East Coast Representative

Update from Sensei Coffman:

The Strong; the Dedicated; the Honorable

SMOKA-USA is proud to have these fine men within the system of Matsumura Seito:

Alfred Gagne 6th Dan 2005 website: www.okinawantemple.com

Al Gagne started karate in 1969 under Vince Weigand, who trained under Fusei Kise in Okinawa in the late 1960's.

Mr. Gagne works by day as a correctional officer in Massachusetts, and at night as a Karate instructor. A certified defensive tactics instructor in the penal system of Massachusetts, Al has been a student of Sensei Coffman since 1977, and has been the most dedicated, consistent dojo within SMOKA-USA.

Having climbed from the rank of Sho-dan in 1972, to the prestigious rank of Roku-Dan in 2005, Mr. Gagne is the second person ever achieve this high rank under Sensei Coffman's tutelage. Not only is Sensei Gagne a strong karate-ka and instructor, but a man you can count on. He is well liked and respected by his peers as well as his students. He is typical of Sensei Coffman's black belts, strong, aggressive, and hard, but also fair.

Write up from Sensei Coffman prior to the update.

Al became a student of mine in 1977, after attending one of my seminars in New Hampshire. Al has turned out many, many high caliber Black belts, attended & hosted no less then 20 or more yearly seminars given by me, as well as studying at my dojo. Being a Black belt from his former teacher, Vince Weigand who studied Karate under Fusei Kise on Okinawa 1965-1966. Al became a top instructor within SMOKA & SMOKA-USA reaching his present rank of Ruko-Dan. I have promoted less than (6) students to Go-Dan in my 47 plus years of teaching, and only (2) up to Ruko-Dan. I have taught yearly seminars at his dojo's from 1978 to the present., also he and his students would attend the seminars that I put on for Deus Marchacos, making his Black belt direct students under my lineage. Al Gagne has trained under Sensei Kise at my dojo's directly. Al is a SMOKA-USA regional representative for the State of Rhode Island. http://www.okinawantemple.com