10th Dan? I Don’t Think So!

The following are claiming to be 10th Dan’s in Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu karate
This is what I personally know about these men

Phil Koeppel:
Koeppel started karate under Richard Kim, Japanese Shorinji-ryu in Japan…. Next under Adriando Emperado (Kajukenbo in Hawaii),…. next under Trais USKA/ Shuri-ryu,… next under Uichi Kuda.
Started Karate in 1956, Wado-ryu, Japanese karate, in Japan…. In 1965 Jimmy Coffman joins the USKA, (Robert Trias) at this time Phil Koeppel was claiming the rank of 7th Dan from Robert Trias in what he was calling: Shuri-ryu.

Now let’s look at that: Koeppel starts karate 1956….goes to 7th Dan by 1965… so he wants us to believe he went from a white Belt, (beginner) to 7th Dan in 9 years?? In which time he trained in three different styles. What’s wrong with picture…You do the math.??

Koeppel goes to Okinawa 1997 claims to have met and trained with Nishihira…what’s wrong with This statement?…
It would appear that I was wrong when stating that Nishihara sensei died in 1994. I stand corrected.. I guess what it really comes down to is: Koeppel claims to have trained with Nishihara, (what a few hours at best) Matsumura Seito of Hohan Soken. Question: Would you say meeting someone for a hour or even two would qualify you as have been a trained by that person? I would not. Secondly, Keoppel claims to have been a student of Kuda sensei. This appears to be true some what. In truth, it appears that keoppel did in fact train with Kuda for a very short time (one to two weeks only), but claims the rank of Grand Master 10th Dan in Matsumura (Kempo) Seito. Again I ask …How can he be a legit Grand Master in Matsumura Seito in any form? He can’t.

Koeppel’s: 1st introduction to the Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu karate of Hohan Soken came from Ron Lindsey’s ( a student of Seizan Kinjo not Kise) students, Lindsey’s only contact with Hohan Soken’s Matsumura Seito comes after I turned over the association to him 1978-9 through Kise. 1978 Kise re-names the Association to “Kenshinkan”. For approximately three years (+-) Lindsey was the State side representative for Kise’s Kenshinkan.

NOTE: Hohan Soken refused to be Fusei Kise teacher any longer in 1977-8, telling Kise that he can no longer use the name Matsumura Seito. Kise comes up with the name Kenshinkan for his association. Now there are two conflicting stories as to the rift between Soken and Kise. One is “Dave Mauk” (see letter from Ed Gingras to Roy Osborne, below:)

Next Koeppel trains with Yuichi Kuda (dies 1999) a couple of times per year.  Ron Lindsey’s teacher after he has Kise thrown out of his own association.

After his supposed training with Nishihira sensei 1997  Koeppel is introduced to Kuda sensei. Koeppel becomes his student, trains for a few of weeks per year 9at best) under Kuda until his death (1999) What, a few years, a couple of weeks per year at the most?
Kuda promotes Koeppel to 8th Dan before he passes. Money, money.
Koeppel’s group believes he (Koeppel) should be a GRAND MASTER, 10th Dan in the “NEW SYSTEM” he is claiming (Matsumura Seito)….So what happens next?…you guessed it….He now claims to be a 10th Dan in Matsumura Seito ????
It was told to me that Robert Trias took a few of his senior students to Okinawa. The Okinawans did NOT recognize any of Mr. Trias ranks, kata, ranks etc, even though he was claiming to teach Shuri-ryu.

In fairness to Mr. Koeppel. He does have a long, good background and reputation (with the exceptions of some of his claims) in Karate. He knows a lot of people and has been around for a long time….but a 10th Dan in Matsumura Seito?? I don’t think so…..what do you think??

Just another fake 10th Dan…..

David Mauk:
Mauk trained under Fusei Kise and became one of his top students while on Okinawa during the late 1960’s. (1966-7?)

Dave Mauk, claimed that Sensei Soken promoted him to 10th Dan and made him head of the Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu system.…A flat out lie, never happened.
1975-6 Dave Mauk conned Soken (Soken was all but senile at this time) into giving him a… 8th Dan…  This was done by Soken to punish Kise, Maulk tells Soken that Kise was stealing from him and that he would give him all the money plus be a better more capable head of the system….. Another lie. Trying to take over as the head.

1973 I had planned a trip to the US for both Soken & Kise to attend my annual karate camp. Soken would not leave Okinawa ever again.
1973 Mauk tells Soken that he will die if he travels to the States again. Soken wanted his final days and wanted to die on Okinawa, his home…so Soken refuses to travel out of Okinawa ever again.
Another lie told by Mauk.…
Mauk’s 8th Dan rank was rescinded a few months after the promotion and was/is not recognized.. ANYWHERE on Okinawa.
Just another fake 10th Dan…..

Ron Lindsey:
The truth is that Ron Lindsey was never trained by Hohan Soken, his teacher while on Okinawa was Seizan Kinjo?.

Based upon the article done by IkigaWay (2014-15?), the following are some quotes directly from the interview: Lindsey starts karate in 1963 studying Shoto-Kan in Texas, but he can not remember the teacher name?   1968 he goes to Okinawa (as a black belt) His time is from 1968 to 1970 (18 months is the basic tour) During this time Lindsey claims to have gone to Korea, the Philippines and so forth (as quoted), Next he claims to have gone TDY to Vietnam numerous times (?) During this time he claims to have studied under and with the following: Uechi-ryu, Seiyu Shinjo, Kise, Soken, Kuda and Odo…FIVE different instructors.
I guess my question is: How much training could he have received if he was in fact, going to all of these different places, and training with all these different instructors during his short tour? Not much!

Does it add up or make sense to you?

Ron Lindsey wrote many articles about Kise being Soken sensei prodigy.

Lindsey was a student of Seizan Kinjo while on Okinawa. Lindsey was only Kise’s student after I passed the Association over to him here in the States 1978-9?…. Koeppel sent a couple of his black belt students to Lindsey’s training camp. They brought back what kata they learned to Koeppel… This became the 1st introduction to Matsumura Seito karate for Koeppel.

1978-9 Kise association, Kenshikan (formally known as SMOKA (1965-1977), Kise had to change the name after Soken told him he could no longer claim Soken’s system name “Matsumura Seito”… Kise names Ron Lindsey as the United State representative after Jimmy Coffman resigns as the head. A few years later Kise sensei decides to appoint Mike Hancock, wanting to replace Lindsey as his representative. Ron Lindsey finds out about this and makes up lies about Kise not really being Soken’s lead student or Sokens prodigy, claiming that Kuda was senior to Kise. Another Lie. Lindsey being unwilling to step down because of his enormous ego goes to all the member schools telling this lie and get’s Kise kicked out of his own association.

Lindsey does this BEHIND Kise back, he did not even have the balls to do it face up. ..When I quit Kise I did it in front of him, not behind his back.
Lindsey has Kise replaced by Yuichi Kuda of which he had contacted prior to the replacement to confirm that Kuda would be willing to head-up the position and the income from the association.
Kuda was a long time student of Shigeru Nakamura, Okinawan Kenpo. Kuda started training under Soken 1970
Kuda (Kise started under Soken 1956-7 or so he claims) only studied for a small number of years under Soken.
Kuda calls his system “Matsumura Kenpo Shorin-Ryu”, passes away in 1999 at the age of 70.
Lindsey called his style of karate.. Matsumura Seito Shorin-ryu…. until Jimmy Coffman disputes this… Lindsey then changes to Matsumura Kenpo Shorin-Ryu because his instructor was Kuda “not” Soken.
As you can tell by now I am not a big fan of Ron Lindsey. In my eyes, he is a pompous ego ridden “dishonorable man” (because of what he did to Kise) and does not deserve the respect from his peers.

Just another fake 10th Dan…..

Glen Premru:
1971-2 Glen Premru contacts Hohan Soken & Fusei Kise, telling them that he is a world champion here in the States with hundreds of students, and that he wants to build an association for them. He claims that he can bring hundreds if not thousands of members to join. Kise and Soken agree. Soken wants to use his old association name …OKF… Okinawan Karate Federation. Soken had closed the OKF on Okinawa back in 1956+-.
1972 Premru plans a tournament in honor of Soken to start up the association here in the States. Soken nor Kise had ever heard of Glen Premru prior to the initial contact. Premru had never studied Matsumura Seito Shorin-Ryu karate.
Jimmy Coffman attend the tournament (1972) to once again reunite with his 1st and only karate instructors, Hohan Soken and Fusei Kise. Coffman had not seen either of his instructors since leaving Okinawa 1964. Coffman had been in contact by correspondence only up to this time. Coffman enters the tournament to show his teachers he had kept up with his training.
Soken sensei is found to be sick upon Coffman arrival. Jimmy Coffman ask Glen why Soken was sick? Glen states that he was feeding them the best food and that they were in a great room. Coffman, what food he was feeding them… Glen, said steak, etc. I (Coffman) told him that they needed rice, chicken & vegetable. Coffman takes Kise & Soken to a Chinese restaurant for soup, rice and vegetable meal that day. We return to the hotel, go to their room…it’s cold… (the reason for Sokens illness). I ask why didn’t they turn off the A/C? Kise says he did not know it could be turned off, I turned it off. Kise and Soken want Coffman to move in with them. I declined I would get a room close to them.
Soken, Kise and Coffman renew their close and personal friendship. Kise ask Coffman what he knew about Glen Premru?
Not much was my reply, he had seen him in tournaments that’s about it. Kise spoke to Soken and then asked Coffman if he would be co-head of the OKF here in the States?
Coffman reply’s..yes… Kise speaks to Glen and it is agreed.
Soken and Kise promote Glen Premru to the rank of 6th Dan.
Next, we hear that Glen Premru is claiming the rank of 10th Dan in Sokens Matsumura Seito Karate.
By 1974 Kise informs Coffman that Premru is stealing the association funds and that Soken once again closes the OKF.
1975 Soken and Kise contact Coffman wanting to start the Shorin-Ryu Matsumura Seito (Orthodox) Karate Association. “SMOKA” asking Coffman to be it’s United State representative.
Glenn Premru is and has been a wanted man for many years by the FBI for stealing in access of ten million dollars. If anyone see’s the man they should contact the authorities.

GA Garcia:
I do not know much about this man other than he claims to be a 10th Dan in the Matsumura Seito karate. Claims to have been like a son to Soken and was promoted to 10th Dan by Soken… Total Lie!
In the late 1970’s I receive notice that Garcia was coming here to the USA and that Premru was asking all of us to attend this meeting to join in with recognizing Garcia as the head of the Soken’s Matsumura Seito Karate. Premru was convinced that Garcia was like a son to Soken having lived and trained for many years under him. I told Glenn that I had never heard of Garcia and that I did not believe the many stories that was being told to me. I refused to attend this meeting.
Many people attended the meeting. Premru, Dillman, and others. Charles Garrett was among those that attended. They all agreed to accept Garcia as the head. A few months later it was found out that Garcia had in fact made up his story and was lying about the whole thing. When asked Kise if he had ever heard of GA Garcia….the answer was no.
GA Garcia….just another fake so-called 10th Dan.

Tom Hunnicutt 1967-8
Dave Shelton 1967-8 a complete and  joke.