CLUB FOUNDERS
Left to Right: Sensei Phil Woods, Hanshi Tony Christian and Sensei Mark Holland
Hanshi Sensei Tony Christian – 9th Dan
Tony Christian is the highest ranking Gojo Ryu practitioner in the UK. He was born in Liverpool in 1947. He began training in 1965 and since then has been involved with many aspects of the martial arts, being one of the first full time professional Instructors. He has studied the style of Goju Ryu from 1970 including under Shihan Teruo Chinen, one of the world’s great masters of Karate. Sensei Christian’s knowledge of martial arts goes beyond karate into the world of ancient and modern weapons, at present he is ranked 9th Dan with British Karate Association. Sensei Christian no longer teaches classes, but does conduct Black Belt gradings and takes part in occasional Gasku – where several clubs get together for a joint training session.
Sensei Mark Holland – 8th Dan
Sensei Holland has been studying the martial arts since 1973 and is a 8th Dan Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate Do and a 2nd Dan Black Belt in Kobudo – the study of weapons. Mark has an instructor certificate in Tai Chi, has several UK Sports coaching certificates, a qualified personal trainer and nutritional advisor. Sensei Mark founded our club along with Sensei Phil Woods in 1999 before the club changed to a not-for-profit Community Club in 2021.
Sensei Phil Woods – 7th Dan
Sensei Woods has studied the martial arts since 1975 and is a 7th Dan Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate Do and a 3rd Dan Black Belt in Kobudo. He holds the English Karate Federation coaching certificate and has been a Coaching Assessor for the British Karate Association and the English Karate Federation. Phil is a retired environmental and public health professional and company director, having worked for 40 years in Public Health and Environmental Health. Sensei Phil is a Wigan Council Health Champion, Autism Friend and Dementia Friend and was a member of Wigan Sports Council Executive Committee for over 20 years. Sensei Phil founded the club along with Sensei Mark in 1999 and continues to be the senior graded instructor in the new not-for-profit Community Club from 2021.
CLUB INSTRUCTORS
Chief Instructor – Sensei Petra McWilliam – 6th Dan
Sensei McWilliam has studied the martial arts since 1994 and is a 6th Dan Black Belt in Goju Ryu Karate Do and a 1st Dan Black Belt in Kobudo. Petra works in financial services. Petra is a Wigan Council Health Champion.
Senior Graded Instructors – Sensei Mark Holland – 8th Dan – Sensei Phil Woods – 7th Dan
See above
Background
All instructors are students of 9th Dan Hanshi Sensei Tony Christian, Chief Goju Ryu Karate Instructor of the BKA. Our instructors have also trained with other instructors including Sensei Teruo Chinen and Sensei Morio Higaonna, two of the great Okinawan masters of Goju Ryu.
Club Committee
We are an unincorporated amateur community sports club, run by a general committee selected from within the club membership. Our current committee comprises the following:
- Chairman – Damian Cross – wigankaratechair@gmail.com
- Chief Instructor – Sensei Petra McWilliam – wigankaratetreas@gmail.com
- Club Instructors – Sensei Phil Woods – Sensei Mark Holland – Sensei Bernard Dermott – Sensei John Gaskell – Sensei Steve Meekin – Sensei Dr Warren Larkin
- Deputy Chair – John Gaskell
- Honorary Treasurer – Petra McWilliam
- Honorary Club Secretary – Dr Carys Crossen wigankaratesec@gmail.com
- Honorary Assistant Club Secretarys – Szaye Hall and Sacha Hall
- Club Safeguarding Officer – Dr Warren Larkin
- Deputy Safeguarding Officer- Deane Lamb
- Health & Safety officers – Sensei Petra McWilliam
- Communications – Sensei Phil Woods