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The ESA was established by the late Steve Cattle in January 1990 Sensei Steve Cattle (1947-1995) 6th Dan WKSA/JKA |
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"SENSEI
KASE is planning a SYSTEM OF SHOTOKAN KARATE which will Steve was for many years a student of Sensei Taji Kase and it was from his desire to pursue a more traditional form of Shotokan karate that inspired him to form the ESA. |
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ESA
LICENSE TOP
CORNER PIC SHOWS STEVE
CATTLE |
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Following the untimely death of Steve Cattle it was felt he was irreplaceable as Chief Instructor, and remains with the ESA as their Founder. Today the ESA is a fully constituted association, with a democratically elected executive responsible for the day to day management. The senior instructor's grades are internationally recognised through the WKSA. Uniquely they also have Dirk Heene, Chief Instructor to the Belgian Karate-do Shotokan Academy (BKSA) as Technical Advisor. Affiliated directly to the English Karate Governing Body, the ESA's responsibilities lie in providing technical guidance to the membership, the training of a squad to represent at National level and the provision of an NVQ coaching program designed to meet local authority requirements WEB
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TRIBUTE TO |
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have been many articles and tributes written about Steve many from personal
experience and I wish to add my own. As a member of the KUGB and later the ESA, I trained with Steve from the mid 1970's onwards, and more so in the latter days. I can remember working in my garage at home when my wife returned to inform me of his untimely death. To say I was shocked and saddened is an under statement. Steve's death was and is a sad loss for the world of karate, regardless of one's political views. In my youth I was privileged to be a member of the KUGB Northern Region squad and was taught on occasion by Steve. This was my first opportunity of meeting him 'one to one' in the combat arena. His vast knowledge and experience proved too much for me to handle - it was like a school boy rugby player meeting Martin Johnson head on. I learnt so much from Steve on combat strategy, tactics and his speciality movement. Later that same year I watched in awe as he faced Terry O'Neil in the KUGB national kumite final... and although the final decision went against him, the tactics he used against what was at that time considered to be the ultimate fighter, won him the respect of all who looked on. In 1986 when taking my 3rd Dan at Crystal Palace under Sensei's Enoeda & Kase, I looked to Steve for advice beforehand. It was Steve's attitude towards me which surprised and impressed me the most. Although we had known each other for some years, I didn't expect such a response. Steve treated me like I was his first priority, and coached me through to the point where he attended on the day... and sat in the wings to give me all the support and encouragement that I could have ever wished for. His advice was fantastic and proved successful. Afterwards when I tried to thank him for his help, it was his modesty which struck home to me. I will be for ever in his debt. Like many other eminent karateka Steve suffered with hip problems and eventually gave way to surgery. It was shortly after his second replacement op and during an ESA training seminar that he impressed me the most. We trained along side each other under the guidance of Belgium's Dirk Heene when performing an exercise involving four directional blocking and countering. Steve set a blistering pace which he maintained for the entire exercise and one which I tried but failed to match. Here was I ten years younger with two good hips and I still could not catch this karate machine. Following a training session, we had many a long conversation over a pint or three. Steve was always one for his stories and for those who had never seen him in action, they might have disbelieved some of what he said. For me, I welcomed every opportunity to learn more about this unique man, he was a natural people magnet and leader. I am proud to say that I knew Steve and will be influenced by his karate ability and personality throughout the remainder of my life, for his example is applicable to me in my life ethics as it is in the dojo. Mike Cowburn 5th Dan |
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