Leeds Karate Academy was formed in January 2001 by Nick Heald 5th Dan and Matt Price 4th Dan, both KUGB National Team members. The Academy has quickly established itself as one of the most successful clubs in the KUGB. Due to winning the Team Kumite title at the National Championships two years consecutively, along with Matt being crowned Grand Champion in 2002, the Academy has reached a high profile very quickly.
In July 2002, the Academy became one of the largest clubs in the UK when it merged with the Harrogate Shotokan Karate Club run by Matt and the Leeds Shotokan Karate Club run by Randy Williams 5th Dan. Randy was a former National Team member and KUGB and EKB National Champion. This was a natural progression as Randy, Nick and Matt were already the joint instructors at the Leeds University Karate Club. They had also formed the 3-man team that won the KUGB National Championships in 1999 whilst competing for Leeds Shotokan.
The Academy can trace its origins back over 4 decades to a point where Karate was not only new to Leeds, but to the UK as a whole. All 3 instructors were students of Bob Rhodes 7th Dan, one of the most senior instructors in the KUGB, and himself a former GB International. For over 30 years Bob was the Chief Instructor of the Leeds Shotokan Karate Club. Bob was himself a student of Ronnie Wade, a GB International in the 1960′s.
In every decade since the 1960′s, Leeds has produced KUGB International competitors. Next to the Red Triangle Club from Liverpool, Leeds has been the most successful club at the KUGB National Championships, having won the Men’s Team Kumite title no less than 7 times.
In December 2007 Sensei Williams decided to leave the LKA and run Leeds Shotokan independently.
Below we have included a table showing all the KUGB National Champions that Leeds has produced. We have also included some photographs showing Leeds Karate dating back to the 1960′s.
| Year | Event | Competitors |
| 1973 | Male Team Kumite | Ronnie Wade, Bob Rhodes, Steve Cattle, Andy Harris, Jack Hodgkinson, Ken Commons and Geoff Williamson |
| 1980 | Boys Kata | Sean Roberts |
| 1981 | Boys Kata | Sean Roberts |
| 1984 | Male Team Kumite | Randy Williams, Geoff Fletcher, Norman Gomersall, Kevin Rushworth, Barry Howgate and Keiran Brady |
| 1986 | Boys Kumite Over 5’5” | Corin Gibbon |
| 1991 | Boys Kumite Under 5′ | Simon Haggerty |
| 1992 | Team KataJunior Kumite | Sean Roberts, Nick Heald and Matt PriceRichard Backhouse |
| 1993 | Male Kata | Sean Roberts |
| 1994 | Male Team KumiteTeam Kata
Male Kata Boys Kumite Over 5’5” |
Randy Williams, Nick Heald, Matt Price, Wilbert Liburd, Mike Smith, Sean Roberts and James HoldsworthSean Roberts, Nick Heald and Matt Price
Sean Roberts Simon Haggerty |
| 1995 | Male Team KumiteTeam Kata
Male Kata Female Kumite |
Randy Williams, Nick Heald, Matt Price, Wilbert Liburd, Simon Haggerty, Sean Roberts and Mike SmithSean Roberts, Nick Heald and Matt Price
Sean Roberts Brenda Heald |
| 1996 | Female Team KumiteTeam Kata
Male Kata Male Kumite |
Caroline Quansah, Maria Borg and Viv Rowland
Sean Roberts, Nick Heald and Matt Price Sean Roberts Randy Williams |
| 1997 | Female Team KumiteTeam Kata
Male Kata |
Caroline Quansah, Maria Borg and Viv RowlandSean Roberts, Nick Heald and Matt Price
Sean Roberts |
| 1998 | Male Kata | Sean Roberts |
| 1999 | Male Team KumiteTeam Kata | Randy Williams, Nick Heald, Matt Price and Duncan RandallSean Roberts, Nick Heald and Matt Price |
| 2000 | Male Kata | Sean Roberts |
| 2001 | Male Team Kumite
Male Kata |
Nick Heald, Matt Price, Guy Noble and Duncan Randall
Sean Roberts |
| 2002 | Male Team KumiteMale Kata
Male Kumite |
Matt Price, Duncan Randall, Liam O’Grady and Nick HealdMatt Price
Matt Price |
| 2003 | Male Kata | Matt Price |
| 2004 | Male Team KumiteMale Kata
Children’s Team Kata Children’s Ippon Kumite |
Nick Heald, Matt Price, Duncan Randall and Scott WatsonMatt Price
Jamie Bending, Jordon Probst and Ryan Tucker Michael Gale |
| 2005 | Male KumiteBoys Kumite Over 5’5”
Boys Kumite 10 and 11 Yrs |
Matt PriceRyan Tucker
Jordon Probst |
| 2006 | Male KumiteBoys Kumite 5′- 5’5”
Boys Kumite Under 5′ Boys Kumite 10 and 11 Yrs |
Matt PriceTom Little
Jordon Probst Michael Gale |
| 2007 | Male Team Kumite
Female Team Kumite Junior Kumite 16 and 17 Years Childrens Kata Under 4th Kyu |
Matt Price, Ryan Tucker, Joe Hart and Tom Little
Natasha Balyckyi, Ashley Scott, Adwoa Hughes-Morley and Zoe Starr Ryan Tucker Lucy Nunn |
| 2008 | Adult Team Kata
Junior Male Kumite 18-20 Yrs |
David Wright, Ryan Tucker and Ashley Scott
Ryan Tucker |
There are a selection of photos covering the history of Karate in Leeds dating back to the 1960′s in the gallery section. For a description of the picture, hover over the image. For a larger image then click the photo you want to see. Many thanks to Bob Rhodes and Tom Crane for their kind permission to use many of the pictures shown here.
