Sensei
Niall Auchinachie started in the Martial Arts in the mid 70's when a friend
persuaded him to go along to the Judo club he trained at. From what he remembered
the training was varied but he never really liked the instructor and left
after about 2 months. The club was based in the local YMCA, on the first floor,
and on the ground floor there was a karate class. Another of his friends trained
at this club and suggested he join a class. The club taught Shotokan karate
and was part of Kanazawa sensei's SKI group. He trained with them for about
18 months gaining 8 Kyu until a football injury stopped his training.
Sensei Niall takes up the story. "In 1980 I came to Stirling, as a student, and trained at the Martial Arts Club there but there were no formal gradings or class format. The club was a focus for martial artists who wanted to compete in University competitions and had no style affiliation until 1982. It was during this time that a student at the club contacted his instuctor, Robert Kane, and asked if he would teach a class in Tenshinkan Karate. Shihan Kane obliged and Tenshinkan has been taught at the University ever since. I fought on the University team '82-'83 in league and championship events and was awarded my 'colours' from the University in 1983."
After graduating and working around Scotland he came back to Stirling in 1986 to
work and continued his training in Tenshinkan. He took over the University
club in 1989 when the resident Instructor left to open a club nearer to home.
In the spring of 1990 he visited Japan to train at the Honbu Dojo with Kancho
for about one month and after returning to Scotland sat his Shodan with Kancho
in June at an International Gashuku. Sensei Niall says "The thing that
remains clear from that day was the actual grading itself was performed in
Camperdown Park after a mix up with the hall booking. I had to rush off back
to work as I had used up all my holiday entitlement visiting Japan and was
actually supposed to be at work that day. Thank goodness for dental appointments".
In 1993 he received a coaching award from the University after a successful
Stirling team took back silver and bronze medals from the British University
Championships. In 1994 they repeated the performance but only managed bronze
in Team Kumite.
In 1993 the Danish Tenshinkan Karate federation hosted an International Gashuku with Kancho which was attended by fifteen members from the UK federation. The Stirling contingent was well organised and supplied the transport for some of the UK members in the form of the University mini-bus! This was a very successful course with the UK team coming home with bronze medals - a proud moment for sensei Niall as most of the UK team comprised Stirling students or ex-students.
A
year later he helped organise and run another Gashuku in the UK where we had
three Japanese instructors visit and seventeen members from Denmark. Later
that year he sat and passed his Nidan grading in Dundee under Shihan Kane.
Sensei Niall adds "In the late 1990's I was introduced to an American instructor in Kyusho-jitsu (pressure point fighting) and was intrigued by his teaching. Kata application has always been a strong point with Shihan Kane and it was from this background I decided to take my interest in bunkai further. That interest has led me to train with instructors such as Sensei Vince Morris, Sensei Mark Cline and Sensei Leon Jay.
