History of the Ole Miss Karate Club
The Ole Miss Karate Club was started by Tony Giardina and Bob Nance in the fall semester of 1975. At that time, Tony was a brown belt and Bob was a purple belt. Bob was promoted to brown belt during the year and Sho-Dan in July of 1976 in the Greenville club. Tony was promoted to Sho-Dan in December of 1976 in the Greenville club. The club is a “daughter” of the Greenville Mississippi Club which was under the direction of Larry Dreher.
The club’s first dojo was a portion of the basketball court in the Old Gym Building. There was another karate club, the Golden Tiger Karate Club using the dance studio in the same building. When they disbanded, the club moved to the dance studio. At this time, the club was called the Isshin-ryu Karate Club of Ole Miss. It was only after we became the only club on campus that the name “Ole Miss Karate Club” was adopted. This name change occurred after Sensei Nance graduated in 1979 and Alex Brinkley took over as head instructor. Sensei Brinkley was promoted to black belt in 1980 and became the club’s first black belt.
1984
Top Row l to r: Kell Canty, Todd Wilemon, Jim Thorpe, and Von Wilson, Middle Row l to r: Norbert Woods, Lavern Moody, Jim McColgan, and Bruce Prather, Seated l to r: Tim Boykin, Tamara McColgan, and Bobby Holley
Sensei Brinkley left Ole Miss and Gustovo Fermin and Susan Eads, both brown belts, took over until Sensei Brinkley returned. Bobby Holley took over the club in 1982 after becoming the club’s second black belt. In 1983, the dojo moved again. This time to the Education School Gym. In the summer of 1984, Tamara McColgan and Vernon Miles became the third and fourth black belts of the club. In the Spring of 1985, P.E. 105 Self-Defense Techniques was taught in conjunction with the beginning karate class.
n 1985 Tim Boykin, Ni-Dan visited the club and helped with the teaching duties until he graduated. Murray Estess was promoted to black belt in the Spring of 1985. Murray began his training in the Greenville Club. Later that year, Norbert Woods attained the Black Belt rank.
On October 12, 1985, Sensei Holley and the Ole Miss Karate Club sponsored its 1st statewide tournament. It took place in the club’s dojo in the Turner Center. Another tournament was held September 13, 1986 and the third on September 9, 1989. At this time, the club decided to spend its energies on bringing Sensei Advincula for an annual visit instead of having tournaments. We’ve come close to having Sensei Advincula every year since then.
May 2005
Students promoted to Black Belt by Cherry Douglas during the 13 years as Head Instructor of the Ole Miss Karate Club. Front row l to r: Ronald Parker, Cherry Douglas, Phil Wells, and Randy Ware. Back row l to r: Kirk Alberts, Bobby Tubbs, George Nock, and Tim Simmons.
In 1990, Sensei Tamara McColgan took over as head instructor of the club. She returned to Ole Miss to get her Ph.D. in math. Her husband Jim returned to get his law degree. Jim received his Black Belt rank in 1990. Cherry Douglas received her Black Belt rank in 1992. When the McColgans graduated and moved on, Sensei Douglas took over as head instructor.
We currently hold class in the South Residential College Gym and run only during the academic year. We work out informally during the summer since very few students stay on campus. Dan O’Sullivan has been the head instructor for the past several years.
Ole Miss Karate Club Black Belts
(In Alphabetical Order)
Kirk Alberts, Bill Byrne, Alex Brinkley, Connie Campbell, Rich Charette, Cherry Douglas, Murray Estes, Tony Giardina, Jarrod Gregg, Bobby Holley, Wheeler Howard, Kevin Kettleman, Jim McColgan, Tamara McColgan, Vernon Miles, Bob Nance, George Nock, Daniel O’Sullivan, Ronald Parker, Sean Perrera, James Reid, Tim Simmons, Bobby Tubbs, Bryan Tucker, Randy Ware, Scott Watkins, Phil Wells, and Norbert Woods
