Sensei Ismail started learning karate in Montreal, Canada in 1975, with Sensei Francois Gelina.
From 1980 to 1986 Sensei Ismail continued training with Sakurai Sensei at the Shidokan Academy, and later managed the club with Melarie Taylor until 1990. Moving to New York, Sensei Ismail continued his training with Mori Sensei and then came to England in 1999. Since that time, Sensei Ismail trained regularly with (the late) Enoeda Sensei and now trains with Ohta Sensei.
Achievements:
1988 Training at Komazwa University for three month, with Oishi Sensei
1995 Completing two year B level instructor course, with Mori Sensei
1998 Completing two year A level instructor course with Mori Sensei
1998 Competing Shoto Cup Paris USA
2003 Technical Director JKA England
2011 Head Coach JKA England squad, Shoto Cup Thailand
Head of Association head@jka-england.org
Dave Paulus is a professional karate instructor with over thirty-five years of dedicated training and teaching experience. He is the chief instructor at Yushikai Karate Academy and runs a full-time dojo in Essex, where he has produced many National Champions, with some going on to become European medallists.
In 2024, Dave successfully graded to 6th Dan in Okinawa at the JKA Spring Camp, and also holds the following JKA International Qualifications;
Instructor (B)
Judge (B)
Examiner (C)
Dave achieved a career goal in 2012 after being selected for the JKA England Squad. He went on to represent England at the JKA European Championships in the Czech Republic that year.
Dave has travelled extensively to further his karate knowledge and has trained with many of the worlds most prominent Shotokan Instructors, including Sensei’s Enoeda, Kanazawa, Ueki, Osaka and Tanaka to name a few. He has also spent time in the USA training with former UFC LHW Champion Lyoto Machida and his brother Chinzo.
However, Dave credits most of his success to Ohta Sensei – Chief Instructor to JKA England.
Dave was appointed Assistant Coach to the JKA England National Team in September 2020 and Deputy Head of JKA England in January 2023.
Deputy Head of Association deputyhead@jka-england.org
Tracey started karate in 2011 after her then 10 year old daughter challenged her when she made a sideline coaching comment that she “wasn’t even a white belt”. Figuring that it couldn’t possibly be too difficult, she tried out a class at Budokwai. While it was more difficult than she anticipated, she enjoyed the focused concentration of the classes. Tracey was very surprised a few years later to realise she was on the cusp of gaining her 1st Dan in December 2015 and she now trains at Westminster SKC under Sensei Gary Stewart.
In February 2022 she passed her 3rd Dan and holds JKA International Qualifications Instructor C, Referee D and Examiner D.
Tracey is a Chartered Public Accountant (Canada) and has worked in the finance role for a number of small charitable foundations and members associations since moving to the UK in 2007. Tracey was appointed JKA England National Team Manager from January 2018 to June 2022 and started in the role of interim Financial Officer in November 2018, formally joining the Executive Committee in July 2022.
Finance/Membership Officer finance@jka-england.org membership@jka-england.org
At school, Dominic briefly studied Judo and then Kickboxing but started Karate in the early ’90s with Senseis Bobby Grant and Mike Sinclair from the Fulham Karate Club and has never looked back.
He is a long term student of Ohta Sensei and is Chairman of Oasis SKC where he has trained since 2004 and a two time National Kata Champion in the veterans category and recently came 2nd in the Funakoshi Gichin Online Festival.
Dominic has trained in Japan at the JKA Honbu Dojo completing Kan Geiko (Mid-winter training) for 9 consecutive years. He is a JKA Qualified International Instructor and Referee and teaches at Oasis SKC and on invitation at other Clubs.
Dominic served as the London and South East Region Officer for a number of years and was appointed Events Officer in July 2022.
Events Officer events@jka-england.org
David began his martial arts journey in Shukokia Karate under Sensei Paul Graham, earning his 1st Dan at just 11 years old. After a break from training during his later childhood, he resumed martial arts at Loughborough University, where he began practicing Shotokan Karate, attaining the rank of Nidan (2nd Dan).
In 2016, David and his family joined JKA England, where he progressed to the rank of Sandan (3rd Dan). He has since earned his C instructor, C referee, and D examiner licenses and now serves as the chief instructor at Northamptonshire Karate.
David pursued a degree in Physical Education and Sports Science at Loughborough University and was subsequently selected for their much sought after PE teacher training program. He spent four years as a PE and Maths teacher in secondary education before moving into the Further Education sector, where he served as a sports teacher and manager for 15 years. Currently, he works in Higher Education as an Ofsted Assurance Manager.
David has worked, without pause, in the education sector and as such has always been qualified in line with the ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ legislation. He has held multiple managerial roles with responsibility for the safeguarding compliance of staff, children and vulnerable adults. Currently, David works closely with the safeguarding lead at a large university in the West Midlands to ensure safeguarding compliance in line with Ofsted’s framework.
Safeguarding Officer safeguarding@jka-england.org
