which featured such luminaries as Thomas Edison and Mark Twain, Marquis Who's Who publications have represented the most comprehensive sources available for information on human achievement.

Grand Canyon University Professor Earns Master Degree

2011-10-28T13:21:00.000-07:00

SO How Does a PhD Earn a Master Degree? Easy! Join a Traditional Okinawan Martial Arts School Operated by a Soke (Grandmaster).

Dr. Neal Adam is awarded both Godan (5th degree black belt)
and Shihan (Master Instructor) certificates by Soke Hausel at
the Seiyo Kai Hombu in Mesa.

Wax on, wax off. It takes decades of dedication & training to master a martial art. When most people think of a master of martial arts, they often visualize an old, wise monk; or a faster than life karate master who is indestructible. But to be a true master of martial arts, one must not only master the physical skills of a martial art, but they must also master oriental philosophy, history and traditions.

It is also rare for a PhD to earn a Master Degree: not the master’s degree from a university, but a master degree in Shorin-Ryu Karate. Remember Daniel-san from the original Karate Kid? Mr. Myagi taught Daniel-san Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate - the same art taught at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and Gilbert at 60 W. Baseline Road. Reaching the level of PhD and Professor requires dedication to a particular field of study and research leaving little time for anything else. And to do the same in martial arts is rare.

Dr Neal Adam, associate professor of biology at Grand Canyon University, has dedicated the past 30 years to learning karate while pursuing a career in science. His love for karate reached a high level of comprehension of Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Seiyo Kai Karate and Kobudo. To reach this level of expertise, one must understand the mechanics and physics of karate, they must comprehend the philosophy of the art, they must learn dozens of complex forms and be able to demonstrate these forms without thinking and with extraordinary power and focus, and they must master ancient weapons, and must learn to defend themselves effectively.

Mild mannered Dr. Adam in his traditional
university professor uniform

The Master degree is a measure of one’s expertise and translates in Japanese as Shihan. Dr. Neal Adam reached this level and was presented certifications of Shihan and Godan (5th degree black belt) after testing in front of Soke Hausel, world head of Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo at the Hombu (world headquarters) in Mesa.

In addition to demonstrating an understanding of karate and kobudo, Dr. Adam was also required to develop new forms of kobudo. He created a new form of hanbo (3-foot staff) and applications for self defense, and also developed a new form using common everyday tools of his trade for self-defense: eye glasses, rulers, pens, belt, etc. The new form was named the Nerd-ja kata.

Grandparents Earn Black Belts at HOMBU in Mesa Arizona

2011-10-28T13:11:00.000-07:00

Soke Hausel, Paula Borea and Bill Borea pose for FOX 10 news
interview and discussion of what traditional martial arts is all
about.

The Arizona School of Traditional Karate, also known as Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu, in Mesa, Arizona congratulated Bill and Paula Borea of East Valley of Phoenix, Arizona for successfully passing exams in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate. It's not rare for two people to earn black belts, but it is rare for a married couple who are also grandparents. Furthermore, the two earned 2nd degree black belts.

According to Hausel, 10th degree black belt, this is the first time he has ever heard of a married couple who are senior citizens earning black belts on the same evening. Hausel has taught martial arts for more than 40 years and promoted a Canadian married couple to black belt during the same evening, but they were in their mid-20s. Another couple from the University of Wyoming earned 3rd degree black belts in the same year, and were later married. They were also in their mid to late 20s. As far as senior citizens, he did have one professor earn a 1st degree black belt in his 80s, but this is rare.

Sempai Paula Borea trains with the heart of
a samurai at the Mesa Hombu after receiving
promotion to nidan black belt. Actually, Paula
is of a samurai blood line.

Bill and Paula Borea underwent 1.5 weeks of exams in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo. Both were required to demonstrate advanced forms (known as kata), Okinawan weapons (known as kobudo) and Samurai Arts (known as kobujutsu). They also had to demonstrate defenses against a variety of attacks including an assailant with a knife, gun and rifle. They were successful and promoted to Nidan (2nd degree black belt) in karate and kobudo at the Arizona dojo in Mesa (60 W. Baseline Road).

But there are even more unusual circumstances about this couple that is made for a movie script. For example,

• few people ever reach the level of 2nd degree black belt in Okinawan Shorin-Ryu karate. This is because of extreme dedication and many years of training that are required.

• Both Bill and Paula Borea have been training for many years and each trained in Japan while Bill Borea was stationed in Japan as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

Senpai Bill Borea (nidan) trains with kobudo
class at the Arizona School of Traditional
karate. Here he trains in nunchaku-jutsu.

• Paula Borea's story alone is the kind of stuff made for a novel or movie. She is half Japanese. After World War II, she was born to a Japanese mother and American serviceman. Being a child of two opposing cultures, much of her Japanese family disowned her and she was given up to adoption at the age of 5 (and her life was even threatened by one Japanese uncle).

• Later in life, she returned to Japan with her husband, where she met her mother for the first time since the forced separation and the two shared many tears.

• Paula is not only of Japanese descent, she is also of samurai lineage and has always had an interest to her heritage. This led her on a search for a traditional martial arts school in Arizona that would bring her closer to her Japanese heritage. She found the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa provided her with that part of her life that was missing and started training under Grandmaster Hausel in 2006.

Watch out Bill! Paula is showing her samurai lineage again!

• Both Bill and Paula are grandparents who show that with the right attitude, anything can be accomplished.

• Bill and Paula Borea show this everyday in their lives. People who claim they cannot work out because of physical limitations need to met these two extraordinary people - one recently had back surgery and the other open heart surgery. Both continue to train at the school in Mesa 2 to 3 times a week. Paula reports that the Arizona School of Traditional Karate is as traditional as anything she saw in Okinawa. Bill reports that karate training saved his life by greatly improving his health.

Mesa Grandparents are Karate Masters: MyFoxPHOENIX.com

HALL of FAME instructor & GRANDMASTER teaches Arizona librarians what books are really for

2011-10-28T12:57:00.000-07:00

Librarians USE Books & Knees

Librarians at the Chandler Public Library in Arizona listen to
Hall-of-Fame Grandmaster Hausel discuss the use of library
tools for self-defense.

Imagine – you’re in-between bookshelves at the public library just before closing – someone sneaks up behind and grabs you. What do you do with that book in your hand?

Several librarians and staff of the Chandler Public Library were confronted with this and other imaginary scenarios at a recent seminar taught by Hall of Fame martial artist and grandmaster, Soke Hausel of the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa (60 W. Baseline Road, Mesa) and world head of Seiyo No Shorin-Ryu Karate Kobudo Kai in Gilbert, an international association of Okinawan Karate and Kobudo. Kobudo is a martial art that teaches use of Okinawan farming and fishing implements, as well as modern garden and construction tools, as weapons of self-defense.

Charles Jean, a student of Soke Hausel
assists in demonstration on how books
can be used in self-defense.

During the seminar, Hausel taught the attendees how to escape from wrist grabs, lapel grabs and bear-hugs, by using their elbows, knees, feet and hands and how to use books, magazines, coins, pens, belts, and car keys for self-defense tools against aggressive attacks. The attendees were surprised to find they were working with potential self-defense weapons every day and even checking them out to the public. Who would have thought that a book or rolled up magazine could be so effective in self-defense.

Hausel has taught similar self-defense clinics and seminars to local political groups, EMT, university faculty and staff, military, scouts, teachers, women’s clubs, sororities, religious groups, martial arts instructors, etc. He is a professor of martial arts who taught at four universities in past years and currently teaches karate, kobudo and self-defense in the East Valley.

And what should a librarian know about their knees and feet?

Halloween in Okinawa?

2011-10-28T12:45:00.000-07:00

So what does a HALL-of-FAME samurai do on Halloween?

It’s Halloween; the season of ninja, the season of pumpkins, the season of samurai? It’s all of these at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate at the border of Mesa and Gilbert on Baseline where things are always a little different. Different because the school stresses ‘traditional’ curriculum (remember Mr. Myagi in the Karate Kid?), and because classes are taught by Hall of Famer, Soke Hausel, 10^th dan, a kojyu of budo (professor of martial arts) and world head of Shorin-Ryu Karate & Kobudo (Seiyo Kai) a traditional style of Okinawan martial arts. Classes are also taught by Shihan Neal Adam, 5^th dan, a master of karate and kobudo and also an active professor at one of the local universities. But where does Halloween fit into traditional arts?

Students of the Arizona School of Traditional Karate and Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo not only train in traditional karate and kobudo, they also train in samurai and other arts, so they get a better, all-around martial arts and self-defense education. For example, Soke Hausel has certifications in 23 martial arts and takes advantage of this by teaching a diversified curriculum to his adult classes. Some of the arts taught by the hall of fame grandmaster include Okinawan karate, nunchaku, tonfa, kama, bo, hanbo, nitanbo (two sticks), sai, tanto (knife), yari (spear), naginata, manrikigusari (chain), gusarigama (sickle and chain), katana (samurai sword), kuwa (garden hoe), eku (okinawan oar), shuriken (star darts), jujutsu and other arts.

Soke Hausel love to teach martial arts.

But imagine smashing pumpkins – not the famous alternative rock band, but rather smashing pumpkins with a karate punch, kick, or just slicing them with kama (Okinawan sickles) or katana, better known as a samurai sword. Why would anyone do this? Because it is Halloween, it gives the students an opportunity to see how well their technique has developed, and most of all, it brings members together in friendship and works towards the ultimate goal of becoming more self-confident and better all-around members of society at 60 W. Baseline Road.

East Valley Karate Instructor is WHo's Who

2011-08-04T13:18:00.000-07:00

EAST VALLEY HALL OF FAME martial artist was recently inducted into the 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012 Who’s Who in the World, Who's Who in America and Who's Who in Science and Engineering!

Retired kyoju (professor of Budo) from the University of Wyoming has been inducted in several Who's Who Compendium's for many accomplishments as a polymath in karate, kobudo, self-defense, samurai arts, geological sciences, education, writing, public speaking, art and astronomy.

Soke Hausel taught karate, jujutsu, kobudo, samurai arts and self-defense at the University of Wyoming for 30 years before moving to Arizona. Several dozen UW students, faculty and staff were awarded rank certificates by the Grandmaster, and many earned black belts and are teaching at various schools around the world.

Hausel, who is a North American Black Belt Hall of Fame, World Martial Arts Black Belt Hall of Fame (Malaysia), World Head of Society Hall of Fame (Philippines), Latin America Martial Arts Hall of Fame (Puerto Rico), World Karate Union Hall of Fame (Pennsylvania) and American Karate Association Hall of Fame (Ohio) inductee along with other Halls of Fame including the National Rock Hound and Lapidary Hall of Fame and the Milleniuum Hall of Fame was contacted by Fred Marks, editor-in0chief of Who’s Who in the World 2012 indicating that they have nominated Hausel for their prestigious biographical book again. Hausel has appeared in Who’s Who for nearly a dozen years.

Hall of Fame Grandmaster Hausel at Arizona School
of Traditional Karate in Mesa and Gilbert.

Photo by Kenrick Davis

Hausel has taught a few thousand students during his more than 45 year martial arts career while at four major universities including 30+ years at the University of Wyoming prior to opening the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and the International Training Center for Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo. He is an award-winning artist, public speaker, writer and geologist in addition to martial arts.

MARTIAL ARTIST LOVES to TEACH KARATE and KOBUDO at ARIZONA School of Traditional Karate

2008-11-23T12:24:00.000-08:00

Through time, a white belt turns black with age - as time continues, black turns to white - only now has the journey begun

It's rare for anyone to be recognized for being the top of their field: and nearly unheard of for a person to be the top of two fields, yet one Gilbert Arizona resident has been recognized for being at the top of more than one profession - a teacher of martial arts at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa and a geoscientist who has published a few hundred books, professional papers, geological maps, general interest articles in geology, prospecting and martial arts, and abstracts.

Grandmaster Hausel, a polymath, loves to teach martial arts. He likes to break rocks (with his hand while practicing karate or with a rock pick when practicing geology). In the past, many national and international organizations recognized him for teaching ability and creativity such as the International Instructor of the Year (2001), the Instructor of the Year (2004), and presented the 2001 Education Award. In 2001, he became one of the only people in North America be inducted into two Halls of Fame for two different professions in the same year. The grandmaster may be a workaholic, but this can be a great benefit to the public and in particular to his students. He is a member of 15 Halls of Fame scattered worldwide.

Soke Hausel is known for his work in martial arts as well as geology, public speaking, art and writing and has received regional, national and international awards for all of these fields. But he agrees he is no genius, just a person with a work ethic who found the right opportunities in life. In his early life, he indicated he was extremely bored and often chastised by his teachers and fellow students for day dreaming. He just needed to get out on his own and focus on his dreams to bring them to reality - a form of affirmations or goal setting.

After teaching martial arts at the Universities of Utah, New Mexico, Arizona State and Wyoming over the past 40 years, Soke Hausel opened a martial arts training center in Mesa-Gilbert Arizona, known at the Hombu (at Baseline and MacDonald) and the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa to continue teaching martial arts to the general public and to members of the international Shorin-Ryu karate association. Soke Hausel teaches Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo, one of the oldest forms of karate developed in Okinawa, and is also considered to be one of the top economic geologists in the region.

He loves teaching prospectors how to find gold, diamonds and even colored gemstones, and loves to teach martial arts. Traditional martial arts in particular have special emphasis on history and people - "It is very important we teach our students to be good people. We want to help our students along their paths of integrity and compassion". Soke has taught martial arts for 40 years primarily in the university environment. He loves kata (forms) as they are expressions of past karate masters methods of self-defense and meditation, he loves breaking rocks, training with weapons, body hardening and more.

Because of his contributions, he has been highlighted in Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, Who’s Who in America, and Who’s Who in the World. He was also nominated for the International Einstein Award for Scientific Achievement (which he declined) and membership in the Hall of Fame for Distinguished Accomplishments as well as nominated for the Action Magazine's Hall of Fame in 2009 and 2010: all three of which he turned down.

He was contacted by Dr. J.M. Evans, Director of the Board of International Research recently who wrote, “It is my great pleasure to invite you to be the 2008 recipient of the American Biographical Institute’s Man of the Year Medal…I commend you for your level of accomplishment . I personally selected you for Man of the Year...”. He turned down this honor also as he felt it was a bit too much, but he appreciates their nomination. He noted it is nice to be recognized for his lifelong accomplishments, but feels that he has not done anything earth shaking to be considered for such awards.

Recently the grandmaster at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate was contacted by Marquis Who's Who congratulating him for his inclusion in Who's Who in America (2011), Who's Who in the World (2011) and Who's Who in Science and Engineering (2011). According to the grandmaster it is simply a phenomenon of love - he loves to teach martial arts, he loves to see his students develop their potential as a martial artist and he loves teaching people about geology and prospecting.

As a geologist, he has been awarded several significant awards including the AAPG's President's Award, the Wyoming Geological Assocation's Distinguished Service Award, the PDAC's Thayer Lindsley Award for an Major International Gold Discovery, Cambridge University Archimede's Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Geological Sciences, the University of Wyoming Distinguished Lecturer.

To learn more about Soke Hausel and his interest in martial arts and geology, stop by his dojo in Mesa. People are always welcome to stop by the Arizona School of Traditional Karate.

Map to the Dojo

The Seiyo Kai International training center is open to the public and focuses on teaching Adults and Families self-defense, Okinawan Shorin-Ryu karate, kobudo, samurai arts, jujutsu and more importantly, how to improve your body, mind and spirit. The Seiyo Shorin-Ryu Hombu and Arizona School of Traditional Karate are located in Mesa and provide an example of traditional decor in a karate dojo (school). Classes at the Arizona School of Traditional Karate in Mesa are

Soke demonstrates kotekikai with Donette
Gillespie, 3rd dan,at the half-time at
the University of Wyoming 1997.

TUESDAYS
(6:45-7:50 pm) Basics (kihon), Forms (Kata) & Applications (Bunkai).
(7:50-8:20 pm) - Advance Shorin-Ryu Karate Kata.

WEDNESDAYS
(3-4 pm) Karate & Kobudo.
(4-5 pm) Shorin-Ryu Kids
(6:45-7:50 pm) Self Defense
(7:50-8:20 pm) - Samurai Arts

THURSDAYS
(6:45-7:50 pm) Weapons (Kobudo & Kobujutsu).
(7:50-8:20 pm) Advanced Kobudo

Clinics are offered to the general public, business groups, other non-martial artists and martial artists in karate, self-defense & for specialty groups. For example, the center recently trained the karate team from northern India, trained martial artists from Boston and Switzerland, members of a karate association in Utah, and a group from Colorado and Wyoming. Soke traveled to Wyoming to teach a series of clinics in self-defense to the students, staff and faculty at the University of Wyoming and also taught advanced karate applications to the University of Wyoming Campus Shorin-Ryu Karate and Kobudo Club in Laramie. In the near future, Soke Hausel will also teach clinics in Murray, Utah, East Canyon, Utah and Gillette, Wyoming and scheduled a self-defense clinic for women in Mesa and Gilbert, Arizona.

Training at Gillette, Wyoming

Mixing geology & martial arts - Soke
teaches students to break rocks at UW.
Why rocks? Because they are
interesting, cheaper & more
challenging than boards.

The International Training center may have some of the lowest rates in the East Valley even with the super quality of training and expertise. According to the grandmaster, this is the result of being traditional rather than sport oriented. In traditional martial arts, one accepts lower fees as it is the concept that traditional martial arts are for improving the student's life, rather than the instructor's life.

Contact Us

International Shorin-Ryu Karate Association
by Seiyo Kai International

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