VASSIE NAIDOO

Vassie Shihan has over 40 years of experience in the art of Goju Ryu. He began training in South Africa then moved to Thailand, Hong Kong, and Japan finally settling in Santa Monica, California. He received his Shodan and Nidan from Goshi Yamaguchi Hanshi and Sandan from Gogen Yamaguchi Hanshi in 1978. Vassie Shihan has been a student of Shihan Leo Lipinski (highest ranked JKF Goju Kai and Seiwa Kai Member outside Japan ) since 1966.

He travels to Japan annually representing the United States to receive instruction by the world's highest ranked Goju Ryu masters. Other annual international destinations for Vassie Shihan are Canada, Mexico, Columbia, South Africa, Australia, and India where he teaches in seminars. Within the United States he travels quarterly to Chicago, San Francisco, San Diego, Washington, and Texas.

Vassie Shihan was one of the few non-white men to practice karate in South Africa, but in 1975,when apartheid was at it's highest point, he held South Africa's first multiracial karate tournament with Stuart Booth Shihan in a soccer stadium in Durban. During his earlier years he was a kata and kumite competitor, never wearing protective gear (hand pads, mouthpieces, or groin protectors).

• Goju Ryu Seiwa Kai 7th Dan
• JKF Goju Kai 6th Dan
• One of the highest ranked Goju Kai members in Panamerica
• In 2004 inducted into South Africa Hall of Fame as a prominent and promising martial artist.
• President and Chief Instructor of Goju Ryu Seiwa Kai USA
• President of JKF Goju Kai USA
• Member of JKF Goju Kai USA Testing Panel