Duane Ethington, Garett Lee and Gary Lee

Austin, Texas was the hotbed of the Texas Martial Arts scene on this brisk October weekend as it hosted the Austin Asian Martial Arts Festival and the American Pioneer Alliance Awards. “By the looks of it, we have just about doubled last year’s attendance.” beamed a rightfully pleased Professor Gary Lee. His Martial Cafe and Hawaii Rocks productions did themselves proud, along with Ranger Boats and Austin Boats and Motors in putting together this ‘cracker jack’ event. The general feeling of the day, as was gathered by this reporter from the many martial artists and martial arts masters, seemed to center around the absolute necessity to keep the very history of Sport karate and of those who pioneered and paved the way in the early days alive and well. “Far too many of today’s martial artists do not have a clue as to who the real pioneers of the Sport are.” laments Professor Lee with a noted lilt of sadness in his voice. “It is vitally important that the younger generations understand where Sport Karate comes from and who the people are who set the stage.” adds Grand Master Daryl (Big Foot) Stewart, long a driving fighting force in this region of Texas karate.

The busy Crockett Convention Center of Austin housed the event that attracted virtually every Asian school of martial arts in the area. Throughout the day, the throng of spectators were dazzled and entertained by ongoing grappling seminars and a fighting tournament. The Texas Dragon Lion Dance team thrilled the crowd with a spectacular lion dance while members of the Austin Komei Jyuku did some impressive demos with swordsmanship. There was a Super Kick Seminar given by Ian Fauth as well as a lecture by Dr. Patrick Price “The Body Detective”.

Texas Lion dance Team Performing

One of the specialties of the day came from Professor Gary Lee, himself. Having claimed the Texas Open Bass Championship in 1987, the fishing and martial arts expert held one of his dazzling Bass Fishing seminars for the kids. For years Professor Lee has traveled throughout the region teaching Children’s fishing seminars As usual, this seminar was sponsored by Ranger Boats.

During the day, too, an unexpected yet good to see undercurrent of conversation was popping up in many circles. The Sport Martial Arts Museum and Library, which will eventually house everything about the greats of Sport Karate in the United States, was being mentioned frequently. The late Ken Knudson also was a name that proved not to be forgotten as many remembered him as being the heart and soul, along with Professor Lee, of the brain thrust that first spawned the Sport Museum idea. Mr. Knudson’s passion for the preservation of Sport karate and its history was every bit as vivid and prevalent as was Professor Lees or Sid Campbell’s, Bob Wall’s or this reporters. It was quite evident that Ken Knudson is gone but nowhere nearly forgotten.

Duane Ethington, Joe Asvarado and Daryl (Big Foot) Stewart

As Gary Lee put it “ The pioneers of Sport Martial Arts were a great gift to America. This great country is the only place on earth where the very best really make it work. The American Pioneer Alliance Awards take pride in recognizing these deserving people without bias as to ethnic culture. Each of these are great Americans and they are the ones who laid the ground work and suffered the hardships and personally made the sport grow bigger and better each year.”

Dr. Patrick Price (The Body Detective) added an additional slant. “Coming from a background of a combat oriented system” relates Price “I, naturally, was taught to think that cross training was more or less forbidden. I met Gary Lee in the 80’s and discovered an enthusiasm for Sport karate that I found unmatched by anyone I had ever known. I soon learned that it was okay to do martial arts as a sport and not try to draw blood with every outing. Today, if the competitors don’t cross train they simply will fall behind everyone else.”

Gary Lee, Tournament Rules Meeting Director

Danny Passmore, the founder and president of the prestigious Texas Karate Hall of Fame states that “The Sport Karate Hall of Fame is primarily to restore and then preserve the accuracy of the very history of American martial arts for all time. It is a very good thing that is going to happen in this great land.”

Daryl (Big Foot) Stewart and living legend Joe Alvarado both echoed the same sentiment of “It is vitally important that the younger generations know where the sport really came from and remember the people who pioneered it.”

A bevy of local talent and leadership were there to support the festival. Among those were Masters Richard Guerra; George Hu, Junfeng Li, David Pickens, Sam Um, Xi Shin Yin and Doctors Ed Sones and Her Yue Wong along with Sensei Ty Yocham, Clay Worley and Joye Petty-Zverina along with Shihan Dean Chapman and Shi-Fu Hwang.

After a day of excitement with numerous demos and both the Asian and traditional tournaments being completed, the evening buzz was centered on the actual awards themselves.

Old timers were swapping stories of great moments of the past while some of the younger generation were afforded a glimpse of some of the true living legends who were among them. Many pictures were taken, as well.

Garett Lee, the fighting champion of the day, did a good form that would have surely garnered straight tens had it been judged.

Gary Lee and friend at Children's Bass Fishing Seminar

A multitude of awards in numerous categories were given to recognize many deserving people for various actions. Among the most noted were Linda Runyan for her tireless work as secretary-director.

Daryl Stewart was honored as “Man of the Year” while Sifu Hu, Dr. Edward Sones, Sifu Hwang and Grand Master Chung Jincai received SIFU LEGEND awards. The LIVING LEGEND OF SPORT KARATE awards went to Sean Ethington, Mark W. Wendell and Jennifer Branch. The evening was capped with the special LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT awards going to JOE ALVARADO, DUANE ETHINGTON DANNY MCCALL, Gerald Giles, Professor Silvero Guerra, and Adam Guerra.

Everyone agreed that the awarding of Joe Alvarado was a very special moment for a very special man who has given tirelessly of himself for so many years. With Professor Lee and his very hard working staff, the Austin Asian Martial Arts Festival will only become bigger and better and more exciting with each year’s passing. Personally, I can’t wait for the opening of the Sport Martial Arts Hall of Fame and Duane Ethington Memorial Library, which should be forthcoming in the not-too- distant future.

For now, I will settle for the great events like the one held this weekend in Austin.

For More Information About Knife Fighting click here