Shihan Michael Monaco (8th Dan) recently announced the next "USA-IFK Chairman of the Board"! Shidoshi Sean Schenker has humbly accepted this new position as of January 1st, 2020.

Earlier this week Shihan Monaco released a letter-writing " It gives me great pleasure to announce Shidoshi Sean Schenker as "USA-IFK Chairman of the Board" beginning Jan 1st, 2020. Shidoshi Schenker comes to us with over 35 years in Martial Arts. He is a long-time practitioner of many arts including Kyokushin Karate with many years of training with the legendary Soshu Shigeru Oyama, Sensei Frank Clark and Shihan Mike Skinner. In this new role growing and developing the "Next Generation" USA-IFK Organization, he will be working closely with Sensei Dave Sheets (USA-IFK Technical Director) and the USA-IFK Strategy Team to achieve their goals and mission for the organization."

Shidoshi Schenker not only has many years of learning and living the way of martial arts but also has dedicated himself to teaching others. His martial arts dojo Fighting Spirit Karate (FSK) has thrived with over 250 students located Gardiner, NY. Through hard work and dedication, he assembled a team of elite Coaches and Semi-Contact Teen Fighters to bring home the gold from the 2019 British Open held in London. Many of us have also had the pleasure of attending his annual tournament "The Battle on the Boardwalk" in Atlantic City. This tournament was a great success last year and is promising to be even better this year!

When accepting his new position, Shidoshi Schenker expressed "I am deeply humbled, honored and grateful to have been asked to move into this new leadership position within the IFK. First, a sincere and humble "Thank You" to Shihan Monaco, Shihan David Pickthall, Hanshi Arneil and all of the USA-IFK dojos and IFK Fight Affiliate dojos for their belief and endorsement of me. " Shidoshi Sean Shencker further states "To say this is a life's dream is simply an understatement. The IFK is an extension of my past and my present, and I am thrilled for the opportunities it will provide students and people of Budo everywhere, both on and off the mat."

We are all looking forward to 2020 and the promise of growth for the USA-IFK and Kyokushin as a whole! OSU!

Source: uskyokushin.com