Chief Instructor Chuck Kerrigan's Bio

Mr. Chuck Kerrigan began his martial arts training in 1965 at a small school in Pittsburgh, PA He later became the main instructor at that small local school. In 1971 the school joined the All Japan Federation - Chito-Kai. For the next 12 years, Mr. Kerrigan traveled bimonthly to the headquarters 300 miles from Pittsburgh.

These efforts, in addition to competing, judging, and coaching on an international level, resulted in him being the first individual in the Northeast U. S. to earn a Yon dan (fourth degree black belt) in the Chito-ryu style of Karate.

In 1983, Mr. Kerrigan met Mr. Osamu Ozawa, one of the founders of the world renowned Japan Karate Association and most senior Japanese instructor in the Western Hemisphere. A short time later he was asked to join Mr. Ozawa's Tradtional Karate International Confederation (TKIC). As a traditional karate-ka, Mr. Kerrigan was required to start over in the Shotokan style. He worked his way to Go-dan (5th degree Black Belt). After Ozawa Sensei's death (April 14, 1998), Sensei Kerrigan affiliated with the American Shotokan Karate Alliance (ASKA) and holds Roku-dan (sixth degree black belt) rank with that organization.

Mr. Kerrigan has been fortunate enough to teach with and train under some of the most outstanding Shotokan and non-Shotokan karate practitioners in the world. Currently, he is the chairman and chief instructor for the Traditional Karate-Do Association with branches throughout Greater Pittsburgh and a member of the American Shotokan Karate Alliance Shihan-kai (Masters' Union) for national and international affairs.

Our dojo continues to carry the name given by Ozawa Sensei (Shu Ha Ri) and is dedicated to his philosophy of traditional karate.