Instructor Joel Norrgard

Favourite kata Sochin

 

 

Karate has been an integral part of Joel’s life since he first started training alongside EMA’s Head Instructor Raymond Morcomb in 1988. Like Raymond, Joel was also inspired by the strict disciplinarian Jake Leslie Sensei, a mentor who taught him the true nature of karate and the importance of harnessing its spiritual aspect as a guide for everyday living.

 

At just 12-years-old, and while nursing a broken arm, Joel achieved his 1st Dan Black Belt. Despite being forced to take a lengthy break from training a few years later, his desire to practice karate never waned and he went on to obtain his 2nd Dan Black Belt in 1999. More recently, in 2007, Joel was graded to 3rd Dan Black Belt by the infamous master Masahiko Tanaka.

 

Among Joel’s most treasured karate achievements are his selection and performance at the 2006 JKA Shoto World Cup held in Sydney, where he remained undefeated in every round of the Men’s Team Kumite competition and achieved fourth place in the individual event.

 

Winning first place in the Dojo Team Kata event at the Australasian Titles in Lake Taupo, New Zealand, is another key highlight in his competition career.

 

Joel cites Raymond’s physical aptitude in the martial arts and his embodiment of the karate spirit as a continual source of inspiration in the development of his own karate.