History

Kyokushinkai in Texas came to pass when a Shodan named Nate "Skip" Mason, then a Captain in the US Airforce was transferred to Dyess AFB, Abilene, Texas in 1970. He was a student of Steven Senne of Southern California. (Senne Shihan was at that time the #1 student of Hanshi Don Buck and was (in the 1970's) appointed Vice Chairman of the North American Kyokushinkaikan Organization by Mas Oyama.) One of the first students to sign up to study Karate under Sensei Mason was Kirby Krupa, then age 32. Sensei Krupa now says that his goal at that time was to reach the rank of green belt before he died. Krupa studied and practiced 7 days a week and was the highest ranking student when Sensei Mason was once again transferred. Sensei Mason left Krupa with instructions to continue teaching. In 1973 Krupa then began a long and lonely journey. Being 1200 miles from the closest teacher, Krupa stayed in close contact by phone and letters with Shihan Senne, closely heeding his every word. Through this tutelage Sensei Krupa guided us through the years. For over 25 years the only Kyokushin in Texas was in Abilene. Of the many students that Sensei Krupa taught, only 3 remain active, Sensei Wes Bales (Abilene Kyokushin Karate), Sensei Ray Green (McMurry University Karate) and Sensei Stephen (Steve) Hood (West Texas Kyokushin Karate).

West Texas Kyokushin is a member of Steven Senne’s Leopard School of Martial Arts and Buck’s American Kyokushin Karate (of which Steven Senne is a board member.) We are frequently visited and hold or attend seminars by noted instructors such as Shihan Steven Senne, Shihan Terry Hoskins, Shihan Armando Cappa and Shihan Fred Buck whom are members of organizations such as ATAMA, ISOK and AKK.