Sensei Nick Heald (7th Dan) Biography

 Nick Heald started Shotokan Karate in September 1981 at the age of 15. A friend had told him about the club he was training at and when Nick saw an advert for the club in a local paper, he decided to join.

The club he had stumbled upon was Leeds Shotokan Karate Club run by Bob Rhodes, then a 4th Dan. Leeds Shotokan Karate Club had a strong reputation. Bob Rhodes was a former member of both the KUGB and All-Styles National teams. A full-time instructor and Grading Examiner for the KUGB, Bob was a Karateka equally at home with either Kata or Kumite. He passed this on to his students and they have consistently placed highly in both disciplines at National and International level.

In March of 1985, Nick achieved the rank of 1st Dan, which was awarded to him by Sensei Andy Sherry. It was as a result of his performance during the grading that Nick was invited by Sensei Sherry to join the KUGB Junior National Squad. Nick was thrilled by this news but had little idea of what he was letting himself in for. The KUGB Junior Squad sessions were legendary for their ferocity. Three hours of training that seemed to border on the murderous on occasions. Individuals would be pushed to their physical and mental limits under the constant gaze of Sensei Sherry.

As part of the KUGB Junior National Squad, Nick won his first trophy when he took third place in the Junior Lightweight Kumite at the English Karate Board All Styles National Championships in 1985.

In total, Nick competed for 20 years and was part of the KUGB Senior Squad for 14 years.  He competed internationally for the KUGB many times and took an Individual Bronze at the Nakayama Cup in Poland in 1996.  He was also a European Team Kumite Gold medallist in Portugal in 1996 as well as twice Silver medallist in Team Kumite at the WSKA World Championships, once in England the other in the Czech Republic.

Along with Matt Price, Nick started the Leeds Karate Academy in January 2001.  It has gone on to become a highly successful club littered with senior grades and high calibre competitors.

In January 2012 Nick was instrumental in leading the LKA to join JKS England, allowing club members access to top quality Japanese instruction and WKF competitions, the highest level of Karate competition available.  

Nick currently holds the rank of 7th Dan which he was awarded in December 2018 in Tokyo, Japan.  .

Career Highlights

Sept 1995

Represented England at WSKA World Championships, Sunderland, England
2nd Team Kumite, 3rd Team Kata

Sept 1995    

KUGB Shotokan Cup
3rd Mens Kumite

Nov 1995    

Represented England at ESKA European Championships, Pori, Finland
3rd Team Kata

April 1996    

KUGB National Championships
1st Team Kata

June 1996    

Represented England at ESKA Nakayama Cup, Belchatow, Poland
3rd Mens Kumite

Aug 1996    

Represented GB at JKA World Shoto Cup, Osaka, Japan

Nov 1996    

Represented England at ESKA European Championships, Lisbon, Portugal
1st Team Kumite

April 1997    

KUGB National Championships
1st Team Kata

Oct 1997    

KUGB Northern Regional Championships
Team Kumite 1st

Nov 1997    

Represented England at ESKA European Championships, St Polten, Austria
3rd Team Kumite

April 1999    

KUGB National Championships
1st Team Kata, 1st Team Kumite

Sept 1999    

KUGB Shotokan Cup
3rd Mens Kumite

Sept 1999    

Represented England at WSKA World Championships, Moscow, Russia
3rd Team Kumite

Nov 1999    

Represented England at ESKA European Championships, Cadiz, Spain

April 2000    

Graded 5th Dan

Oct 2000    

KUGB Northern Regional Championships
Team Kumite 1st

Nov 2000    

Represented England at E.S.K.A. European Championships, Switzerland
Male Team Kumite 3rd

April 2001    

KUGB National Championships
Male Team Kumite 1st, Individual Male Kumite 3rd

Sept 2001    

Represented England at WSKA World Championships, Prague, Czech Republic
Male Team Kumite 2nd

Oct 2001    

KUGB Northern Regional Championships
Team Kumite 1st

Nov 2001    

Represented England at ESKA European Championships, Vienna, Austria
Male Team Kumite 3rd

May 2002   

KUGB National Championships
Male Team Kumite 1st

Oct 2002    

KUGB Northern Regional Championships
Male Team Kumite 1st,

Oct 2003    

Qualified as KUGB Judge

Nov 2003    

KUGB Northern Regional Championship
Male Team Kumite 1st, Male Kumite 1st

April 2004    

KUGB National Championships
Male Team Kumite 1st, Male Kumite 2nd

Oct 2004    

Qualified as KUGB Referee

May 2005    

KUGB National Championships
Male Team Kumite 2nd

Sept 2005    

KUGB Shotokan Cup
Male Kumite 1st

Apr 2008    

Graded to 6th Dan

Jan 2012    

Appointed Grading Examiner Status by JKS England

Jan 2012    

Appointed Assistant National Squad Coach by JKS England

Dec 2015

Re-Graded 6th Dan with JKS under Kagawa Shihan in Tokyo

Dec 2018

Graded to 7th Dan with the JKS in Tokyo under Kagawa Shihan